Your goal is to write up your findings as a walking field guide, a text that any person could pick…

Your goal is to write up your findings as a walking field guide, a text that any person could pick up and use to understand the evolving urban landscape seen on foot. It will chronologically describe the historical development of this urban landscape via that trajectory, while still offering observations about current trends. For example, you might start your walking tour at the historic core of your town, with the oldest structures. But you will also want to inform the reader about the new development along the way.

As the reader passes through different districts, your guidebook should help them answer the three key basic questions above. What was the historical process that made this landscape? What evidence can we see? How are current processes of urban development remaking this landscape?

Your text should be integrated with a map and enriched by photographs and other visual materials you deem necessary to tell your story. Your map need not be professionally done, but can be hand-drawn and scanned. Your challenge will be to construct a narrative of this landscape’s past, present, and possible future in the most concise yet complete way, nicely designed and presented for ease of use by the general public.

Your concrete final product should be the equivalent of about 5-8 pages of double-spaced text, woven with present and historical photos, scanned maps, and bibliographic references. The entire size of the file should be no more than 1 MB. The more important final product, however, should be your demonstrated ability to reconstruct the history of ordinary landscapes using the powers of careful observation and skillful research.