• Almost all of the following architectural and urban history publications are peer-reviewed.
    They are republished in full on my website, so as to guarantee public access by people outside academia. Contact me.

California Waterscape: time-lapse history of water supply

This time-lapse film visualizes the evolution of this state’s water delivery infrastructure from 1913 to 2019 through geo-referenced data on aqueducts, reservoir capacities, and land use. The animated film showcases population growth, urbanization, and agricultural demands, presenting cartographic snapshots that reflect the state’s increasing water needs over the decades. VIEW PUBLICATION >

Here Grows New York City

Here Grows New York is an American urban planning film directed by Myles Zhang and advised by urban historians Kenneth T. Jackson and Gergely Baics. The data visualization uses time-lapse cartography to follow the history of New York City’s infrastructure and street system development from 1609 to the present day. The video quickly went viral, gaining over five million views. The film is used in dozens of architecture and urban planning classes about the history of the urban form. VIEW PUBLICATION >

The Urban Development of Newark: 1660-2016

As Newark celebrated the 350th anniversary of its 1666 founding, I created this series of time-lapse drawings based on historical images and maps. As Newark develops from a small town to a bustling and industrial metropolis, the sounds of my animation shift from quiet woodlands to the din of the vibrant city with rising skyscrapers. This two-minute film aims to represent history as a living, fluid process. VIEW PUBLICATION >