Uploaded on 2017-05-31 by Madi Mukhametaliyev

This is Esentai park - a complex of business center, apartments and shopping mall in a business district of Almaty. Things visible on this photo are buildings, people, setting of a square between the buildings equipped with a concert venue. Examples of invisible attributes are climate and centrality of the place. One might guess the climate by observing how people dress, but this would be inaccurate information without measuring temperature, humidity, wind flow - the invisible characteristics. One might argue that attractiveness (number of visits) of this park can be measured through visual observation. And in fact it was measured as part of a study by the Gehl Architects. However, we do not know the motives of the visitors, or how far they come from (do they live in the neighborhood, or did they come from afar specifically for the concert, or do they work in this business center) to accurately determine how central is this area for the city. We need mobility data and interviews, for instance, to gain this knowledge. Upon these invisible measurements, number of decisions can be made. Vendors in the mall and cafes can better learn their demographic and adjust their goods and services accordingly. Urban planners can trace if there is demand for additional public transport access to the area, and if the activity in the park provides opportunities for commercial and residential development around it.