which the public can access our group mission statement, images, statement of significance, videos, maps, oral histories, and Croton-related stories. We have included a varied program of references for visitors to access. These range from links to institutions like the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center and the Waterworks Museum in Berlin to relevant news stories like NPR’s urban exploration coverage and The New York Times’ exposé on hydrofracking. The site also contains a “Did You Know” section that highlights fun facts and stories such as the recipe for a Croton cocktail and Miru Kim’s photographic installations. Alumni Weekend. Despite an engaging discussion at the event, we believed that the conversation should continue and decided to engage the community in an open space without constraints on time or place. Croton Conversations is aimed at generating discussion about infrastructure-related preservation, regulatory challenges, and existing and proposed methods of interpretation for the Croton Waterworks. The site is organized as an open forum in order to welcome those from outside the Columbia community to comment. To reach potential audience members, we created an email campaign through MailChimp and distributed emails prompting contacts to “join in the conversation” with a link to our site embedded within the message. The Croton Conversations forum has allowed us to collect ideas for interpretation and receive a range of feedback on our proposed plans. For instance, many people responded with suggestions for alternatives to smartphone technology such as foldable, wallet-friendly maps, a deck of cards, and references to reading material. These ideas were helpful to our interpretative plan and gave us a sense of the types of resources that people would actually put to use if made available. Website and Forum Website and Forum Section 4: Interpretation Holistic Digital Interpretation Methods The Croton Conversations Forum Croton Conversations is an online forum that grew out of our presentation at the GSAPP 66 67 Section 4: Interpretation Website and Forum This Page: Sample webpages from the Croton Waterworks website Facing Page: Sample webpages from the Croton Conversations forum 68 69 It is currently estimated that there are more than 83 million mobile phone web users in the United States, 31 percent of whom own smartphones, a number that is projected to increase to nearly 50 percent by the end of 2011.1 These brief yet telling statistics substantiate the need for digital interpretative strategies. To address this, we have developed our own smartphone application dedicated to the Croton Waterworks. Such a platform could either be used as it is presented here, or referenced as a simple template for future software development. This specific mockup allows and encourages users to engage with the history of the Waterworks through general information options as well as more interactive approaches, as illustrated through a walking tour component. It is also designed to promote the sharing and exchange of information across various platforms. Image Results Each structure would have numerous historical and contemporary photos to help illustrate the magnificent works of architecture and engineering found along the Croton Waterworks. The application would also encourage users to submit their own pictures taken at any structure or area of the system. History of the System App users could choose to learn about the overall history of the Croton Waterworks, while also having the ability to access informative videos and images. Links A links section would allow users to explore the Croton Waterworks beyond the smartphone application, by accessing relevant websites like those of the National Park Service, the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, among others. Search by Name Results Searching for specific structures would allow users to read about their history, while also having access to structures’ fiches, designation reports, and audio or video recordings. These same options would be available when searching by area or typology. 70 Walking Tour The most interactive feature of the application would be a walking tour. With this option, visitors could plan their own personal walking tour by custom-choosing structures or areas of interest. This feature would also enable users to select specific structures and learn about their history, much in the same way as the general search feature. This option may prove the most successful in actually bringing people to the system. 1 Nielsen Media, “State of the Media 2010: U.S. Audiences and Devices,” NielsenWire (2010); see also Roger Enter, “Smartphone to Overtake Feature Phones in U.S. by 2011,” NielsenWire (26 March 2010). Smartphone Application Search the System Users could discover the history of individual features of the Croton Waterworks, searching by feature name, area, or typology. Section 4: Interpretation Smartphone Application Top Left: The Croton Aqueduct App Logo and Homescreen Top Right: App navigation diagram for the “Search by Name” feature Bottom Left: Navigation diagram for the “History of the