MTA: Moving Tiles Art in Subway transforms real-time MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) train arrival data into dynamic pixel tile patterns, inspired by the mosaic art commonly found on subway walls.
The direction of each tile’s movement reflects the train’s direction: tiles moving upward represent uptown-bound trains, while downward tiles represent downtown-bound trains. When a tile reaches the edge of the screen, it signals the train arriving at a station; once it exits, the train has departed.
Users can select different subway stations, and each station generates a unique visual pattern and color scheme based on the specific train routes arriving at that moment. When tiles collide, they occasionally form new patterns—adding a playful, generative element to the experience.
This project was a fun exploration of pattern design and motion. However, working with real-time data in GTFS format proved technically challenging—particularly converting and parsing the feed into JSON before it could be used for visualization.
