Mapping the Dream

For many years I had a recurring dream where I am exploring a non-existent neighborhood in Philadelphia. Despite its non-existence, it had very clear geographic parameters within West Philadelphia's University City area. I would take the subway westbound to approximately 33rd Street, walk through the area passing all the interesting urban things (coffee shops, clothing, book and record stores) that mostly don't exist there and get back on somewhere in the 40-something streets to go home. The picture in my head is clear enough that I decided to draw it.

I left the street names off of the drawing because they were not in the dream. The area breaks free of the grid pattern in interesting ways, revealing my anti-grid bias. Also in the dream I'm taking an underground subway whereas in reality it comes out of the ground and becomes a surface streetcar. This is what the area really looks like via a SEPTA map. The Baltimore Avenue trolley line is the closest thing to this subway. 

Using some photo manipulation I altered the map to the dream reality. I moved Baltimore Avenue northwards because I pictured the subway line as a direct continuation from 33rd Street.

Here is an animated comparison of reality vs. dream

Keep on dreaming!