Placepointer,
a navigation app

More art than tool

Designed and coded as part of a university course, this project got me back into the Swift programming language.

Initially I considered making this app more feature-rich. Let users save destinations, suggest nearby points of interest and more outlandish ideas like the ability to see other users on the map. As I was nearing the end of the design process though, I realised that more features wouldn't necessarily add to the experience.

This app is a more a little art project than a full tool. And would never replace traditional navigation apps anyway. So I decided to embrace that in the design.

Navigating at your own pace

Getting from point A to B efficiently is a problem that is mostly solved. Google or Apple Maps consider millions of routes in milliseconds and present you with the fastest one.

This app can do none of that. You pick a location, the app shows you which general direction and how far away it is. That’s it.

Great for keeping a reference point while exploring a new city, when you just want to get to a destination at your own pace and leisure. Or when you're curious if home is south or north.