iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I’ve read Matt Brown’s books and posts for years. Now he’s written this lovely piece about Deptford.org! Thank you, @londonist.com, for such kind words. They’ve made me want to do even more with the site. londonist.com/london/histo...

londonist.com

This Deptford Website Is Both Informative And Beautiful

Deptford.org is a joy.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 23h

Waiting for Avenue Q at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

For the last visualisation in my London data challenge, I decided to experiment with data art. I turned 100 years of population data into a woven chart, with one thread for each London borough. deptford.org/beyond/londo... And that’s it: 30 visualisations in 10 days! What a journey.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

London’s relationship with the car changes dramatically from one borough to another. Only 21.5% of households in Havering had no car or van in 2021. In the City of London, the figure was 77.2%. deptford.org/beyond/carfree 29/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

In 2004, almost one in four employed Londoners usually worked more than 45 hours a week. Today it’s closer to one in six. For Day 28 of my London data visualisation challenge, I charted how London’s working week has changed. deptford.org/beyond/working

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

32 London boroughs have School Streets. Bexley has none. For Day 27 of my London data visualisation challenge, I mapped all 829 enforced School Streets across London. Lewisham has 61. Several boroughs have more than 40. Bexley: 0. Explore the interactive map: deptford.org/beyond/schoo...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Ghost signs of Deptford, Comet Street edition.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

London’s recycling rate peaked about 13 years ago. It hasn’t grown since. For Day 26 of my London dataviz challenge, I plotted 27 years of household recycling rates. London climbed from 7.6% in 1998 to a peak of 34% in 2013. Then progress stopped. deptford.org/beyond/recyc...

deptford.org

London hit a recycling wall

London's household recycling rate rose to a peak of 34.0% in 2012/13, then slipped slightly to 32.6% by 2024/25.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

What did Londoners die of in the 1600s? For Day 23 of my London dataviz challenge, I turned the 1629–1685 Bills of Mortality into a heatmap. Some causes sound alien to us: griping in the guts, rising of the lights or King’s Evil. Very poetic! deptford.org/beyond/morta...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Where did London’s pubs go? For Day 24 of my London data visualisation challenge, I mapped how the number of pubs and bars changed in every London borough between 2001 and 2024. Hackney is the only borough with more pubs than in 2001! deptford.org/beyond/pubs/

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Which London borough has the biggest fly-tipping problem? For Day 25 of my London data visualisation challenge, I plotted 14 years of recorded fly-tipping incidents across all 33 London local authorities. deptford.org/beyond/flyti...

deptford.org

How fly-tipping changed across London

Fourteen years of recorded fly-tipping incidents across London's 33 local authorities reveal sharply different local trajectories.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

deptford.org

How fly-tipping changed across London

Fourteen years of recorded fly-tipping incidents across London's 33 local authorities reveal sharply different local trajectories.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I love London buses and I love scrollytelling on maps, so this brilliant Guardian feature was always going to win me over. It follows individual routes, then zooms out to show how buses across the city have slowed down since 2015. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-i...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

How much of the London Underground is actually underground? Apparently, just 45%. For Day 21 of my London data visualisation challenge, I turned the word UNDERGROUND itself into the chart. See it here: deptford.org/beyond/under... 21/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

How has the mix of appliance fires changed in London? For Day 22 of my London data visualisation challenge, I compared fire statistics from 2010/11 and 2025/26. Battery-charger fires rose from 2 to 18, while TV/video/audio fell from 28 to 8. Explore the full version: deptford.org/beyond/appli...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Ghost signs of London, Bermondsey edition.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Fare evasion on London trams is nearly three times as high as on buses: 7.3% of journeys, compared with 2.6%. For Day 13 of my London data visualisation challenge, I compared TfL’s latest estimates across six transport modes. The Underground is next highest at 5.0%. deptford.org/beyond/fare/

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

In 1981, council housing was twice as common in London as private renting. By 2021, the positions had almost reversed. For Day 11 of my London data visualisation challenge, I traced how renting and home ownership changed over 40 years. deptford.org/beyond/tenure/

deptford.org

How private renting overtook council housing in London

From 1981 to 2021, private renting in Greater London rose from 15.1% to 30.0% of households, while council renting fell from 30.7% to 12.1%.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

For Day 16 of my London data visualisation challenge, I animated the 20-year race between London’s busiest stations. By 2023, six of the top ten were served by the Elizabeth line. deptford.org/beyond/eliza... 16/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

On Day 20 of my London data visualisation challenge, I have an admission: I love the Cable Car. Can’t get enough of it. So naturally, I wondered: how long would London buses take to make as many passenger journeys as the Cable Car makes in a whole year? deptford.org/beyond/cable...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Ghost signs of London, Belgravia edition.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Why does the City manage land far beyond the Square Mile? For Day 19 of my London data visualisation challenge, I mapped 13 green spaces managed by the City of London Corporation, from Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire to Epping Forest in Essex. Explore the map here: deptford.org/beyond/cityg...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

What does London’s heritage at risk look like borough by borough? For Day 18 of my London data visualisation challenge, I mapped 500 listed buildings and 69 conservation areas on Historic England’s 2025 Heritage at Risk register. Explore the atlas here: deptford.org/beyond/herit...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

My interview with Sam Matey-Coste, a climate journalist, environmental scientist and mapmaker. We talk about what cartography teaches you about explaining complicated subjects and how his newsletter grew from a side project into a writing career. www.hypertextual.org/p/climate-ho...

hypertextual.org

☀️ Climate hope needs evidence: My conversation with Sam Matey-Coste

This week’s interview is with Sam Matey-Coste, a climate and energy journalist, environmental scientist and mapmaker.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I wanted to see what London’s affordable housing record looks like development by development. So for Day 17 of my London data visualisation challenge, I checked and plotted 1,641 large planning applications for 50+ homes submitted since 2011. deptford.org/beyond/affor...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Four years ago today, we moved to London. Since then, I’ve walked hundreds of miles across it and started digging into its history. Still feels like I’ve barely scratched the surface.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I mapped every piece of ancient woodland in London. My map looks almost empty. It’s Day 15 of my London data challenge. Little ancient woodland remains in London. But these places have remained wooded since at least 1600. We are lucky they survived. deptford.org/beyond/woodl...

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

For my birthday, I wanted to do something a little more personal. I was born in 1983, so for day 13 of my London data visualisation challenge, I looked at what has happened to the city since then. deptford.org/beyond/1983v... 13/30 · London data visualisation challenge

deptford.org

What 43 years did to London

Six charts show how London changed in the 43 years since 1983: population, migration, housing, jobs, Heathrow and the Tube.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

43 today, and feeling optimistic about what’s next. This year, I grew Deptford.org, volunteered a lot, and started a master’s in digital journalism. The plan for 44: keep going. And probably do more. And since it’s my birthday: subscribe to Hypertextual.org and make an old man happy.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Here, I’ve translated it for you: “We’ve finally realised that LLMs are great at certain tasks but won’t get us anywhere near the AGI we promised investors. So let’s pretend we’re choosing to slow down and hope something new turns up.”

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I’m fascinated by London’s sewage system and once spent a worrying amount of time at Crossness Pumping Station. So for day 12 of my London data visualisation challenge, I looked at how sewer upgrades cut typical sewage overflows into the Thames by 94%. deptford.org/beyond/tideway

deptford.org

In 15 years, sewer upgrades cut Thames sewage overflows by 94%

A solid dark-brown area chart shows Thames sewage overflows falling from 39 million cubic metres in 2010 to 2.4 million in 2025.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

deptford.org

How private renting overtook council housing in London

From 1981 to 2021, private renting in Greater London rose from 15.1% to 30.0% of households, while council renting fell from 30.7% to 12.1%.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Reasons to love Deptford, part 21: Historical palimpsests everywhere.

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

In 1961, one in three London households did not have a fixed bath to themselves. By 1991, it was just 2%. For day 10 of my London dataviz challenge, I turned those census figures into 100 tiny baths and a timeline showing the change. deptford.org/beyond/bath

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

For Day 9 of my London data visualisation challenge, I wanted to see what would happen if I put all 19,367 of London’s listed buildings on one map: churches, monuments, bridges, walls, railings, lamp posts, telephone boxes, tombs and even bollards. deptford.org/beyond/listed/ 09/30

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

London is short of housing. It also has 105,138 empty homes. For Day 8 of my London data visualisation challenge, I turned that ratio into the simplest chart I could think of: 37 houses, with one left empty. deptford.org/beyond/empty/ 08/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

If my math is correct, Andy Burnham has just overtaken Liz Truss in time spent as prime minister. So I made a game about it. It’s basically 2048 with British prime ministers. Merge identical PMs, move up the ranking by time in office and try to reach Margaret Thatcher. deptford.org/pmgame/

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

How many trees do you think London has? More than people? Half as many? It’s much closer than I expected: the GLA estimates London has 8.4m trees, while 9.1m people live here. So there is roughly one tree for every Londoner. deptford.org/beyond/trees 07/30 · London dataviz challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

After a couple of pretty complex projects, I decided to do something simple for day 6 of my London data visualisation challenge. So, what animals do London firefighters rescue? Mostly cats! deptford.org/beyond/animals 06/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Chicken Shop Date is ending after 12 years. That gave me an idea for Day 5 of my London dataviz challenge: map where all those dates happened. It started as a simple bubble map. Then I kept adding things. deptford.org/beyond/dates 05/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

At least three London boroughs have run out of space for new graves. On the other hand, Bromley has about 43 years left. For Day 2 of my London dataviz challenge, I turned the GLA burial provision audit into a cemetery of 33 gravestones. deptford.org/beyond/burials

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Elia Kabanov @kabanov.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

If you lose an umbrella on London public transport, assume it is gone. TfL recorded nearly 295,000 items found in 2025/26. I looked at what happened next: deptford.org/beyond/umbre... 04/30 · London data visualisation challenge

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