Center for Land Use Interpretation

The Center for Land Use Interpretation is a research organization interested in understanding the nature and extent of human interaction with the earth’s surface. The Center employs a variety of methods to pursue its mission — engaging in research, classification, extrapolation and exhibition. Founded in 1994 by Matthew Coolidge, the Center is based in Los Angeles, with offices in Troy, New York; Wendover, Utah; and the Mojave Desert in California. Its investigative/documentation projects have encompassed a range of topics, including the landscapes of oil, parking, waste, emergency response, hydroelectric power, water and telecommunications. The center maintains a growing Land Use Database of the United States, with myriad places categorized according to transportation, water, industry, culture, mining, waste, military, nuclear/radioactive and R&D.