Inspired by the Shazam app for music, LABYL or “Learn About Buildings You Love” is an architectural mobile application that allows users to identify buildings that interest them, simply by taking a photo of the structure with their phone. The app is designed to pair the user’s picture to images in the database. Users whose interests are piqued from the instantaneous architectural discovery can further explore the neighborhood for similar buildings.

The app automatically pulls up your location and you can explore buildings around you. It also provides external links to city agencies, developers, architects, and real estate listings. You can take a picture of a building and the app will identify the building. We also crowdsource information by allowing users to add buildings to the database. Our information is collated from city records and the NYC open data platform. You can look up a building based on your location or simply search by address. You can also add a building to favorites to create a list of easily accessible buildings.

The app can be downloaded for free on Android and iPhone.