This clever app turns photos of everyday objects into an aesthetic file system

A new app will let you build your own museum-worthy archive out of everyday objects and bring it with you everywhere you go. Archiv is the brainchild of graphic designer David McGillivray. The app, which is currently in beta (potential testers can join the waitlist here), functions as a “collection system for organizing and identifying the physical world,” according to McGillivray. Users can take photos of anything they encounter—from statues to fire hydrants and furniture—and Archiv will convert them into crisp, aesthetically pleasing images, complete with a brief description of what they are and where they came from. Once a user has built out their backlog, they can share their findings with friends and begin to discuss patterns in their own observations. “The app really came from a desire to engage with the physical world more deeply, rather than retreat further into the digital one,” McGillivray says. “I’m interested in digital tools when they can add a layer to the physical world and help us notice or understand it better.” In practice, Archiv functions like a mindfulness exercise for design-minded people who want a habit that helps them remember the whimsy in the mundane. If…