The documentary Lagos Wide and Close - An Interactive Journey into an Exploding City, arose from Rem Koolhaas' 2001 visit to Lagos, Nigeria with filmmaker Bregtje van der Haak, hoping to document a phase in one of Africa's fastest growing cities. The doc's unique direction allows viewers to switch between two video and three audio channels in realtime, mixing and matching different perspectives on the city. At once documenting Lagos from the personal perspective of bus driver Olawole Busayo ("Close"), and an aerial urban view ("Wide"), the interactive piece samples from Busayo's daily journey, interviews with Lagos' citizens, and comments by Koolhaas.
After visiting in 2001, Koolhaas continued to research Lagos throughout the early 'aughts with the Project on the City at Harvard's GSD, leading to the interactive documentary's release on DVD in 2004. The film is now available to experience online, where viewers can take full advantage of the multi-modal storytelling, and flip through video and audio channels in realtime (courtesy of Submarine Channel).