Use of Mobile Devices in Public Participation for the Design of Open Spaces

Mobile devices are ubiquitous nowadays. Their use is expanding into a wide range of applications. The potential contribution of mobile devices for public participation during the decision-making process is yet unclear. This study uses the case study of a new urban park in Sheffield, UK. Using iPads, views of stakeholders including hard-to-reach groups, students and professionals are sought regarding the mobile device technology and regarding the park design. Participants were shown a short animated video of a three-dimensional model of the study site and were asked questions about the mobile device visualization. The study shows that visualization using mobile devices can contribute to enhancing the understanding of the general public, thus creating a broader base for decision-making

The use of mobile devices in participatory decision-making

Simulations have always been used for public participation in the form of maps, photos, sketches and models. Technological developments in computing and mobile platform have brought a new perspective to simulations and their use for participation. To our best knowledge, no in-depth study has been conducted related to the strengths and weaknesses of mobile device 3D visualisation use in landscape architecture. Therefore, this paper investigates the opportunities and challenges and mobile device use during a participatory decision-making process, with the help of related literature and experiences from the surveys conducted. Although pre-prepared visualisations have positive influence on engaging the public and enhancing the understanding, there is still need for future research to decide which specific mobile visualisation technique is advantageous compared to the rest of visualisation techniques

To green or not to green: Establishing the economic value of green infrastructure investments in The Wicker, Sheffield.

Establishing the value of urban green infrastructure resources draws on a complex evaluation of social, economic and ecological influences. As a result planners have found it difficult to develop robust economic arguments to promote investments in urban greening. The Valuing Attractive Landscapes in the Urban Economy (VALUE) project facilitated a trans-national programme of investigations to establish economic values for a range of green infrastructure investments. This paper presents the results of a large-scale willingness to pay (WTP) survey (N: 510) for investments on Blonk Street, The Wicker, Sheffield. Using 3D visualisations of three alternative urban greening scenarios the research addressed the influence of green infrastructure on aesthetic quality, functionality and amenity. The evidence suggests that participants were WTP up £10.56 or 2% more in monthly rent or additional mortgage payments to live in locations that have a high quality green infrastructure environment. The survey also examined the relationships between a range of socio-economic factors and WTP for green infrastructure (GI). WTP more rent was associated particularly with those in younger age groups and those with lower educational attainment. The paper concludes that investment in urban GI that is visibly greener, that facilitates access to GI and other amenities and that is perceived to promote multiple functions and benefits on a single site (i.e. multi-functionality) generate higher WTP values. The findings of the study support the wider literature evaluating the economic value of GI which argues that investment in urban greenspace can have a significant impact on local housing and commercial markets where it produces more attractive and functional landscapes

Mobile Augmented Reality for Flood Visualisation

Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) for environmental planning and design has hardly been touched upon, yet mobile smart devices are now capable of complex, interactive, and immersive real time visualisations. We present a real time immersive prototype MAR app for on site content authoring and flood visualisation combining available technologies to reduce implementation complexity. Networked access to live sensor readings provides rich real time annotations. Our main goal was to develop a novel MAR app to complement existing flood risk management (FRM) tools and to understand how it is judged by water experts. We present app development in context of the literature and conduct a small user study. Going beyond the presented work, the flexibility of the app permits a broad range of applications in planning, design and environmental management

Tracking visual engagement in mixed reality : a framework for analysing interaction with digital models

Due to technological advances, affordable mixed reality devices, including both virtualreality and augmented reality, are beginning to be used to support participatory planning to better inform stakeholders of design interventions. Stakeholder participation and perception studies often utilize both qualitative interviews and quantitative techniques to gauge how a model can effectively communicate design intentions. In this paper, we examine how mixed reality enables new methods of investigating how users interact with digital models, enhancing existing techniques. We introduce a non-invasive perspective tracking system, to track how a participant explores a 3D model of a landscape intervention through the perspective of their mixed reality device. Our software provides a supplementary technique to better analyse user interaction patterns with digital models, allowing a data-driven approach to support participation studies and enable novel analytical approaches. We introduce the concept of naturally salient perspectives and show that tracking how a user frames a model during free exploration can provide new quantitative insights to support traditional qualitative participation methods

Finding the difference : measuring spatial perception of planning phases of high-rise urban developments in virtual reality

Planning is a process in which the contents of planning is gradually refined. However, research in planning communication and perception is often conducted using contrasting scenarios, e.g. by comparing a with/without case. It is not surprising that drastic differences in planning content and representation result in significant differences in perception. Instead, and as a reflection of sequential and gradually evolving projects in planning practice, we are focusing on two planning phases with only subtle differences (2015 and 2018) for a new high-rise development district in Guangzhou. We introduce 3D gaze-tracking and spatial perception experiments to investigate how participants respond to virtual representations of the two planning phases. The results provide implications for planning and design practice and suggest more substantial roles for the general public in participatory planning processes

Adaptive transformation of historic water works in Hamburg, Germany: from essential infrastructure and cornerstone of public health to valuable man-made ecosystems and designed public spaces

A lack of safe drinking water supply is the cause of a number of waterborne diseases such as cholera. Even nowadays, an estimated 100,000 people die from cholera each year. Since the early/mid-19th century relatively simple but highly effective engineering solutions were developed that helped provide clean drinking water. In 1892 the City of Hamburg, Germany was hit by a cholera epidemic and more than 8,000 people died within a few weeks. As a consequence, sedimentation and filtration systems to provide clean drinking water were built. They were in operation for nearly a century and subsequently became disused in recent decades. Since then, a number of proposals including large mixed-use developments were put forward and over time adapted to the changing needs to offer educational and recreational services, as well as enhancing natural assets. While the historic buildings of high heritage value were conserved, the sedimentation and filtration systems in their landscape setting transformed through natural succession combined with design interventions into attractive and valuable habitats. In addition, some of the former sedimentation basins were found to be the most suitable locations to compensate for the environmental impact of the highly disputed dredging of the Elbe River and were redesigned to provide a new habitat for a rare and endemic plant species

The big picture : landscape dynamics in the Pearl River Delta

This paper focuses on landscape dynamics in the Pearl River Delta region and highlights some of the key issues and drivers influencing future change. Delta landscapes are characterised by natural dynamics and processes. Sedimentation is the key factor in delta landscapes. The Pearl River Delta landscape today is highly influenced by human activities. Primary forests were harvested centuries ago. Large-scale deforestation caused massive erosion leading to sedimentation and growth of the delta. Only since the late 20th century rehabilitation and afforestation programmes helped preventing erosion. Agriculture and aquaculture in the low-lying alluvial plain largely depends on dike systems and management of water tables. Traditional and unique dike-pond systems found in parts of the delta providing a variety of fish as well as agricultural products including fruit, vegetables, sugar cane and mulberry trees for silk production are on a steady decline. Instead, highly intensive aquaculture is spreading on a big scale in the Pearl River Delta. Massive population increase in recent decades has turned the Pearl River Delta into a megacity of an estimated 120 million inhabitants. This corresponds directly to a rocketing demand in construction material for infrastructure and housing projects. The demand is largely satisfied through sand mining and dredging in the delta region. In addition, the construction of dams and reservoirs reduces sediment supply resulting in an overall dramatic negative balance in sedimentation in the delta region. While wetlands in the Pearl River delta are under pressure e.g. through urbanisation, the reduced sediment load in the rivers combined with the sand extraction in turn amplifies the negative impact in particular on coastal and estuary wetlands. This high level of complexity of interconnected issues requires multi-scale, cross-disciplinary and collaborative approaches leading to a more sustainable environmental management