Imagine being able to:
- produce 3D digital models of a planned housing development
- produce demonstrations suitable for public viewing
- make versions of these demonstrations available over the internet for public consultation
Now, imagine being able to do all this fast and at low cost, using typical modern office PC's, and then to set the models into the context of the existing surrounding areas. This is the vision that we want talk about this evening. The presentation and discussion will demonstrate the visualisation opportunities that are now available using relatively low cost PC-based systems and up-to-date modelling and rendering software. Researchers at UEA working for the CHARISMATIC project, part-funded under the EU's fifth framework program, have developed software designed to allow the rapid modelling of urban environments. Because the system is based on developing libraries of building components and base house types and then arranging these on sites, rapid protoyping of visualisations is possible and offers the option of low cost interactive visualisations of urban environments.
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The seminar showed attendees the process of modelling a housing development using an example drawn from a real case study. Also demonstrated, were the ways in which such visualisations can be displayed and discuss how these opportunities might be used by those involved in the construction industry. One of the objectives of the session was to address the concerns which arise from the different perspectives of planners, developers, housing associations and architects and the use to which such visualisations might be put by each of these groups in their dealings with the public.
SPEAKERS
Professor David Arnold
Dean of Management and Information Sciences, University of Brighton
Dr George D Smith
Senior Lecturer, School of Information Systems
As well as the presentations, there was the usual opportunity for informal discussions with experienced researchers and consultants.
For details of our previous evening seminars, please see the Data Mining Evening and the
EMMA Networking Event.