Pensa, Masala, Marietta &Tabasso - Input2012

Slide 1 / 27InViTo: an interactive visualization tool for supporting planning processes

INPUT 2012 - Seventh International Conference on Informatics and Urban and Regional Planning – Cagliari 10-12 May 2012

Stefano Pensa, Elena Masala, Cristina Marietta, Matteo Tabasso

THE EFFECTS OF DECISION-MAKING ON

URBAN FORM, A TOOL FOR SUPPORTING

PLANNING PROCESSES

IN.VI.TO.INteractive VIsualization TOol



Economic Sustainability

Cit

izen

s N

eed

s

Mark

et R

eq

uire

men

ts

Environmental Aspects

capacity

fin

ancia

l re

so

urc

es

development

solutions

mobility

community

business

strategy

impact

wa

ter

energy

education

managem

ent

capita

l

na

tura

l reso

urc

es

health

target

customer

soil

pollu

tion

efficiency

serv

ices

so

cia

l

consumption

emissions

corporate

valu

e

sa

les p

roce

ss

Pla

nn

ing

Ru

les

local

regional

buffer

national

land m

anagem

ent

herita

ge

landscape

Developmentwelfare

gro

wth

SPATIAL DECISION PROCESS



transportation companies

building contractors

citizens representatives

urban planners

retailerspoliticians

corporations

banks

Urban Planning

professional chambers

SPATIAL DECISION PROCESS



Task

Large scale planning and decision making processes supported by interactive tool.

Assumption

ICT provides nowadays a large amount and typologies of tools which offer the

possibility to visualize numerous data and relate them to specific features.

Thus, in this research, no new software has been created. Existing software have

been investigated in order to find the best fitting to multidisciplinary processes.

AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND NEEDS



What did I look for?

A single tool to manage and display data and variables with the possibility of

obtaining customized output graphs.

Capability of relating choices and proposals to their effect on territory

transformations and possibility of visualizing outputs in real-time in order to

support workshops an focus groups.

Construction of a replicable and easy fitting method.

AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND NEEDS



Rhinoceros® (Rhino) is a stand-alone,

commercial NURBS-based 3-D modeling tool,

developed by Robert McNeel & Associates.

The software is commonly used for industrial design

and architecture.

Grasshopper™ is a graphical algorithm editor tightly

integrated with Rhino’s 3-D modeling tools. Shapes are

created using generative algorithms that can contain

different types of input including numeric, textual, audio-

visual applications.

HUNTER'S POINT SOUTH WATERFRONT PARK

PAVILIONWEISS/MANFREDI

ARCHITECTS

2011

HANGZHOUSTADIUM

NBBJ and CCDI

2009

VESSEL CHAIRMANI MANI

2011

Usually Rhinoceros and its plug-in

Grasshopper are used for industrial and

architectural design at the building or

furniture scale.

MC NEELS RHINOCEROS AND GRASSHOPPER



Generative: grasshopper plug-in allows to generate shapes

without standard CAD environment modelling. Shapes are

described by a sequence of processing steps.

Parametric: mathematical functions and relationships

among them define shapes and their behaviours.

Dynamic: outputs change in real time according to user

choices following the rules of assessment method.

Easy to customize: using common scripting languages

(Python, C# or VisualBasic).

WHY RHINOCEROS AND GRASSHOPPER?



Scale factor: a software, commonly used at building scale

(or lower), are adapted to a large area planning process.

GIS: potentiality offered by script codes are used to

combine Grasshopper with ESRI GIS shapes and data.

Assessment Methods: the dynamics of various assessment

models such as multi-criteria analysis, surveys, conjoint

analysis are reproduced in order to visualize outputs.

Participatory Processes: the instrument represents a useful

tool for participatory planning.

WHAT’S NEW WITH RHINO AND GH?



THE STRUCTURE OF THE INSTRUMENT




A script allows the model to import geo-referenced data in

order to generate specific shapes for each indicator.




Each element can be associated to a

mathematical function (e.g. based on

distance) that describe its behaviour. The

function can be manually implemented or

read from external file.







Outputs can be displayed multidimensional maps in real-time

in Google Earth according to input data and actor choices.

Gradient Maps

Volume Graph MapsSymbolic Comparative Maps

Quantitative Maps



Turin Pilot Application: the instrument has been tested on the Northern

metropolitan area of Turin. The effects of new infrastructure projects

on redevelopment areas has been investigated in order to provide guidelines for

new projects on the area.

CircUse: In.Vi.To. has been set to evaluate possible land use for abandoned

brownfield in the town of Asti.

CoDe24: using ANP assessment method, main bottlenecks and critical areas

have been investigated. In.Vi.To. reproduces the assessment dynamic and

releases outputs according to ANP method.

COST TU1002: in the COST Action TU1002 about accessibility instruments,

In.Vi.To. has been tested in the town of Turin to evaluate level of accessibility to

public trasport.

COST TU0801: in the COST Action TU0801 about semantic enrichment of 3D

city models for sustainable urban development In.Vi.To is been testing in the

Skopje case study



Turin – Volume Graph Residential Map Turin – Volume Graph Residential Map

Location: Turin – transformation areas

Area: 10 km x 10 km

Grid: 50 m

Relationship between urban function

(residential): and facilities

Considered elements (for residential):bus stops, subway stops, railway stations, green areas,

public services, motorway exits (network distance)

main streets, railway and motorway tracks, industrial

sites (euclidean distance)

Survey to citizento identify specific spatial effect of each elements as

mathematical function

Weighted sum of functions Using VBA interface to input values

Graph Volume and Quantitative Output

Visualization

TURIN PILOT APPLICATION

Turin Interactive Quantitative Residential Map

Focus: compatibility of residential settlements with respect to transformation

areas and abandoned brownfields.



TURIN PILOT APPLICATION (VIDEO)



CIRCUSE – CIRCULAR FLOW LAND USE MANAGEMENT

Focus: promoting sustainable development

of brownfields, greyfields and degraded greenfields in urban and peri-urban areas.

Location: Asti

Area: 20 km x 20 km

Grid: 50 m

Issue: defining new destination for abandoned

brownfield by participatory process.

Survey to experts

to identify specific spatial effect of each

elements as mathematical function

Increasing usability by non-technicians

Creating a user-friendly interface

Replicabilityof the model between EU partners



CIRCUSE – CIRCULAR FLOW LAND USE MANAGEMENT

Suburban Bus Stops - Residential Map Railway Stations – Residential Map Motorway Exit – Residential Map

Asti Interactive Land Use Map

Considered elements:urban bus stops, sub urban bus stops, railway

stations, green areas, public services,

motorway exits (network distance)

national raods, railway and motorway tracks,

industrial sites (euclidean distance)

Considered land uses:Residential, Commercial, Hotel-sector, Industry

Weights definition methodElements grouped in families

Two at a time comparison

Gradient Map Visualization



CODE24 – CORRIDOR 24 DEVELOPMENT ROTTERDAM - GENOA

Benefit Subnet – Wesel Case Study

Opportunities Subnet – Bellinzona Case Study

Focus: coordinated transnational strategy to

support the improvement and the

development of the Corridor 24 Rotterdam -

Genoa

Locations: Wesel – Oberhausen, Bellinzona,

Frankfurt Region

Area: 20 km x 20 km (Wesel)

200 km x 100 km (Frankfurt Region)

Grid: 500 m

Multi Scenario Approach

ANP Assessment Approach:Benefits Opportunities Costs Risks network,

Cluster (transport, economic, urban, environmental)

Nodes

Questionnaire to expertsto rank scenarios with real time outputs

Volume Graph Visualization



CODE24 – CORRIDOR 24 DEVELOPMENT ROTTERDAM – GENOA (VIDEO)



COST ACTION TU1002 – ACCESSIBILITY INSTRUMENTS

Focus: to close the gap between accessibility

models and planning practice

Location: Turin

Area: 2 km x 2 km

Grid: 20 m

Open DataOpen Street Map Road Network

Public Transport Company Data

Real Time Query and CalculationBased on walk distances, modality, number of lines,

frequency

Trough a VBA interface

Gradient Map Visualization

Turin Subway Stop Accessibility Map Turin Bus Stop Accessibility Map

Turin - Central Area Accessibility Turin - Central Area Accessibility



Turin public

transport data set:

urban and

metropolitan bus

stops, paths,

timetables

OpenStreetMap is a

freely editable street

map. Download is

available by internet

from everywhere.

By matching the data it’s

possible to design the

accessibility to public

transport by the shorter

pedestrian path.

COST ACTION TU1002 – ACCESSIBILITY INSTRUMENTS



COST TU0801 – SEMANTIC ENRICHMENT OF 3D CITY MODELS

Flats distibution in Skopje

Flat distributions graphs in Skopje

Location: Skopje

Area: 2,5 km x 0,6 km

Grid: 20 m

Relationship between residential function

and facilities

Considered elements:bus stops, subway stops, railway stations, green areas, public

services, motorway exits (network distance)

main streets, railway and motorway tracks, industrial sites

(euclidean distance)



Graph Volume and Flats Distribution Output

Visualization

Volume and gradient graphs in Skopje



COST TU0801 – SEMANTIC ENRICHMENT OF 3D CITY MODELS

Flats distibution in Skopje

Volume and gradient graphs in Skopje

Location: Skopje

Area: 2,5 km x 0,6 km

Grid: 20 m

Relationship between residential function

and facilities

Considered elements:bus stops, subway stops, railway stations, green areas, public

services, motorway exits (network distance)

main streets, railway and motorway tracks, industrial sites

(euclidean distance)



Graph Volume and Flats Distribution Output

Visualization



Possibility of being adapted to different uses and purposes

is a deep strength of the instrument.

In.Vi.To. showed to be useful for transparent

communication and as shared basis for discussion.

Real time interaction with the model encourages

stakeholder to actively participate to workshop and focus

group.

CONCLUSIONS



Thank you!

For further information: [email protected]

Technology

Pensa, Masala, Marietta &Tabasso - Input2012