Scientific Journal of Riga Technical University Architecture and Urban Planning
Ilze Paklone, Ivars Strautmanis. Characteristics and Practical Use of ESPON 2013 Computer Supported Visualization Applications
into common platform to make decisions on collectively important issues in urban planning. Public cooperation and common goals are important to develop alternative solutions that have impact upon results at local planning level. VEPS is specifically oriented to generate alternative urban planning solutions and to discuss impacts of their consequences. VEPS impact assessment highlights individual decisions that make up the group views through an interactive exchange of comments. VEPS can be widely used in practical urban planning – identification of planning scenarios, developing them. Participants in turn can make informed and reasoned decisions for sustainable development of these scenarios. In case of VEPS the question of targeting specific urban policies is being processed – difficulty to imagine development scenarios spatially and difficulty to understand how citizens’ views are taken into account in the planning process [2]. IV. Visualization
characteristics applications
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Fig. 3 VEPS graphical interface. [12]
of visual expression. New visualization techniques tend to offer more direct, more accurate and less time-consuming information perceptual experience, which is made up of several integrated discipline methods. Visualizations are two-dimensional or threedimensional mappings, which are geographically accurately tagged by mathematical graphs and tables in the space- timeattribute relationship. Another specific feature of application-based visualizations is easy choice of spatial scale accordingly to the data variable and location and easy transition between the scales. One of the most important visualization matters concerning scales is use of EU nomenclature of territorial units, which introduces united spatial scale understanding in all applications. It is an important step towards common visual language. Understanding of this spatial division is important key factor to recognize scale concept in applications. Traditional scale concept – what and how can be visualized accordingly the scale – does not exist in application-based mappings thanks to infinite option of zooming the maps and models. Transition between the scales is relatively easy implemented, because the research concept in different scales remain similar – both between the spatial regions defined by the EU nomenclature and some areas and cities. Imperceptible transitions between scales are essential advantage of application-based researches. The concept of the digital threedimensional scale studies is connected with addition of new research variables to specific locations. Another specific feature of application-based visualizations is similar structure of basic data. The basic data is the longterm European regions, aero photographing, statistics for different spatial and temporal scales. This basic data can be supplemented with special information – LiDAR, GIS, and three-dimensional models. A common feature of the data flow is its complexity and large-scale amount. AIRES, explorer and HyperAtlas are application-based rapid studies of the current territorial situations and policies not offering new urban development proposals. However, selected statistical data and their possible combinations demonstrate the tendencies that are important for the European spatial development. Sequentially, VEPS with its additional three-dimensional model and LiDAR data enabling three-dimensional mapping capabilities also offers a new alternative urban development proposals, which create additional layer to the basic data. Main criteria to evaluate visualizations are their reliability and communication speed to perceive them. Both criteria are based directly in technological opportunities. Unambiguity
ESPON 2013
Hybrid networks provided by digital technologies create feasibility of application development, which means not only new expression of visualizations is processed, but also the net of using the system is generated. Hybrid network is vast utilization of interactive platform for promoting cooperation and decisionmaking among various developers and participants. Due to the specifics of applications this process is an open operation available to anyone regardless location and time. Digital technologies introduce specific changes into the structuring, creation and visualization of data – it is merging of large-scale databases, visualizations of different data combinations and continuous renewal of data and images with a help of the web-based interactive platforms. One of the specific features of the hybrid networks introduced by digital technologies is the graphical interface of applications. The interface consists of a number of visualization windows that simultaneously visualize data in several techniques. Multiple layering of windows (textual, visual, audio, static and dynamic windows) offers a heterogeneous set of visualizations on the same issue. Multiple layering provides details and accuracy of the information and communication, as defined by the John Bolter, communication specialist in the matter [1, 20–52] Multiple-layering refers to the fact that none of the information presentation modes exist in isolation as a selfcontained means of expression. This aspect requires knowledge of not only direct urban planning policies, but also in other disciplines. Applications combine methodologies applied in exact sciences, psychology and sociology (behaviourism, environmental psychology, qualitative and quantitative research and data collection methods, elastic systems and other methods). Evaluation criteria of these methods have specific relevance to the applications used to research urban planning issues. Evaluation criteria are related to integration of the mathematical analysis and architectural study into a single platform to solve practical urban planning examples. It is a growing research methodology, when the practical and theoretical development of urban planning is derived from interaction between scientific research and practical realm [4]. One of the specific features of visualizations generated by digital technologies is an opportunity to improve rapidly existing forms
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