Visioning and Visualization: People, Pixels, and Plans

Two remarkable phenomena have affected the practice of planning over the past two decades: the rise of public involvement as an integral component of urban decision making, and the technological innovations that enable the visualization and simulation of physical reality. This book will assist urban professionals, public sector leaders, and the public to navigate two complex and evolving fields: public involvement and digital visualization as applied to planning. It suggests ways that digital visualization tools can be integrated in a public process to present participants with clear choices and help them make informed planning decisions. Based on the authors’ experiences in developing sophisticated public involvement processes and applying 3D GIS-based simulation and visualization tools to planning and design, the book features more than 100 color illustrations and case studies of four communities: Santa Fe, Houston, Kona (Hawaii), and Baltimore.