Neighborhood Park Planner Case Study

NEIGHBORHOOD PARK PLANNER

I N D I V I D U A L S T U D E N T P R O J E C T

METHODS: PARTICIPATORY PLANNING, AUGMENTED REALITY, 3D MODELING

TOOLS: BLENDER+GEOMETRY NODES, AERO, RHINO 3D

Neighborhood Park Planner is an augmented reality activity that encourages groups of 3-4 participants to discuss, draw, and visualize their ideal neighborhood park. The intent of these workshops is to create a user-to-designer pipeline that informs park planning processes and encourages a higher level of citizen control in local politics/decision-making for their respective communities.

I N I T I A L S K E T C H E S & T E S T S

Assets and visuals made in Blender, Unity, and Aero.

Original conceptual sketch

Isometric conceptual sketch

Available props for the user in the conceptual sketch

WhatsApp Image 2022-10-18 at 11.30.09 PM (2).jpeg

Testing AR

Considering a gamified modular system for planning

v2 concept with simple block buildings placed

Creating and considering generative hex maps. This approach was scrapped since it was necessary that users have as much flexibility when outlining their map. The activity needed to be as approachable as possible to expose users to participatory planning.

Experimenting with AR trackers

Testing tree groups in AR for the final prototype

W O R K S H O P D E S I G N

T H E A P P R O A C H

Using AR as a component of the activity resulted in a playful and engaging feedback response to the conversations outlined in steps 1-4. With this approach, groups can actively design and visualize their park in a low-fidelity manner that places their decisions onto the physical world. The goal is to make this workshop as accessible as possible, thus, user flexibility is key in considering, drawing, and placing the map/props.

Top view of the drawn map from the activity facilitated below.

D E S I G N P I P E L I N E

To speculate on a participant-to-designer pipeline, the programmed weight paint tool allows park designers to visualize the participants’ decisions. Here, the designer paints over sections of the map according to the designated nodes drawn from the workshop. The props are then automatically spawned based on the Collection (prop) assigned in the Geometry Nodes programming interface. This adds another layer to providing direct visual feedback to the participants once steps 1-6 are complete.

1/3

O N L I N E A R C H I V E

Once the entire process is finished, the workshop documentation is uploaded onto an online archive (created using HTML+server host). This way, designers, landscape architects, legislators, and additional stakeholders involved in the planning process have a digital library of participant input. Click here to go to the page.

Adapting to COVID-19