Visual Considerations for Augmented Reality in Urban Planning

Abstract

The design process in architecture and urban planning has always been accompanied by a discourse on suitable visual representation. This resulted in both a wealth of visualisation styles and high sensitivity among planners regarding the visual communication of their work. Representation of projects throughout phases of the planning process often adheres to established visual standards, from concept sketch to high-end rendering. A look at contemporary Augmented Reality (AR) apps for urban planning indicates however that the quality and precision of representation seem to lag somewhat behind, entailing risks that projects are misinterpreted. This poster describes our design research on three urban planning apps developed with Swiss municipalities and outlines results that improve visual representation in AR throughout different planning phases.