As part of the Adelaide City Council’s New Directions Strategy to engage the community and key influencers in City decisions, studies undertaken with the aid of computer modelling to simulate 3D urban environments have provided a mechanism leading to better understanding of the City’s urban environment.
Development in the City has been increasing, and the preservation and enhancement of urban design qualities has been the subject of much debate. The use of computer modelling has achieved greater understanding, discussion and debate of new development. Its use as a 3D visualisation tool presents the opportunity to address a number of issues in development assessment such as:
- bulk, massing and scale in the streetscape;
- sight lines;
- overshadowing;
- overlooking;
- solutions to the above issues
- views from pedestrian to aerial views;
- implications of proposed or existing urban design guidelines;
- desired future character.
This has allowed planners and designers to use 3D modelling for the preliminary stages through to final assessment to advise applicants and address issues relating to development proposals. 3D computer visualisation enables Council to provide applicants of proposals and the general public with a communication medium for accurate assessment of proposed developments in the City environment.
An important consideration in review of the City’s draft Development Plan has been the shift from prescriptive to performance based planning. This has required greater emphasis on qualitative rather then quantitative assessment.
The use of 3D urban simulation will increasingly become an important tool to aid development assessment, providing greater efficiency within the assessment process. Adelaide City Council is now investigating providing the development plan in an interactive web based medium leading to greater access for the general public, applicants and planners.
Effectively, this will provide applicants with a visual guide and greater understanding of the City plan, and further offer assessors an efficient medium to independently assess submissions in the context of the City environment.
