Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO

VisB+: Visualization in the public participation process

How can modern visualization technologies be used to involve the public when planning large construction projects?

© Bernd Müller, Fraunhofer IAO

Immersive Participation Lab

The Immersive Participation Lab is a work and presentation environment, which allows for accurately rendering immersive 3D graphics in real-time. Using Virtual Reality (VR), virtual prototyping is applied to a variety of sectors.

Experts

If implemented correctly, visualizations are a real opportunity to make construction projects tangible. We’re investigating what it takes for visualizations to be seen as credible, and how they can facilitate a constructive discussion about planning alternatives? Prof. Frank Brettschneider, responsible for VisB+ at the University of Hohenheim

Experts

“If planning data is available in a suitable form – for example from a building information model (BIM) – you could show various versions of a construction project at the click of a mouse. You can then have, for instance, members of the public take a virtual tour of them as part of planning workshops.” Günter Wenzel, project manager for VisB+, Fraunhofer IAO

Challenge

Large-scale construction projects invariably generate a certain degree of conflict. They must therefore be planned and communicated so that the public accepts them. Together with the University of Hohenheim, a Fraunhofer IAO project team is investigating the overarching research question: what part can visualizations play in ensuring that construction planning is understandable and credible?  

Method

Expert workshops are used to identify the requirements that the various groups – planners, project developers, associations, civil society stakeholders – place on visualizations. Visualization devices, such as plans, architectural models, rendering, interactive computer models and virtual reality, are examined in focus groups. The emphasis here is on finding out how understandable and credible these are to the average person. Ultimately, expert workshops and analyses provide insights into which phases in engineering planning and which types of building visualization lend themselves to public participation. 

Result

The aim is to prepare a visualization guide for industry and administrations. This will provide information on which visualizations are suitable for public participation and in which planning phases.