Abstract
BackgroundMultiple channels of sustainable urban development could be managed in the process of an inter-disciplinary cooperation and creative involvement of all stakeholders. The paper aims to verify how the specific methods of virtual reality simulation could be used as an effective tool for setting an efficient participation platform between the stakeholders to improve environmental, social and energy sustainability of urban development in modern cities. The paper is based on the case study of Vilnius City.MethodsThe article shows how innovative tools could facilitate better cooperation based on more balanced approaches in participatory urban planning by chronological review of traditional public involvement practices and structured analysis of emerging public participation techniques. As each discipline involved in sustainable urban development covers specific socio-economic, environmental, economic and creative competence fields, it is essential to develop a comprehensive tool for public participation that is well accessible, reliable and efficient.ResultsThe provided analysis of research theories and practical applications of public involvement through virtual simulation in the case of Vilnius City shows that virtual reality and spatial modelling integrated on gaming platforms under the conditions of widespread information and communications technology (ICT) applications could be developed and used as an innovative, involving and efficient tool for facilitating wider and more effective public involvement in the planning and design of urban environment and so increase social and environmental sustainability of urban development process. The application of this method for planning public spaces leads to more efficient use of environmental resources also reducing the need for primary energy and using it more rationally.ConclusionsThe analysis of using virtual urban simulation (VUS) method for representing, analysing, referring and improving urban design projects reveals that virtual applications can make public participation more accessible for citizens of the community and improve reliability of its results thus having direct impact on the planning process and its outcomes in terms of more sustainable impact on environmental and economic development of urban community.
Highlights
Multiple channels of sustainable urban development could be managed in the process of an inter-disciplinary cooperation and creative involvement of all stakeholders
Even though there is a wide range of participation in planning tools and methods established in building legislation and used in planning practice, still there is little experience and research on the application of innovative and emerging public participation techniques, especially with the application of information and communications technology (ICT) possibilities
The presented virtual urban simulation (VUS) methodology is developed as an innovative tool to help Vilnius City Municipality, on small scale, to examine in an interactive way to what extent the project of Missionaries Park meets the interests of local and all the city’s community
Summary
Multiple channels of sustainable urban development could be managed in the process of an inter-disciplinary cooperation and creative involvement of all stakeholders. The post-war policy of rebuilding the ruined blocks in big British cities turned into the method of urban renewal when the entire residential areas were pulled down on the reason of low sanitary quality and the goal of rising living standards. In reality, this brought demolition of old development in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and other cities. That process of ‘improving’ was fuelled by rising income of urban councils as a result of relatively dynamic economic development [1] Several drawbacks of this urban policy were fast to appear. In Manchester, an architect Rod Hackney and his neighbours established a Black Road Area Action Group to protect historic residences from demolition and went into a massively supported campaign of debates with the city council called ‘Save my house’ in 1972
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