

Land use, transportation issues, walkability assess to specific amenities or even the impacts of a hurricane are shown for each of the design alternatives.

Throughout the design process, web-based analytics and dashboards help to visualize design implications in real time. GeoPlanner allows the designer to create, analyze, and report on planning alternatives and scenarios. The suite of applications include GeoPlanner, ArcGIS Pro, and CityEngine. The Geodesign Solutions Platform combines sketching and modeling tools with the power of geo-data, creating a powerful extension of GIS that taps into design by including 2D and 3D creative site analysis, sketching, diagramming and 3D modeling as part of the design process. Source: EsriĪt a recent Geodesign Summit at Esri’s headquarters in Redlands, professionals and academics showcased how Geodesign tools and strategies can help overcome these design challenges. Adding to the frustration is the necessity of collaboration with other many other professions, each using their own unique approach.Īs one of the global leaders in GIS and mapping technologies, Esri has extended GIS into the planning and environmental design sectors, bringing all layers of information into a powerful Geodesign Solutions Platform that leverage GIS into the design process and workflow. There are too many programs and platforms to learn and the programs often don’t work well together. Architects, landscape architects and urban planners know that it is vital to research and incorporate levels of information in designs, but the task can seem overly complex and time consuming. Landscape architects, environmental scientists and planners began to latch on the capabilities of the new technology.įast-forward a few decades, and now the amount of data available on any given site is staggering. The same year McHarg published his work, Dangermond founded Esri, a company with the stated vision “to create responsible and sustainable solutions to problems at local and global scales.” With the advent of computer technology and GIS, mapping tools had become both more powerful and accessible. The works of Ian McHarg provided inspiration to another landscape architect, Jack Dangermond, who foresaw the importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in making intelligent planning decisions. This process and visual enabled the designer to make informed design decisions. By superimposing all the layers of data, the connections, constraints, and opportunities for design elements emerged and became visible. He would then use the accumulated data to evaluate suitable places for site-specific development.
#CITYENGINE TOO MANY INTERSECTIONS SERIES#
In 1969, landscape architect Ian McHarg published “Design with Nature”, documenting his revolutionary method of design the McHargian Mapping Overlay System. He would layer a series of maps, each showing a different system on site such as hydrology, soil type, topography and vegetation. Geodesign as a discipline has been evolving over the past half century.

Designing with “geo-data” has come to be known as Geodesign and this technology plays a significant role in moving towards the ideal of a Smart City. These design strategies need to take into account geographic data, designing with a thorough knowledge of the earth and its systems. The need to intelligently assess and evaluate planning and design solutions for sustainable and resilient cities is a must. In recent years major urban centres have been struggling to cope with temperature extremes, urban heat islands, flooding and increased storm activity.Ĭities are under stress from increased population density, traffic congestion, poor storm water management and poor air quality. Nadia Amoroso, PhD writes about geodesign and the geodesign technology platform offered by Esri as it pertains to Smart Cities.Ĭities are under threat from the impacts of climate change.
