Page 43 - A U4SSC deliverable - Accelerating city transformation using frontier technologies

In focus – VR for urban planning and citizen participation, London, Canada

The city council of London, Ontario, Canada, has been proposing a new development plan that will
see new residential buildings as high as 30 to 35 stories being built around the historical Victoria Park.
The proposal was met with doubts and objections from the locals as high-rise buildings could obstruct
the scenery and tranquillity of the park, which many viewed as an important green space that should
be preserved.

Figure 8: City of London, Canada (Source)

The city then looked for innovative ways to communicate with the local citizens in order to gain a better
understanding of the situation. With that, the city has developed a VR experience in which a digital
model of Victoria Park, along with the proposed high-rise buildings, was created. The VR experience
allows the locals to look at the buildings based on different proposed scenarios and even experience
how the light levels would change. This is particularly useful for city planners who are constantly
looking to communicate complex ideas to citizens on proposed buildings. With the VR devices, the
locals of London, Canada can participate in discussions regarding the high-rise building proposal in a
more meaningful manner. 128

Accelerating city transformation using frontier technologies | A U4SSC deliverable 33