Big City Plan Talk - Latest Comments in 4.10.4

Re: 4.10.4

domster83 — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:05:19 -0000

There is already the ability to create 3D models of buildings and areas, and position them into their specific location with Google Earth and Sketchup products. Perhaps use of this could be encouraged and promoted.

Re: 4.10.4

Dave Harte — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:45:50 -0000

Actually I'm in the middle of trying to get some funds in to do exciting stuff with data mash-ups. We've had the Microsoft guys in to discuss applications of photosynth and there's a project around the 'intelligent city' which is about mapping.

The approach with Second Life is cautious (mainly because I'm dealing with it and I'm generally cautious about everything) - we know that it can't deliver everything early adopters suggest. We're pursuing the planning option to visualise major planning projects but not much more than that at the moment.

We're beginning to use the term 'Virtual Birmingham' to refer to the whole gamut of ways in which the city can be digitally visualised from mapping datasets to visualising social media connections.

Re: 4.10.4

Jon Bounds — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:19:21 -0000

I've yet to see any compelling evidence that "Virtual Birmingham" 3D modelling would have any effect at all. Specific planning uses, possibly, but for online viewing there isn't a technology that yet works - nor a large enough community of users to make it worthwhile.

I would suggest that greater use of other technologies, eg Google Street View or Microsoft photosynth (which can build up "walk around" models from hundreds of photos taken by the public) would be more:

cost effective
accessible
do more to involve Birmingham in the "mashup" culture of the web