Projects: City Blocks at AVR Salento

I had the opportunity to present on City Blocks multiple times at AVR Salento, where I shared insights into the technical approach behind achieving high-fidelity visualizations, embedding analytics into design tools, and exploring how digital-physical platforms can enhance urban planning. My talks focused on how the integration of real-time analytics can provide valuable feedback to designers, supporting more informed and reflective decision-making throughout the design process. I also discussed how the platform could serve as a powerful tool for citizen engagement, allowing individuals to actively participate in the urban planning process by designing and visualizing their ideal communities.

These presentations were a great opportunity to connect with peers and professionals in the field, fostering discussions on how emerging technologies like augmented and virtual reality can transform the way cities are planned and built. It also deepened my understanding of the potential for interactive, inclusive design tools to drive positive change in urban development, reinforcing the importance of accessibility and collaboration in the planning process.

I had several interesting discussions with Dr Kraus, an associate professor at Aalborg Universities Centre for Applied Game Research about working on City Blocks from entirely within the virtual domain. Dr Kraus replicated some of the City Blocks principles in the popular VR social game – Rec Room. I recommend trying it out!