Automatic Generation of Virtual Cities Based on User Defined Zoning Districts

Abstract

Traditionally, city maps are drafted in two dimensions, on paper and using GIS technology, and specify the placement and boundaries of different zoning districts. Two dimensional maps place limitations on the designer, including, but not limited to, the inability to foresee areas which might be shaded by neighboring buildings. This thesis presents a prototype for a visualization tool to create city maps in three dimensions. Three dimensional city planning can be beneficial because it allows the designer to envision a proposed skyline and balance the positive space of the building mass and the negative space surrounding and in between buildings. This visualization tool allows the city planner to layout a city map using four different zoning districts. Once drafted, the city map is populated with three-dimensional building models representing buildings commonly found in each local zoning district. The purpose of this virtual environment is to help visualize a hypothetical city created under conditions of the proposed city map.