Thesis subject

MSc thesis topic: Communicating future Dutch landscapes withstakeholders

Many Dutch landscapes in the South and East of the Netherlands are highly permeable sandy soils and are currently used as monocultures in large fields with dense drainage patterns. This land use hampers the vital functions of sandy soils, such as food production, climate and water regulation and biodiversity. In the CASTOR project, our colleagues from soil geography and landscape, explore alternative futures and management options for these sandy-soil landscape to increase resilience. A crucial aspect in this research is the involvement of various stakeholders.

We will be using immersive 3D visualization techniques toshare and discuss potential futuresof Dutch sandy landscapes with stakeholders. We have already created a prototype using 360 degree HDRI photographs, image-based 3D modeling with audio, largely open sourceto create detailed representations of topography, vegetation and land-use for a typical Dutch sandy soil landscape. The app currently shows threescenarios of a future sandy-soil landscape in a first-person perspective.

Relevance to research/projects at GRS or other groups

One of the strategic initiatives of WUR is the creation and exploration of Digital Twins and advanced visualization. GRS is leading efforts to create digital twins for environmental applications. ESG is in the process of establishing a landscape visualization laboratory (WANDER) to facilitate efforts for integrating advances in visualization technologies into environmental applications. We have demonstrated the first version of the app during the thesis market, and it is available for students to use. CASTOR is a new and ongoing project in Soil Geography and Landscape.

Objectives

  1. assess the usability and appropriateness of immersive 3D visualizations for communication future landscape scenarios;
  2. design learning experience and exchange with stakeholder on what landscape characteristics could be desirable in the future and why;
  3. evaluate the opportunities and challenges for immersive 3D visualization for future landscapes at scale.

Literature

  • Klippel, A., Sajjadi, P., Zhao, J., Wallgrün, J. O., Huang, J., & Bagher, M. M. (2021). Embodied digital twins for environmental applications. ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences.

Requirements

  • Interest in Dutch landscapes
  • Interest in the science of demonstrating that tools we design actually work

Theme(s): Modelling & visualisation; Human – space interaction; Empowering & engaging communities