BOOKS

“The Preparation of the Kona Region Community Development Plan: A Case Study in Visioning and Visualization,” The Future of Cities and Regions: Simulations, Scenario and Visioning, Governance and Scale, Editors: Bazzanella, Canepro, Corsico, and Roccasalva, Springer, London, 2012

The case study documents the use of visual simulation in the visioning process in the formulation of the Community Development Plan for the Kona Region of Hawaii. The design of the CDP civic engagement visioning process fully integrated technical analyses and visual simulation, which were used to delineate issues, frame choices, and engage the public in making informed decisions democratically.

Available for purchase here.

“Communities in Control: Developing Local Models Using CommunityViz^®” (George Janes, AICP and Michael Kwartler, FAIA), Planning Support Systems for Cities and Regions” Editor, Richard K. Brail, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, 2008

Over the past several years decision support systems have been developed and applied in many communities across the country. These systems are designed to support decision making and tend to be simple, easy both to apply and understand, and are transparent and customizable to the needs of  a community.  This chapter briefly describes the planning support system CommunityViz^®, its evolution, and current status as an applied planning support tool. It also presents a case study of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, to demonstrate how this small local government addressed their needs for quantitative models using CommunityViz’s Scenario 360™.

Available for purchase here.

Visioning and Visualization: People, Pixels and Planning, (Michael Kwartler, FAIA and Gianni Longo), Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, Spring 2008

The purpose of Visioning and Visualization is to assist professionals, public sector leaders, and the public to navigate two complex and evolving fields: public involvement and digital visualization as applied to planning. The book is based on the author’s experiences integrating sophisticated public involvement processes and applying information technology to vision planning. The book concludes with three case studies: Kona Community Development Plan, Houston, Near Northside Economic Revitalization Plan, and Baltimore, MD’s Vision:2030 Shaping the Region’s Future Together.

Avialable for purchase here.

“Planning and Design with People,” (Michael Kwartler, FAIA), Complex Artificial Environments, Editor: Juval Portugali, Springer, London, July 2006

The paper details the use of visual simulations by the Environmental Simulation Center, Ltd. (ESC) and its collaborators to involve citizens in the neighborhood/city/regional visioning and planning process. It does so by examining three visioning projects undertaken in the last three years. Fully integrating 3D/Geographic Information System-based simulations and visualizations into the visioning process makes it possible for citizens to better understand their choices at both a policy and experiential level and arrive at consensus for the future of their communities.

Available for purchase here.

“Visualization in Support of Public Participation,” (Michael Kwartler, FAIA), Visualization in Landscape and Environmental Planning, Editors: Lange and Bishop, Spon Press, Taylor and Francis Books Ltd., London, 2004

Each planning situation is different in scale, landscape, degree of anticipated change, government and regulatory structures, and the nature of public participation. The integration of simulations and visualizations into the public participatory process, to facilitate informed discussion and decision-making, can be guided by the people involved.

Available for purchase here.