Virtual Hamilton

This research project entails the development and user study assessment of a prototype participatory urban planning tool for the City of Hamilton (Virtual Hamilton), which integrates GIS data with a 3D virtual city model to facilitate stakeholder visualization, collaboration, content contribution, and communication. In consultation with City of Hamilton ward councilors and urban renewal, planning and economic development officials, Barton Street and Kenilworth Ave, areas of the downtown, slated for significant redevelopment activity, were selected as appropriate sites to be included in the development of a prototype virtual city model in partnership with McMaster University. The feasibility of developing the virtual city prototype has been considered and ensured by its limitation to a small subsection of the City of Hamilton and its utilization of a prepared virtual world platform and access to GIS expertise and data. The Virtual Hamilton prototype will be hosted for the City of Hamilton by McMaster University on a prepared open source (Open Sim) virtual world research platform (macGRID) under the directorship of the Supervising PI, Dr. David Harris Smith. The GIS data will be provided by the McMaster Centre for Spatial Analysis and GIS Lab. User study testing and stakeholder consultation will ensure the designed prototype virtual city planning tool conforms to the needs of the Hamilton urban planning community.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. David Harris Smith

Student:

Christopher Higgins

Partner:

City of Hamilton

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

McMaster University