On the spot where the Dutch polder landscape still defines the image, the coastal zone of Almere is undergoing a true metamorphosis. At this location at the IJmeer, project developer Amvest is realizing ‘DUIN’ (DUNE): a unique living, working and recreation area. Thanks to the construction of for example a second beach, boulevard and a dune landscape with ten meter high dunes, the future residents will feel like living in a real resort while being in the shadow of the booming city of Almere. During a well-intended information session of Amvest, prospective residents and other interested parties were able to use 3D visualization technique to taste what it is like to live in these future dunes.

“Visitors described the three-dimensional birds-eye view above the area as a real positive experience, as it helped them visualizing the area after the changes”

“We needed a lot of visual persuasion to ensure people that on this spot of polder landscape, soon real dune will rise,” this clarifies the dilemma which area developer Maarten Janssen from Amvest was confronted, shortly after the municipality of Almere gave Amvest the green light for her revolutionary plan. In addition to some 3,000 homes, DUIN soon has a variety of facilities ranging from a marina and a boulevard to restaurants, offices, retail and healthcare, leisure and wellness facilities.

Big eyecatcher

“In addition to the presence of forests and creeks, the dune landscape is the big attraction,” says Janssen. The dunes are not only a very attractive environment to live in, but they are used to hold and filter the rainwater. “This way the dunes contribute to the special ecological conditions that we have create here,” says Janssen, who as project developer like no other knows how important it is to properly take into account the wishes of the future area residents in the design of a new planning. To engage into conversation with interested parties and to check if the plans for the unique living, working and recreation live up to the imagination, Amvest organized a ‘DUINdag’ (DUNEday) in October 2012.

“Regular methods of presentation would not fit here” The area developer Amvest began looking for an alternative way of presenting…

A different view

Janssen foresaw that the conventional way to visualize a planning area under development would not be sufficient enough for the DUINdag visitors to create the feeling of experiencing living between the dunes. “Regular methods used in normal presentations of area’s would not fit here.” The area developer Amvest began looking for an alternative way of presenting the new planned area. Through a relationship Janssen came into contact with deLight Interactive, which specializes in 3D visualization. “The big challenge was to provide the visitors a truthful and realistic representation of the final stage of the area. A complicating factor was that relatively little time was available to the DUINdag.”

Three-dimensional presentations

Based on the available images and designs made by planners and landscape designers of Amvest, deLight Interactive built a rudimentary 3D version of DUIN in the short time available. “We had two different presentations, one on macro-level and one on micro-level” describes Janssen. “In the macro-presentation, with a scale of 1 to 2000, visitors were able to fly above the area at an altitude of 100 meters, showing a great view of the area, both inside and outside the dikes.” The three-dimensional presentation at micro-level provides a situational view of one individual living dune with a scale of 1 to 500 that allowed the visitor to explore and walk through the area at normal eye height.

Projection on LCD-screens

During DUINdag, visitors were able to have a closer look at their possible future environment by using the two interactive 3D tables with the three-dimensional view. Janssen: “While moving a special marker on the glass of the 3D table, visitors could fly above the area or walk on one individual dune. The three-dimensional images were displayed on a connected LCD screen.”

“Especially for those who are not familiar with this kind of business, it makes things very vividly.”

Positive experience

The area developer of Amvest is very enthusiastic about the possibilities of 3D-visualization of design plans. “Visitors described the three-dimensional birds-eye view above the area as a real positive experience, as it helped them visualizing the area after the changes. Moreover, the concept of the 3D-table and the movement of the marker on the glass is actually very special. A beautiful combination of a table in its simplicity on one side and the high-tech engineering on the other. It works rather intuitive so people can start using it in an accessible and almost playful way. Due to the appearance of the table itself, it almost looks a little bit like an attraction.

Great perspective

Janssen sees a great perspective for the application of 3D visualization technique within the area of landscape design and urban planning. “Especially for people who are not familiar with this kind of business, it makes things very vividly.” Janssen was pleasantly surprised with the presence of two people from deLight Interactive during the DUINdag. “They thought it was important to get feedback at firsthand and were present throughout the day.” Because DUINdag with more than 200 interested parties was a very well-attended information session and the presence of deLight turned out to be very handy. “We did not have the adequate force for such great turn out, it was nice to see the people of deLight step in to help out and just be as excited about the project as our own people.”