In recent years, designers have used various types of spatial multimedia, including text, video, photographs, virtual reality (VR) and WebGIS, to allow for Internet-based participation in planning. For planning in Japan, we developed a visualization tool to attain consensus on townscape design within local planning committees. Participants can select design elements to visualize different alternatives in real time, and experience dynamic scenes of generated virtual townscapes in the VRML world. In our case study, this visualization tool were successful in sharing a common image, and participants were motivated to become involved in deliberation on various aspects of planning and design during committee meetings. However, we found that it is difficult for stakeholders to reach consensus on privately owned properties: they feel apprehensive in local open planning committees. Otherwise, participants had to check the discussion results by reviewing the chat history; audio devices and web cameras are better for online deliberation. A knowledge-based database system, combining similar design experiences from other regions, will be beneficial.

Cellular automata (CA) are an effective means of urban growth simulation. Moreover, the development of a planning support system associated with the theory of artificial intelligence has recently become a new global challenge. In this paper, we investigate a geo-simulation model using CA based on Geographic information system (GIS) for visualizing land use patterns in urban partitions. Most recent simulation models using CA have been developed in regular grid nets or networks, where adjacent grids or networks in urban space are easily addressed. Our project explores how to utilize an irregular polygon data set in a GIS database in order to deal with spatial micro simulation. A new concept in this project is to take into account the effects of urban planning, such as land use zoning and street networks, at the level of parcels and blocks in urban space. Adjacent irregular parcels on both sides of a street are intended targets in the simulation. In this paper, a method of simulating land use patterns in urban space after implementation of land readjustment projects is discussed.

The decline of downtown has been observed in many cities across the world. In response, many small cities in Japan, for example, have been taking regeneration efforts including development controls upon large-scale shopping centres (B-shops). It is extremely useful to analyze potential effects of relevant planning policies before implementation. We developed an urban planning support tool, a multi-agent simulation (MAS) model called Shopsim-MAS, to investigate the impacts of some downtown revitalization policies through consequent spatial dynamics of shops' market shares. We discuss methods to model household behaviour and to understand the market area dynamics of shops. The Shopsim-MAS developed in this project proves to be a useful means to analyze the impact of downtown revitalization policies in Japan. It is also expected to be further expanded for impact analysis of similar or more sophisticated urban policies in other parts of the world.

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The importance of a visualization tool to improve public participation is becoming increasingly recognized within the urban planning and design community. The effective application of such a visualization tool in this context, however, remains relatively under explored. Based on a case study in which townscape rules were drawn up as a result of consensus through the landscape improvement committee of Nanao city, Japan, this paper discusses the potential and limitations of a visualization tool in improving public involvement for the purpose of reaching consensus on townscape rules at a district level. In addition, this paper reveals the need for a knowledge-based database system linking with VRML objects for powering a visualization tool to provide necessary information to assist in decision-making.