Publications (FIS)

Developing an Ecology-Integrated Gaming Tool for Collaborative Landscape Design

authored by: Xuezhu Zhai, Anne Giger Dray, Peter Marcus Bach, Matthias Buchecker, Jaboury Ghazoul, Fritz Kleinschroth
Abstract: Long-term success in landscape planning and ecosystem restoration relies on continuous engagement, exploring alternatives, and collaborative creation and design to develop sustainable spaces. However, stakeholders often struggle to contribute effectively due to limited ecological knowledge and planning experience, making it difficult to select strategies and anticipate outcomes. Leveraging video game engine technologies that integrate environmental data, models, planning rules, and interactive 3D visualizations, this study introduces an ecology-integrated gaming tool. The tool automates the generation of landscape elements, including local vegetation communities, and allows users to explore and combine land-use and restoration strategies for given areas. This paper outlines the tool’s development workflow, including modeling and visualizing current landscapes, developing Procedural Content Generation (PCG) graphs for automated generation, and integrating generated content with Graphical User Interface for interactive co-design. It concludes by highlighting the tool’s potential to enhance collaborative landscape design and participatory restoration while discussing future prospects.
Organisation(s): Institute of Environmental Planning
External Organisation(s): ETH Zurich
Monash University
EdenCT
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)
Type: Article
Journal: Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture
Volume: 2025
Pages: 53-61
No. of pages: 9
ISSN: 2367-4253
Publication date: 10.2025
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Geography, Planning and Development, Architecture, Computer Science Applications, Nature and Landscape Conservation
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 15 - Life on Land
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.14627/537754006 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{71f0e0d27ea04757acb43f1f6152c83b,
title = "Developing an Ecology-Integrated Gaming Tool for Collaborative Landscape Design",
abstract = "Long-term success in landscape planning and ecosystem restoration relies on continuous engagement, exploring alternatives, and collaborative creation and design to develop sustainable spaces. However, stakeholders often struggle to contribute effectively due to limited ecological knowledge and planning experience, making it difficult to select strategies and anticipate outcomes. Leveraging video game engine technologies that integrate environmental data, models, planning rules, and interactive 3D visualizations, this study introduces an ecology-integrated gaming tool. The tool automates the generation of landscape elements, including local vegetation communities, and allows users to explore and combine land-use and restoration strategies for given areas. This paper outlines the tool{\textquoteright}s development workflow, including modeling and visualizing current landscapes, developing Procedural Content Generation (PCG) graphs for automated generation, and integrating generated content with Graphical User Interface for interactive co-design. It concludes by highlighting the tool{\textquoteright}s potential to enhance collaborative landscape design and participatory restoration while discussing future prospects.",
keywords = "Co-design, ecosystem restoration, participation, procedural content generation (PCG), vegetation community",
author = "Xuezhu Zhai and Dray, {Anne Giger} and Bach, {Peter Marcus} and Matthias Buchecker and Jaboury Ghazoul and Fritz Kleinschroth",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025, VDE VERLAG GMBH. All rights reserved.",
year = "2025",
month = oct,
doi = "10.14627/537754006",
language = "English",
volume = "2025",
pages = "53--61",
journal = "Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture",
issn = "2367-4253",
publisher = "VDE Verlag GmbH",
number = "10",
}