Urban Walkability: A Digital Twin Approach for Urban Regenerative Development

Traditional urban planning methods fall short in addressing the complexities of modern urbanization and environmental challenges. By adopting Generative Design, Virtual Reality, and Digital Twins, the aim is to make urban planning more interactive, accessible, and inclusive. The research is grounded in a comprehensive literature review across related fields, including Digital Twins’ dynamic modeling capabilities and Virtual Reality’s immersive visualization potential. Initial findings from sit-down interviews with Eindhoven residents reveal critical insights into pedestrian preferences. In my next steps in the PhD, I will focus on developing Virtual Reality prototypes to further examine walkability and Generative Design prototypes to generate urban planning aligning with regenerative development toward walkability. At the end of my PhD, the knowledge from previous prototypes is used to create a tool to simplify urban planning, including multiple stakeholders, to improve walkability in an urban context. This innovative approach promises to contribute significantly to the creation of livable, sustainable urban environments by leveraging cutting-edge technologies to address key challenges in urban walkability and planning.