Real World Uses

3D Nature contributed pro-bono 3D visualization and testimony in opposition to the Genesee Water District’s site approval application for their Lower Alternative Site, contributing to the application’s unanimous 7-0 defeat before the Jefferson County Planning Commission.

Before the Commission, 3D Nature Vice President Chris Hanson gave sworn testimony and entered 3D visualizations into the record to show the Commission and all involved stakeholders what the proposed dam would look like. The planned structure was 120 ft tall, 500 ft long and could impound approximately 125 acre-feet of water with a 2.5-acre surface area. The visual impact of the dam, placed 600 feet from one of Colorado’s state Scenic Highways, on Open Space land and adjacent to city and county recreational parks, was one of the most contentious issues of the project. Prior to 3D Nature’s involvement neither side had commissioned extensive 3D visualization of the issue, leading to much argument over apparent size, visibility time and extent from the road and landscape scarring from access roads.

The consensus of the opposition was that while a dam and reservoir may be necessary, the criteria that drove the selection of this site were flawed and that other sites with less detrimental effects (visual and otherwise) needed to be re-evaluated.

The Jefferson County Planning Commission agreed in a unanimous 7-0 vote, noting that among other factors, the structure would be visually undesirable in ways that could not be practically mitigated. The Commission also determined that the visual aspects were contrary to the Mountain Community Master Plan, adopted in 1994, which specifically identifies the region in question as visually sensitive and marked for preservation.

3D Nature’s visualizations consisted of planimetric and north and south-looking perspective views, as well as a fully interactive Nature View Express 3D Model — all created using Visual Nature Studio 2.5. This project was created from scratch. Initial work began less than 24 hours prior to the planning meeting.

Rob James, a Cartography Student at University of Hawaii, created this map depicting a historical event in the Island’s history. This map won the 2003 National Geographic Society Cartography Contest.

Conquering Oahu was the last major obstacle for Kamehameha I to unify all the Hawaiian Islands under one rule. This map describes the movement of his army and the locations of battles, beginning on the island of Hawaii and concluding with the horrific Battle of Nuuanu on Oahu, where thousands of warriors died, some by being forced over the steep cliffs at the back of Nuuanu valley where they fell hundreds of feet to their death. Although this map was initially created for Rob’s own curiosity and education, visualizing history adds an inherent richness and depth to a once textual story.

Rob said, “Others whom I have shared this map with, Hawaiians and non-locals alike, learned from it; not because they have never heard of the Battle of Nuuanu, but because they have never been able to visualize the geography of the battle.”

He continued, “The base image and both insets were rendered in WCS 5.54. An Oahu DLG coastline was modified to better represent the historic coastline of Honolulu. This vector was placed over the 10 meter DEMs as an area Terraffector to control the slope of the submerged shoreline, creating the lighter near shore waters. Terrain textures were applied using elevation and slope parameters. The “After the Battle” inset used a self-made database of images of native Hawaiian plants including the kukui, ti, and hau to realistically texture the landscape. Kukui, with their light, bright green leaves, tend to grow only in the areas between ridgelines. Of course, the controls in WCS made accurately placing this ecosystem easy!”