Visual Simulations

5 wind turbines on Ridge Hill are seen on a nearby hilltop. A farmhouse and outbuildings in the foreground.

Dodson & Flinker has pioneered the use of visual simulations in the community visioning process. Publications such as Dealing with Change in the Connecticut Valley: A Design Manual for Conservation and Development translate complex landuse, planning and design concepts into compelling simulations accessible to the general public. The ancient art of pen-and-ink line drawing has been adapted to inspire a diverse public audience on the benefits of smart growth. Realistically simulating future growth scenarios gives voters a clear choice of alternatives and shows the folly of continuing current landuse trends. Dodson & Flinker also uses a variety of computer based simulation techniques including three-dimensional modeling, photo manipulation and multi-media using such programs as ArcView 3-D Analyst, PhotoShop, and SketchUp. Whether low-tech or high-tech, the key to the success of our simulations is the quality and imagination of the underlying planning and design content. The scenarios we recommend are based on environmentally sound planning using traditional settlement patterns, landscapes and building designs. These scenarios resonate in community after community because citizens recognize the problems of sprawl and the need to return to traditional planning and design roots.