News

Lappset Prize to Landscape Architect Johanna Tuokko

In her Master's thesis, Tuokko investigates how virtual landscape modeling can be utilized in the participation of spatial planning.
Virtuaalimalli maisema-arkkitehti Johanna Tuokon tutkimuksesta, kohteena Uunisaari
Virtual model for Uunisaari, Helsinki was one of the main research sites.

In urban planning, it is important that stakeholders in the region are involved in the design process. In this way, valuable information is obtained about the design area, which contributes to making the design solutions more user-oriented by considering the needs of the participants. However, plan drawings, maps, schematic drawings, visualizations and physical miniature models are not easily understood and read by all involved.

In her Master’s thesis ‘Participating in a Virtual Landscape’, landscape architect Johanna Tuokko explains how virtual modeling can be utilized in the involvement of spatial planning and how it can improve spatial perception ability.

According to the Lappset Committee, the thesis is topical. ‘The author has taken over a complex subject and made extensive use of international research literature and case study method. The work is a valuable opening for discussion about the virtual landscape’, the choice is reasoned.

Virtuaalimallinnus näyttää suunniteltavan kohteen eri vuodenaikoina ja sääolosuhteissa.
The thesis investigates how virtual modeling can improve spatial perception ability and take into account, among other things, the effect of seasons and weather conditions.
Maisema-arkkitehti Johanna Tuokko sai Lappset-stipendin diplomityöstään.

The findings of the thesis present that virtual modeling has a positive effect on participation, but more detailed research is required on what dynamic features and what kind of elements virtual landscape models should include in order to improve spatial perception ability and the experience of influencing.

Thus, Tuokko presents questionnaire research methods in which the dynamic properties of the virtual model would be divided into separate factors to be studied further. This would allow a closer examination of which features of the virtual landscape model could potentially contribute to the perceptibility of the plans and which in turn would not.

The Lappset prize is given to the best master’s thesis in landscape architecture and it is awarded each year to a meritorious student in the Landscape Architecture. The prize is 2,000 euros and is donated by Lappset Group Oy.

The supervisor of the work was professor Anssi Joutsiniemi and advisors Juanjo Galan, Lauri Lemmenlehti and Henna Fabritius.

More information:

Johanna Tuokko, johanna.tuokko@wsp.com

Professor Anssi Joutsiniemi, anssi.joutsiniemi@aalto.fi

  • Updated:
  • Published:
Share
URL copied!

Read more news

People seated at long white tables with laptops as a man presents slides in a modern classroom.
Research & Art Published:

TexirC Project Results Meeting Held at UPM

The TexirC project partners met at UPM.
Academy Research Fellow Johanna Ahola-Launonen
Research & Art Published:

What counts as rational in debates about technology is political

Techno-optimism and techno-pessimism seem to be surprisingly little about technology
Research & Art Published:

Participate in OECD-EU Research and Development Career Survey

The OECD and EU have joined forces to develop a new international survey of research and development personnel. It takes around ten minutes to complete. The insights it generates will help policymakers and the wider community understand how R&D work is evolving. Taking the time to respond helps build the evidence that guides careers and working conditions - including yours.
Two students and a professor sitting around a table, talking and looking at laptop screen.
Research & Art, Studies Published:

Call for doctoral student tutors 2026-2027

Sign-up to be a tutor for new doctoral students as part of the Aalto Doctoral Orientation Days!