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

Soldiers in camouflage in a forest, face of a female soldier in the foreground
Awards and Recognition Published:

ELO students’ short films win awards at the R&A Film Festival

Yasmin Najjar’s 28 Days Left (TJ28) won the grand prize in the R&A short film competition. Viljami Penttilä’s film Major Bag Alert and Viena Kytöjoki’s documentary Killing Me Softly (Munkki) also received awards.
Historic beige university building with domes and tall red banners under a clear blue sky
Appointments, Cooperation Published:

Zhengmao Li selected as visiting professor at TU Graz

The two-month visit will bring Aalto and Graz University of Technology’s hydrogen research communities closer together through teaching, seminars and new research opportunities.
Double exposure of man in suit and woman in patterned jacket talking at a light wood meeting table
Research & Art Published:

Five things you should know about digital sovereignty in Europe

Europe hopes to be more self-sufficient when it comes to semiconductors, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Metal balls on a geometric thread lattice framed in light wood with four silver screws
Research & Art Published:

Turning bobbin lace into shape-shifting textiles

Researchers have developed textile structures based on bobbin lace making that can change their shape in response to changes in their environment. The research combines a traditional handicraft technique with active materials and computer modelling.