Shaping Physical Landscape: Point cloud modeling as a site-specific design method in landscape architecture applied to a case study in Singapore

Abstract

The design of large-scale urban landscapes is often developed without topographical context and fails to establish a cohesive relation between terrain, vegetation cover and urban space. This dissertation devises a practical design method that enables proficiency to shape the physical form of the landscape by drawing from the well-established technique of laser-scanning. The method involves producing geo-referenced point cloud models from site data and manipulating them to invent new landscape forms. Three-dimensional modeling of this data allows the physical shape of a site to be integrated into the design process, and transformed according to a topological approach. The application of the method is demonstrated using the Rail Corridor in Singapore as a case study. Three phases structure the application of the method and correspond to the investigation, transformation and evaluation of point cloud models. In the phase of investigation, the site survey results in a geometric documentation in the form of a point cloud model, which is analyzed to incorporate site-specific logic into the design process. The phase of transformation uses digital modeling to guide design development by selectively transforming the laser-scanned model. In the phase of evaluation, design scenarios represented by transformed point cloud models are iteratively tested for their performance, highlighting opportunities for improving the design. The three phases support the hypothesis, development and synthesis of the design process. The methodological steps of point cloud modeling allow for a better understanding and shaping of landscapes, establishing a close link with the site and the context. The thesis argues to consolidate a common ground for disciplines related to the form of urban landscapes, to establish a design expertise with topography, to foster a topological approach in digital landscape design that encourages a cultural accumulation on the site, and to form an understanding of the landscape that is both holistic and idiosyncratic. By strengthening three-dimensional thinking at a variety of scales, the design method with point cloud modeling strengthens the disciplinary core of landscape design and contributes to imagining new landscapes that respond to global change and specific site conditions.