Using Virtual Reality as a Tool for Participatory Planning in Biosphere Reserves: the Case Study of Jabal Moussa, Lebanon

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) is a fast-developing technology where a computer-generated environment gives the user the perception of being in a real world. A recent interest is emerging in using VR as a tool in the fields of planning and design. The aim of this thesis is to test the validity of VR as a tool for participatory planning in biosphere reserves. The case study is Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve in Lebanon, a country where planning takes a strictly top-down trajectory with little involvement of local communities in the decision-making process. The thesis begins by examining definitions and approaches for participatory planning. Then, it analyzes the local context of Lebanon and the studied reserve in terms of legal framework, participation, and citizen involvement. Definitions for VR are explored, and gaps are identified in literature from a systematic review done on VR in the fields of landscape and urban design and planning.

Based on the literature and context analysis, a participatory workshop was made to test the studied tool. The workshop had a diverse group of participants from the American University of Beirut. Two parallel workshops took place: a VR workshop as a tool to be tested, and a physical model workshop as a conventional tool. In both workshops, participants were asked to co-design an abandoned quarry in Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve. This structure of the workshop enabled a comparative assessment to study the added value that VR can potentially provide in terms of user experience, landscape perception, interactivity, and participation. Participants fill in a questionnaire at the end of the workshop. Analysis is conducted based on participants’ input. This research explores a new way to perform planning remotely in an era of digital advancement. It studies a potentially interactive way for local communities to contribute to the decision-making process. The thesis concludes by providing recommendations for future use of VR for participation.