Landscape Simulation and Visualization on Google Earth

Abstract

In this study, we made a landscape visualization system that enables virtual experience in a planned landscape including vegetation on Google Earth. The applicability of the system to the landscape design was quite powerful. The planning system generates KML (Keyhole Markup Language) and VRML. KML file is visualized on Google Earth and VRML file can be visualized on stand alone computer. Plants were automatically placed on a terrain based on the data of GIS or Excel by using the system developed in this study. With the system, we made models of Koishikawa Korakuen Garden based on measured data. Performance of walk-through simulations was quite good. We proved that landscape visualization and simulation with Google Earth was possible and that the system can be used as a practical and low cost landscape simulation tool.