Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The Urban Futures Laboratory (UFL) uses the Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) at the Interactive Information Institute, RMIT University, to provide effective real-time visualisation and design services to governments and the development industry.

Using the VRC's 150 degree wraparound theatre, models of the whole cities can be experienced at close to full scale. The real-time nature of the models allows the viewer to choose where to go and what to look at, as opposed to a traditional animation that provides a pre-set pathway. The result is a much more authentic experience of the built environment.

In May 2003, SAC Architects engaged UFL to perpare a virtual reality model of a proposed residential tower to be located on the corner of Exploration Lane and Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, and to conduct an examination of the visual impacts of the proposal within its context. The VRC modelling team recreated the Little Lonsdale Street environment between Russell and Exhibition Streets making use of digital photography.

A model of the proposed building form was used for initial tests with the SAC design team. This confirmed the design direction as being a four storey podium that would relate to the prevailing two and three storey shopfronts within Little Lonsdale Street, with a tower set back from the podium rishing a further 24 floors. The ground floor of the podium was to have shopfronts to provide an active edge to both Exploration Lane and Little Lonsdale Street.

On the first day of the hearing, the Victoria Civil and Administrative Tribunal, members of the Tribunal visited the VRC and undertook a full inspection of the proposed development, including "walking" up and down the small lanes and checking views from the various higher buildings that look out on the site. The Tribunal was also provided with video footage and stills taken form the real-time model.

In the first use of real-time immersive technology by a planning tribunal in Australia, the Tribunal found in favour of the developer and instructed that a permit be issued for the full 28 storeys.

After the heading, Mr Antonio Calabro, principal of SAC Architects, said he believe the availability of the real-time model was crucial to the success of the application. It eliminated the doubt that might have lingered had teh Tribunal relied on artists' impressions and allowed them to concentrate on the facts of the design. He added that if he had known about the technology earlier in the design process, it could have helped get the design solution in much less time.

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