Xin Zhang
Enabling Digital Twin Cities to Better Support Social Dialogue on Urban Changes
With the advancement of digital technologies, Digital Twins have emerged as a transformative tool in urban planning and governance. Their ability to replicate, simulate, and manage city systems positions them as a foundational component of the Digital Twin City (DTC) paradigm. However, most current implementations remain technocentric, with limited incorporation of citizen agency and social dialogue. This research addresses that gap by proposing a human-centred approach that integrates Geolocated AR as a participatory medium to enhance communication between the public and decision-makers in the context of urban change.
Cities are no longer merely physical infrastructures; they are dynamic socio-spatial ecosystems shaped by the lived experiences, local knowledge, and evolving needs of their residents. In response, this study emphasises the role of citizen-driven, human-derived input in DTC development and argues for embedding the layer of “people” within the DTC framework. By enabling more intuitive and immersive public engagement, the research proposes the Geolocated AR as the innovative approach to facilitate bi-directional information flows and foster more inclusive and informed urban decision-making.
Using Wellington, New Zealand, as a case study, a Geolocated AR prototype was developed and experimentally deployed to demonstrate the core closed-loop interactions—“informing” and “responding” workflows—for public awareness, feedback, and even co-design. A mixed-method evaluation framework was adopted, combining User Experience and User Engagement instruments alongside qualitative feedback. The results reveal a comprehensive analysis with the opportunities and challenges with this prototype.
This study concludes that integrating Geolocated AR into the DTC system holds significant potential to enhance public participation and facilitate social dialogue for a smarter city. It contributes a referable framework and practical insights for future research and practice in shaping DTCs not only as digital infrastructures, but as socially intelligent urban interfaces that engage, empower, and evolve with their citizens.
Supervisors
Professor Andre Brown & Dr Antony Pelosi