Culture Night is one of the most popular annual events in Nykarleby, filling the streets with culture, music, food, and people. That’s why we chose to test the VR solution there—to reach a broad audience in a relaxed and curious setting. It became a moment where both young and old could engage with urban planning in a completely new way.
The response was very good. Many participants said it was easier to understand urban planning when they could “walk around” in a virtual model, compared to looking at drawings on paper. One visitor said it felt like they could really “see themselves there,” while another enjoyed testing different ideas and instantly seeing how they would affect the layout of the square. Several people noted how the technology made it easier to discuss changes with others—it became a shared conversation rather than an abstract plan. At the same time, a few participants found it a bit tricky to navigate the VR environment, which provided valuable feedback for future development. The people with the VR glasses on also drew attention from local media.
The event was an important part of the testing action jointly carried out by The town of Nykarleby and Åbo Akademi University within the Metacity project. In addition to giving citizens a chance to experience new visions of the town square, the city also gained new ideas—both for the square itself and for how digital visualization tools can be used in future planning processes.