New Initiative Brings 3D Planning to the Public

Eric Jaffe writes on a new interactive planning initiative in Louisville, Kentucky, that takes a hands-on approach to public engagement.

2 minute read

September 25, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT

By Emily Williams


Vision Louisville aims "to collect the very best ideas for how the city should develop over the next 25 years, 'emphasizing growth, authenticity, preservation, sustainability, and quality of place.'"

The initiative's kick-off event was the annual Ideas Festival, where the LVL1 hackerspace coordinated the use of 3D printers to produce 1/1000 scale models of buildings for the public to touch and move around on a map of the city, summoning their inner planner. The hands-on approach, claims Mayor Greg Fischer, is integral to engaging the public in deciding the future of their city. "We've got to engage not only the people who think about this everyday but somebody who might be thinking about it for the first time," says Fischer.

Mayor Fischer hopes for a vision that includes a revitalized downtown and a booming local food industry. More than just creating an enjoyable city for residents and tourists, writes Jaffe, Fischer aims to address sustainability and build a foundation for the city's future. States Fischer, "There are interesting questions about what a sustainable city looks like 25 years from now, a digital city, a global city. We're jumping into all those topics with great enthusiasm."

The best ideas generated through this first stage of the initiative will be added to the city's project list and the printers will be donated to local libraries and science centers.

Monday, September 24, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Close-up of red Capital Bikeshare bikes parked at statio on sidewalk in Washington D.C.

CaBi Breaks Ridership Record — Again

Washington D.C.’s bike share system is extremely popular with both residents and visitors.

15 minutes ago - Greater Greater Washington

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

April 22 - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

April 22 - KATU.com