IGC 2021 Completed Projects
31 IGC projects have been completed in 14 countries. The products of their work are available below.
Many of the projects directly address the goals of the Trillion Tree Initiative (see https://www.igc-geodesign.org/trillion-trees) using methods described at https://www.igc-geodesign.org/estimate-trees-and-carbon.
Click on the thumbnail image to open a PDF file of the complete submission or the YouTube link to see a video presentation.
Project presentations, organized by project national location:
Amapá State Secretariat of Transport, Brazil
Federal University of Bahia, Brazil
Federal University of Ceará, Brazil
Federal University of Goiás, Brazil
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Federal University of Pará, Brazil
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Federal University of Tocantins, Brazil
State University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
State University of São Paulo-Rio Claro, Brazil
University of São Paulo, Brazil
Ritsumeikan University-DMUCH, Egypt (project location)
Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Germany
Bar-Ilan University, Israel
University of Cagliari, Italy
Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway & Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
University of Belgrade, Serbia
National University of Singapore, Singapore
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
University of Seoul, South Korea
Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Sweden
National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
Harran University, Turkey
Texas A&M University, United States
University of Connecticut, United States
University of Florida, United States
University of Minnesota, United States
Utah State University, United States
Trees for the Metropolitan Regions of Brazil
Coordinated by Professor Ana Clara Mourão Moura of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, the first twelve projects used the GISColab Web-based platform, developed by UFMG to address the planning challenges common to all metropolitan regions.
Trees for Macapá Metropolitan Region
Amapá State Secretariat of Transport, Brazil
The experience is part of a broader one, Geodesign Brazil: Trees for metropolitan regions, composed of a set of workshops that were held in twelve Brazilian metropolitan areas, that in Amapa was conducted by technicians of two state planning departments. The workshop aimed to develop dialogs and proposals for alternative futures, discussing ten main topics, like vegetation, hydrography, housing, transportation, tourism, and others. The GISColab platform was used as a tool for registering opinions, alerts, ideas, and voting of designs for each scenario. The experience enabled the active participation of the actors in the discussion and proposal process.
Secretary of Transport of Amapa
Great Teacher (Instructor): Prof. Ana Clara Mourão Moura
Smart Graduate (Student Assistant ): Beatriz Fernandes, Camila Morais, Thiago Lima, Tiago Mello, Ashiley Rosa, Fabiana Vargas, Gustavo Martinez, Caroline Rocha.
Geoprocessing Laboratory: https://geoproea.arq.ufmg.br/
Ana Corina Maia Palheta
Ana Claudia Machado de Souza
Ana Clara de Souza Monte
Cleane do Socorro da Silva
Edineuza dos Santos Rosário
Gabriela Firmino Serra Martins
Helder Vasques Palheta
Juliana Chagas Gurjão Nunes
Marcelo José de Oliveira
Mariane Nardi
Sara Heloiza Alberto Neri
Paulo Humberto Benigno Feio
Wandemberg Almeida Gomes
Trees for Salvador Metropolitan Region
Federal University of Bahia, Brazil
The case study is part of the Brazilian project “Trees for Metropolitan Regions” and addresses the metropolitan region of Salvador. The objective was to achieve the minimum of 30% increase in areas for carbon sequestration by 2050 in addition to ideas for the development of the area. GISColab Web-based platform was used, and as it was the last workshop from the 13 developed, it presented a review in the steps and workflow, separating actors as people of the place and not from the place. The steps were reading enrichment, dialogues, and voting, in the scenarios of 2035 and 2050.
Group:
Prof. Susana Silva Cavalcanti (UFBA – Federal University of Bahia),
Prof. Danilo Heitor Caires Tinoco Bisneto Melo (UFBA – Federal University of Bahia),
Prof. Ana Clara Mourão Moura (UFMG – Federal University of Minas Gerais) (PRESENTER)
Smart Graduate (Student Assistant): Fabiana Carmo de Vargas Vieira, Ashiley Adelaide Rosa, Gustavo Adolfo Tinoco Martinez
Geoprocessing Laboratory: https://geoproea.arq.ufmg.br/
And 12 graduate and post-graduate students Federal University of Bahia, Federal University of Minas Gerais, and other universities in Brazil:
Ana Paula Leal
Giordânia dos Santos Viana
Léia Patrícia Conceição Santos de Jesus
Marcelo Felipe de Oliveira Santana
Clarissa Malard Sales
Franciele de Oliveira Pimentel
Heli Cassio Monteiro
Luís Otávio Rocha Castilho
Murilo Mourão de Souza Bahia
Ryane Moreira Barros
Vladimir Sobral de Souza

Landscape Information Modelling for carbon credit enhancement in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Federal University of Ceará, Brazil
This work examines the potential of Landscape Information Modelling to improve feedback in Geodesign. The Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza (MRF) is the 6th largest in Brazil. This project aims to increase green areas for Carbon Credit (CC). Six methodological steps accomplished the selection of data for latter parametric modelling and evaluation of pre-established goal: 1. Reading enrichment and planning concept; 2.Division of the MRF into Landscape Units (LUs); 3. Selection of samples for each LU; 4. Proposing innovative solutions; 5. Design of green areas (preserved, expanded, or created) within samples; 6. Evaluation of CC enhancement and feedback. Three scenarios have been designed in the fifth stage and projected to 2035 and 2050: the traditional, the late, and the early adapter. Replicating designed green areas from samples to their respective LU resulted in a total CC increase of 33.19% for the traditional scenario, 44.29% for the late adapter, and 87.71% for the early adapter, all for 2050, which goal has been established by the IGC at 30%. Using the parameters identified in this work, information modeling may help to review, accelerate, and improve these results.
Coordinator: Prof. Newton Becker Moura (UFC)
Presenter: Anne Ully Castro (UFC)
Participants:
Prof. Eugenio Moreira (UFC)
Prof. Daniel Cardoso (UFC)
Joana Guedes (Master's student - UFC)
Emiliano Cavalcante (Master's student - UFC)
Vitor Sampaio (Master's student - UFC)
Morganna Rangel (Architect - UFC)
Smart Graduate Student Assistants:
Anne Ully Castro, Ana Beatriz Maia
Laboratory of Digital Experience - LED/UFC:
Trees for Goiânia Metropolitan Region
Federal University of Goiás, Brazil
We report an experience of the application of geodesign principles in a course entitled “Geodesign and Environmental Planning”, offered to the Environmental Sciences graduate program. Our experience was based on the case study of the Metropolitan Region of Goiânia, Brazil. The course was organized as a workshop with 40 class hours, with stages of enrichment of reading; followed by the decision stages; ideas and solutions to problems in the territory. The results show an increase in interest in the area, the ease of converging themes, and interpreting existing spatial correlations, as the motivation to reach a recommended design strategy.
Group:
Prof. Luis Felipe Soares Cherem (PRESENTER)
Smart Graduate (Student Assistant): Beatriz Fernandes, Camila Morais.
Laboratory of Physical Geography, Pedology and Geomorphology: labogef.iesa.ufg.br
And 18 Student Participants, Environmental Sciences Students, Institute of Social Enviromental Studies, Federal University of Goias:
Amanda C. Rodrigues Kopper
Amanda Rosa Falcao
Ana Julia Domingos Siqueira
Emanuela Matos Pimenta
Fernanda Mendonca Prates
Gustavo Barbosa Baia
Gustavo Maia Rocha
Helena Gladis Bozzo Moreira
Ila Santos Araujo
Lucas Nunes Guimarães
Lucas Souza Magre
Marcos Carrijo Dos Santos
Paulo Cesar Silva Maia
Pedro Damasceno Monteiro Da Silva
Rayssa André De Oliveira
Sarah Chaves Batista Da Silva
Tamires Adila Bahia Modanez
Victor Marcel Rodrigues Araujo
Trees for Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region
Federal University of Minas Gerais
This study is part of the Brazilian project “Trees for Metropolitan Regions” and addresses the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte. The objective, in addition to promoting the discussion on ideas to the area, was to achieve a minimum 30% increase in areas for carbon sequestration by 2050. The GISColab Web-based platform, developed by UFMG, was used. It is based on OGC protocols, considering Spatial Data Infrastructure, Web-GIS, and scripts that result in widgets to support decisions. The work was developed via reading, dialogues, and voting, in the scenarios of 2035 and 2050.
Group: Great Teacher (Instructor): Prof. Ana Clara Mourão Moura Smart Graduate (Student Assistant): Beatriz Fernandes, Camila Morais, Thiago Lima, Tiago Mello, Ashiley Rosa, Fabiana Vargas, Gustavo Martinez, Caroline Rocha. Geoprocessing Laboratory: https://geoproea.arq.ufmg.br/
And 26 Urban Planning Students of the Architecture School, Federal University of Minas Gerais: Aline Cristina da Silva Krepel, Ana Luisa Santos Ribeiro. Bárbara Formiga Almeida de Castro, Camilla Laureano Marques, Carolina Ferreira Silva, Cintya Ornelas, Felipe Andrade Ferreira, Gisele Olímpia Piedade Carneiro, Íris Batista Gorne, Isabela Karoline Mendonça, Jéssica da Nóbrega Campos, Jéssica Dayane de Abreu Borges, Jhade Iane Cunha Vimieiro, Júlia Coura Bonifácio, Júlia Galvão Fonseca, Lucas Carvalho de Jesus, Lucas Santos Nogueira, Luísa Saldanha Barcelos Andrade, Maira MichelÂngelo Barbosa, Mariana Alves Miranda, Natalia Campos Delamora, Pâmela Rebecka Avelar, Paula Pessoa Santos, Pedro Artur Fernandes, Lino Andrade, Vívian Polyana de Andrade Rezende, Willian Henrique da Silva

Decision making and Geodesign: A collaborative territorial planning proposal for the Metropolitan Region of Belém, Pará, Brazil.
Federal University of Pará, Brazil
This paper is the result of a case study based on the geodesign proposal (STEINITZ, 2012) adapted to the metropolitan reality of Belém, Pará, Brazil. Composed of seven municipalities and with about 1.7 million inhabitants, this metropolitan region is the second most populous in the Brazilian Amazon. Paradoxically, even in the midst of high rainfall, a dense hydrographic network and an abundance of water resources, Belém shows significant vulnerability in terms of the quality and quantity of water accessed by its population. According to the Sanitation Panel, 39.8% of the population in the Metropolitan Region of Belém (RMB) does not have access to drinking water (BRASIL, 2018). In turn, 90.1% do not have sewage collection and treatment, further aggravating the water crisis, socioeconomic and health inequality. This reality requires more effective urban planning with regard to the vulnerabilities presented. In this scenario, geodesign represented an interesting methodological approach, primarily for highlighting the importance of the water issue in Belém and also for sketching propositional scenarios, in a collaborative way and based on Geographic Information System (GIS).
Presenters:
Dr. Tiago Barreto de Andrade Costa (UFPA)
Dr. Alan Nunes Araújo (UFPA)
Smart Graduate (Student Assistant):
Bruno Benitez, Elielba Pardal, Fabrício Martins, Joabi Lima.
Analysis and Geographic Information Laboratory - LAIG: https://http://ppgeo.propesp.ufpa.br/

Asynchronous Modo: a challenge to ensure greater popular participation.
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brasil Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
This presentation discusses the inclusion of features in webgis to ensure that their activities can be promoted totally asynchronously, especially when they aim at popular participation. The discussion was developed within the Geodesign Brazil project, which promoted 13 similar workshops, between March and April 2021, each in a metropolitan region of Brazilian capitals. The project focused on the use of Geodesign supported by Giscolab (Brazilian online platform for Geodesign) to identify problems and create territorial proposals on 10 themes. Specifically, this article reports the experience that took place in the Recife metropolitan region’s workshop, capital of Pernambuco, state of Northeast Brazil. Since it was decided to apply asynchronous dynamics, adjustments and additions of resources were necessary to make it viable, mostly to ensure users’ interest, participation, and linkage to the project. The asynchronous mode in webgis is a challenge, as it requires resources for greater clarity in the definition of activities; forms of feedback, and personification of users' paths and promotion of incentives to users to complete activities.
Patricia PortoCarreiro, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
Thiago Lima e Lima, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Trees for Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region is a national region of demographic concentration and economic activities, encompassing a large volume of activities and a high rate of urbanization. Proposals for all 9 systems include seawater desalination complexes for the purpose of supplying this resource to the population; and monitoring panel of individualized health of the population. They increased 33.12% of CCO2. For early adopter scenario, until 2050 they will increase CCO2 by 33.12%, with 114,862,765 conserved, 1,1406,479 added and 21,874,152 replaced trees. This represents a total of 4,699,977.93 MgC of CCO2 above ground and 1,313,323.2 MgC below, 2.43 MgC/PC.
Participants: Tiago Marino (Presenter), Cezar Rocha, Ashiley Rosa, Tiago Mello, Cissa Ewald, Íris Gomes, Pedro Laje, Sanderson Romualdo, Luíza Guimarães, Marcos Dimas

Trees for Palmas Metropolitan Region
Federal University of Tocantins, Brazil
The work presents the results of the application of the geodesign workshop in the Metropolitan Region of Palmas, within the General Project “Geodesign Brazil: Trees for Metropolitan Regions” coordinated by the Federal University of Minas Gerais. The application focused on two time scenarios (2035 and 2050) and on three different levels of propositions related to technological innovation: non-adopter, late-adopter and early-adopter. Subsequently, the proposals were linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, generating a score in excel tables. Comparing the scenarios, it was noticed that innovation led to a significant increase in the score, indicating greater alignment with the SDGs.
Teachers (Instructors):
- Prof. Lucimara Albieri
- Prof. José Marcelo Martins Medeiros
- Prof. Edis Evandro Teixeira de Carvalho
Participants:
Master’s Degree Students (Environmental Science/UFT):
- Joseísa Furtado
- Luana Lehnen
- Pedro Igor Galvão
- Alana Karine Sousa
- Bruna de Almeida
Architects and Urban Planners:
- Raíssa Sousa e Silva
- Thaiane Saueressig
- Vitor Sandoval
Undergraduated Students (Architecture and Urbanism/UFT):
- Érica Nascimento
- Douglas Patrick Tavares
- Laura Barbosa e Silva
- Letícia Leda da Silva
- Márcia Cerqueira
- Sofia Saraiva de Carvalho



GeoDesign experience in the PhD course of the Territorial Planning discipline (PPGPLAN / UDESC) through the GISColab Platform
Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), and Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Santa Catarina (IFSC), Brazil
The work presents the application of Geodesign for the analysis of the metropolitan region of Florianópolis, in Santa Catarina state, Brazil, with a focus on reducing carbon emissions considering the scenarios of 2035 and 2050. The research took place with students from the interdisciplinary Land Registry and Territorial Planning doctoral course of the Post-Graduate Program in Territorial Planning and Social-environmental Development (Programa de Pós-Graduação em Planejamento Territorial e Desenvolvimento Socioambiental – PPGPLAN) from the State University of Santa Catarina - UDESC in the year 2021. The students had different training and performances, but all to a greater or lesser degree had experience in urban planning, with 25% knowing the methods and concepts of Geodesign. Due to the conditions of social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, all activities took place remotely. Four weekly meetings and also daily communication were established to carry on the activities.
To assist decision-making on the GISColab Platform, a spreadsheet was created that ensured the organization and systematization of proposals, as well as supporting the spatialization of policies and projects. Due to the students professional experience, the biggest challenge was shown in the proposition of ideas that corroborated with the initial goal, that was especially focused on territorial planning integrated in multifactorial parameters. In this sense, remote meetings fulfilled the role of initiating remote participatory discussion, sharing ideas and decisions for proposals adopted and approved in groups, but revealed the lack of specialized critical thinking, difficulties in developing territorial planning and defending ideas based on action and reaction that the GISColab platform provides.
Francisco Henrique de Oliveira ¹, Maria Carolina Soares ², Guilherme Braghirolli ³ 1 Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Av. Me. Benvenuta, 2007. Brazil. chico.udesc@gmail.com 2 Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Av. Me. Benvenuta, 2007. Brazil. mariacarol.soares@gmail.com 3 Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Santa Catarina (IFSC), Av. Mauro Ramos, 950. Brazil. gbraghirolli@gmail.com

Extended version video
The potential of Geodesign for the optimization of land use in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas
State University of São Paulo-Rio Claro, Brazil
This project presents the potential of Geodesign to reflect on the characteristics of the territory and to propose alternatives for the appropriate use and occupation of lands in the RMC, São Paulo. The main feature of the workshop was the elaboration of proposals based on the sustainability triad: Environmental, Economic and Social. The results showed that the methodology favors the elaboration of proposals, allowing an evolutionary process of co-creation of ideas, as the activities were developed in an evolutionary way, that is, the proposals were created for the scenarios of 2035 and 2050, without innovations, with few and many innovations.
Andréia Medinilha Pancher1,
Ana Isabel de Sá2,
Marcelo Costa3,
Tiago Oyan Aguiar4
1 Paulista State University (Unesp), Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences, Rio Claro, Avenida 24A, 1515, Brazil. 2 Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Minas Gerais (IFMG), Santa Luzia, Rua Érico Veríssimo, 317, Bairro Londrina, Santa Luzia/MG, Brazil 3 Paulista State University (Unesp), Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences, Rio Claro, Avenida 24A, 1515, Brazil. 4 Paulista State University (Unesp), Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences, Rio Claro, Avenida 24A, 1515, Brazil. Presenter: Andréia Medinilha Pancher

Trees for São Paulo Metropolitan Region
University of São Paulo, Brazil
Trees are critical elements of Nature-based Solutions promoting the quality of life in cities. We evaluated the impact of design scenarios on changes in tree cover for 2020, 2035 and 2050 in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region. Future forest cover was discussed in three scenarios: i) non-adopters who represent current policies, ii) late adopters who decide late to act with innovative actions, iii) early adopters, who immediately adopt innovative actions. Vegetation cover declined by 4% by the year 2050 in the non adopter scenario, but increased by up to 30% in the early adopter scenario promoting ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration.
Project leader: PELLEGRINO, Paulo Renato Mesquita (Senior Professor FAU USP)
CANDIDO, Leticia Figueiredo (Doutoranda do Instituto de Botânica, SP); COELHO, Matheus Aguiar (mestre em Arquitetura da Paisagem, Universidade da Coruña); FRUEHAUF, Amanda Lombardo (Doutoranda da ESALQ/USP); LOCOSELLI, Giuliano Maselli (Instituto de Botânica, SIMA, SP); LOMBARDO, Magda Adelaide (Professora Señior da ESALQ/USP); MARUYAMA, Cíntia Miua (professora doutora adjunta UFPR)
MARQUES, Taícia Helena Negrin (Professora Associada DOT.C- UNALM); MIYAHARA, Augusto Akio Lucchezi (IB-USP); MUROLO, Rafael Pollastrini; POMBO, Riciane Maria Reis (Guajava); ROSA, Ashiley Adelaide (Doutoranda IGC/UFMG); SANDRE, Adriana Afonso (Doutoranda FAU-USP e Guajava)
Trees for Carbonífera Metropolitan Region
University of the Extreme South Of Santa Caterina, Brazil
The work presents the results of the application of the geodesign workshop in the Metropolitan Region of Carbonífera, within the General Project “Geodesign Brazil: Trees for Metropolitan Regions” coordinated by the Federal University of Minas Gerais. The application focused on two time scenarios (2035 and 2050) and on three different levels of propositions related to technological innovation: non-adopter, late-adopter and early-adopter. Subsequently, the proposals were linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, generating a score in excel tables. Comparing the scenarios, it was noticed that innovation led to a significant increase in the score, indicating greater alignment with the SDGs.
Teachers (Instructors):
- Prof. Nilzo Ivo Ladwig
- Thaise Sutil
Participants:
Postgraduate program in Environmental Sciences at the University of the Extreme South Of SC:
- Alessandra Moraes de Oliveira
- Francine Lunardi Calegari
- Gilberto Tonetto
- José Gustavo Santos da Silva
- Jucelia Tramontin Dalpiás
- Juliana Debiasi Menegasso
- Juliano Bitencourt Campos
- Paola Vieira da Silveira
- Rafael Tiscoski Milioli
- Roselene Vargas de Oliveira
- Tayse Borghezan Nicoladelli
- William de Oliveira Sant Ana
Sustainable Geodesign of Alexandria Downtown in the Framework of NSDS, Egypt vision 2030
Ritsumeikan University, Japan
GeodesignHub, Ireland
We are developing a stakeholder-led Sustainability Plan for developing Alexandria Downtown within National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS), Egypt vision 2030. Cosmopolitanism, outstanding location, and over 2300 years generated the cultural diversity of Alexandria since its foundation in 332 BC. Institutional, commercial, and industrial activities are intensively occupying Alexandria Downtown, which hinders efforts to develop this area and impact on the environment. Geodesign Alexandria project aims to harmonize its authenticity and modernization, focusing on upgrading urban mobility, improving the environment, and managing cultural heritage. The final change model includes interactive designs based on ten systems.
Mohamed Soliman, Tomoyuki Usami, Satoshi Imamura, Keiji Yano, Ritsumeikan University Institute for Disaster Mitigation for Urban Cultural Heritage, Ritsumeikan University(DMUCH)
Hrishikesh Ballal, Geodesignhub
Heidelberg Green Belt
Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Germany
The aim of the Heidelberg Green Belt geodesign workshop was to develop ideas and a vision for the open space between the two urban agglomerations of Heidelberg and Mannheim in the river Rhine valley. Because of strong economic growth and confined space, the remaining open corridor is at high risk of being built up. Therefore, the City of Heidelberg would like to protect it as a so called "green belt". In response, students designed a multi-coded blue and green infrastructure corridor while zoning additional areas east of the city for clean energy and sustainable growth.
City of Heidelberg: Planning Department, Ulrike Lohe and colleagues
Educators: Hrishi Ballal, Olaf Schroth (presenter)
Students: Stewardson-Blackwell Ethan, Nik Raftar Pegah, Hormozi Athena, Samani Ghodsieh, Shchalkunova Anastasiya, Shayestehpour Taha, Kadić Aida, Kiso Naida, Pandit Tejashree, Maksoud Paul, Morris Karen, El Khoury Rachelle, Miller Luke, Lallouche Imad eddine, Louka Marco Adel Helmi, Elsherif Mahmoud Mohamed Ibrahim, Murugan Kanimozhi, Prianka Zareen Kashfee, Afroze Farhana, Zubair Amal, Pichler Theresa, A.P, Krishna, Beladiya Sachinkumar, Dash Simanta, Niloy Robaet, Halimi Feryal, Uttur Arati, Samsatli Tamer, Draghici Bogdan, Egorova Alena, De Weert Sonja, Namvarrad Niusha, Begum Noorjahan, Biabani Haniyeh, Fernando Dasith

Alternative Future for Talpiot, Jerusalem, Israel: Re-thinking Growth for 2040
Bar Ilan University (BIU), Israel
Geodesignhub, Ireland
Talpiot-Arnona and Talpiot Mizrach are two adjacent neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Israel. The planning policies for both neighborhoods estimate additional 9,500 dwellings – a total of 17,170 dwellings until 2040. The primary goal of this workshop was to develop a series of landscape planning-based design and management strategy ideas, including analytical conclusions and recommendations generated by professional planners in Spring 2021, using the Geodesign Hub. These ideas were rooted in ecosystems-based conservation, restoration and regeneration in the Talpiot area. The researchers took under consideration a hilly topography, a lack of walkable connection between two neighborhoods, and a gap between planning and implementation.
Marianna Sigalov-Klein
Dr. Arch. Shlomit Flint
Geodesignhub Instructor: Hrishi Ballal
Studio Instructors: Marianna Sigalov-Klein, Arch. Rinat Stinlauf-Milo, Miri Reiss

Extended version video
Strategic Planning in the Cagliari Metro Area, Sardinia, Italy
University of Cagliari, Italy
This project is the result of a geodesign workshop held in spring 2021 within the Metropolitan City of Cagliari Strategic Plan. The workshop involved 17 municipalities as well as the Metropolitan Authority.
While this study was not originally framed as IGC standard study, some relationships and commonalities can be found: The study considered 10 systems, including 8 IGC base systems + tourism and Historical-cultural heritage. The design included system innovations in most of the considered systems. On the differences side, only one short-medium-term scenario was considered in the design, in order to comply with the strategic planning process requirements and settings. The project nevertheless shows how the IGC lesson, or at least part of it, can be successfully applied to the real-world planning practice enabling communities to participatory sustainable co-design, bringing innovation and fostering capacity building and awareness rising towards subsidiarity and efficiency in the planning process.
As demonstrated by post-workshop surveys and interviews, the assessment of the geodesign experience by the participants was overall very positive.
Project leader: Michele Campagna
Acknowledgements: The author wish to thank very much the Metropolitan City of Cagliari Authority, the representatives of the 17 involved municipalities, the planning process contractor Lattanzio Kibs, the chief planning coordinator Prof. Luigi Mundula, and the geodesign workshop team assistants Dr Chiara Cocco and Dr Elisabetta Anna Di Cesare.

Tree Planting Towards Quality Environment in Zaria
Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
Nigeria has developed policies through its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to meet its commitment to the Paris Climate Change agreement of 2015. The trillion trees initiative has also been adopted by Nigeria to lower the impact of climate change thus increasing carbon sequestration, improving quality of environment, human wellbeing and food security. However where can the trees be planted? and what is the significance? This project selected a study area for this enquiry, in Zaria and environs that contains the various typical land uses around an urban area. The assumptions are that population will continue to increase as projected by the UN world population prospect 2021 and there will be demographic changes due to insecurity. The study employs the IGC eight systems and builds three scenarios to address the questions. The findings suggest that tree planting can be achieved effectively using indigenous trees and agroforestry. Significant increases in carbon sequestration and addressing the SDGs are seen in the early adopter’s scenario where tree planting started early despite insecurity. A significant reduction in carbon sequestration and inability to adequately address the SDGs is noted for the non-adopter’s scenario.
Participants
Dr. Maimuna Saleh-Bala (Team Lead)
Abuh Joshua Onuche (Student assistant)
Aliu Aminat Omotayo (Student assistant)
Henry Chukwunonso okoro
Zubayda Khalid Ibrahim
Mokwe Chukwunonso Anthony
Abdulazeez Zainab Umar
Yakubu Nafisa Ize
Abdullahi Mustapha

The Wood for the Trees: Correlations between key building materials and global urban growth
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway Leibniz University Hannover (LUH), Germany
Geodesign Hub, Ireland
The project motif is the sustained growth of the world population and the associated urbanization. Cities will grow rapidly in the future and people need housing — flats or houses — to live in the urban realm. The project examines the required amount of the building materials concrete and wood, as well as the amount of land area necessary to accommodate these housings. By using three different building material systems — Concrete Only, Low Hybrid (concrete/wood), and High Hybrid (concrete/wood), it was examined to what extent current building practice is sustainable, or whether fundamental changes should take place.
Project leads:
Adrian Lichnowski, Associate lecturer, Leibniz University Hanover
Hrishikesh Ballal, Managing Director, GeodesignHub, Dublin
Jörg Rekittke, Associate Professor, Norwegian University of Life Sciences School of Landscape Architecture
Workshop team:
Julia Theis, Daniel Deubner, Maximilian Godt -- MLA students, Leibniz University Hanover

Preventing and mitigating negative impacts of national planning practices and interventions in the Ivanjica Municipality.
University of Belgrade, Serbia
The project was conducted on a voluntary basis as a pilot online Geodesign studio at the Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning. It contrasts the anticipated consequences of future national interventions focused on economic development (a highway, 57 small hydropower plants, and the development of a mountain tourism centre) to the effects of more locally sustainable spatial interventions. The main innovations with which we tried to offer a greener and more sustainable alternative in the case study are: more sustainable energy supply and water management, digital and seamless mountain tourism, urban-rural partnerships in agriculture, and reforestation within the Rewilding Europe initiative. Implementation is to be supported by the significant development of institutions such as the Coalition for Sustainable Development.
Leaders: Tijana Dabovic (presenter), Bojana Pjanovic
Participants: Bojana Ivanovic, Marina Stanic, Petar Jovanovic, Jelena Tomic, Vukasin Kotrlja, Tijana Nikolic, Katarina Trbojevic, Stanislav Mladenovic, Lazar Tomovic, Nikola Vracevic, Marko Jovic, Jovana Bojovic, Hristina Nikolic, and Aleksandra Krstic.


Grown in Singapore
National University of Singapore
Agriculture land has decreased in Singapore over the past decades. Currently, it is only 0.78% of the total land area in Singapore. It is not surprising that Singapore’s food production accounts for less than 10% of consumption, which indicates a severe food security issue. Moreover, Singapore, classified 100% urban, faces land scarcity making food security more challenging. This landscape design project developed strategies for multi-functional urban land uses to integrate rather than separate agriculture from other land uses for the sustainability of Singapore's future, and how to redesign both green and grey spaces into productive landscapes.
Geodesign Leader Jessica Ann Diehl, Assistant Professor
Studio Tutors Jessica Ann Diehl, Lin Shengwei Ervine
MLA Student Team Fang Ting, Feng Kangtai, Ge Wenxi, Hao Jun Jeff, He Xiaowei Ceama, Hong Mengyi Dreamy, Huang Xi, Lam Ching Hang Adam, Li Jiaying, Li Wanying, Li Xi Emily, Liu Kaiyan Lydia, Long Di, Ou Yeyao Olivia, Rui Xue Shaw, Tan Shuyue, Wang Xiaomeng, Wang Yu Eunice, Xiang Wenqin Eliex, Xie Wanying, Yin Yi Anna, Zhang Kairui Karry, Zhang Liao Judy, Zhang Liping Steven, Zheng Qiaoyu Jenny, Zhu Wen Conseil
Spatial Development Scenarios for Slovenia: National, regional, and local perspectives
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
We present development scenarios for Slovenia at three scales: national, regional, and local. The main future problems are related to mitigating and adapting to climate change, which will cause more frequent droughts, floods, and possible loss of coastal areas due to sea-level rise. The scenarios mainly focus on securing food production and transitioning towards renewable energy. The early adopter scenario proposes a polycentric development and intensification of farming with glasshouses. The decision in the national scenario to repurpose coal-fired power plants into biomass is tested at local scale. The national scenarios are linked with last year’s regional project.
Advisers: Mojca Golobič, Professor, PhD Davorin Gazvoda, Professor, PhD Nadja Penko Seidl, Assistant professor, PhD Tadej Bevk, Teaching assistant, PhD Nejc Florjanc, Teaching assistant
Presenters: Luka Jaušovec, Vid Stropnik, Manca Šega, Alen Ternik
MSc student participants : Jerneja Bogolin, Anja Černic, Hana Gačnik, Loti Gorenc, Ena Grgur, Zala Janežič, Luka Jaušovec, Tina Jemec, Jerica Kobal, Ajda Kogovšek, Nina Komac, Katja Loža,r Timoteja Mejaš, Magda Merhar, Jelena Nikolič, Kristina Oražem, Žan Pečelin, Pina Klara, Petrović Jesenovec, Barbara Podnebšek, Manca Šeg,a Ana Šmuc, Katja Štolfa, Vid Stropnik, Katja Štucin, Alen Ternik, Valeriia Zharenkova, Matthias Bierschenk, Urška Didovič, Zala Dimc, Klara Korenčan, Liza Košutnik, Miša Kranjc, Tanja Mauer, Dejana Pešikan, Luka Polak

Three individual projects are described below:
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Spatial Development Scenarios for Slovenia
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Sustainable Transition Values for the Green Karst region
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Low-Carbon Future for the Šaleška Valley
Spatial Development Scenarios for Slovenia
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
In the coming thirty years, Slovenia’s population will be stable with greatest variability dependent on uncertain immigration patterns. Decarbonization, ageing population, net zero land take, and climate change present the greatest challenges. The Non-adopter scenario continues business as usual, only realizing most of already existing (mainly infrastructural) initiatives which fail to adequately address the issues. Early Adopter scenario was done in three variants, each putting one of the sustainability pillars in its core. Social and environmental approach adopted polycentric development, while economic approach emphasized centralization. A final Early Adopter was negotiated from the three approaches.
MSc student participants :
Jerneja Bogolin
Anja Černic
Hana Gačnik
Loti Gorenc
Ena Grgur
Zala Janežič
Luka Jaušovec
Tina Jemec
Jerica Kobal
Ajda Kogovšek
Nina Komac
Katja Ložar
Timoteja Mejaš
Magda Merhar
Jelena Nikolič
Kristina Oražem
Žan Pečelin
Pina Klara Petrović Jesenovec
Barbara Podnebšek
Manca Šega
Ana Šmuc
Katja Štolfa
Vid Stropnik
Katja Štucin
Alen Ternik
Valeriia Zharenkova
Sustainable Transition Values for the Green Karst
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
The project develops strategies for sustainable transition for the Green Karst region, Slovenia. The region is one of the most preserved natural areas in Slovenia, but there is also a large military training ground that seeks expansion. In future it will be challenged with water shortage, increased pressure of tourism and infrastructure development. The developed scenarios mainly utilize policies to manage existing land uses. Early adopter evenly disperses tourism development, provides new water reservoirs, and promotes glasshouse farming. The military complex remains, but technological improvements are suggested to reduce pollution from training.
MSc student participants:
Matthias Bierschenk
Urška Didovič
Zala Dimc
Klara Korenčan
Liza Košutnik
Miša Kranjc
Tanja Mauer
Dejana Pešikan
Luka Polak
Low-Carbon Future for the Šaleška Valley
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
The project focuses on the area of Slovenia’s largest energy producer Thermal Power Plant Šoštanj – TPP. Following decarbonization goals, TPP and adjacent coal mine Velenje are expected to start closing in 2035. The Non-adopter scenario focuses mainly on environmental and ecological remediation of the site; however, it fails to address energetic, social, and economic issues. Early-adopter scenario initiates a path towards new energy landscape, transforming TPP into biomass power plant equipped with carbon sequestration technology. Biomass plantations comply with trillion trees initiative.
MSc student participants :
Luka Jaušovec
Vid Stropnik
Manca Šega
Alen Ternik
How to save urban parks in danger
University of Seoul, South Korea
In 2035, 2,219 public parks in Seoul, 80% of the entire park areas of Seoul, will be illegal. How can public parks be illegal? In the 1960s Seoul designated urban parks without purchasing the entire parkland. In 1999, the constitutional court ruled that appropriating private lands as public spaces is illegal. In order to maintain the current park system, Seoul needs 1.44 billion USD to purchase private lands from owners; however, only 10% of the required budget is secured. If the city needs to give up some parks, it is necessary to come up with good strategies to decide which parks to save and which to give up. This study provides three different scenarios for the future of urban parks in Seoul, which could disappear drastically.
What is an unexecuted park? If a park contains a private property in its boundary, it is regarded as an unexecuted park. Unexecuted ratio is “the area of private property” divided by “The total area of park.”
The major requirements and conditions for the project are as follows: From 2020, urban parks unexecuted (fully owned by public or government) for 10 years will be no longer maintained as a park. In 2020, among 2,859 parks, 2219 parks are defined as an unexecuted park. Currently, The total area of unexecuted parks are 91.80 ㎢, 80% of the entire parks and open spaces of Seoul. By 2025 the population of Seoul is expected to increase to 10.22 million and decrease gradually.
Team Lead Prof. Youngmin Kim
Analysis Team Prof. Chan Park (Lead Analyst) Jaeyeon Choi (TA) Haojie Cheng Jiwon Baek Sukyoung Kim
Design Team Philip Lee JeongIhn Choi Jooeun Lee Jiwon Lim Sunjoo Kim Haksong Lee Heewon Kim

Landscape Planning for a Coastal Town II -- Lomma, Sweden
Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Sweden
Landscape Planning for a Coastal Town II returns to the case study of Lomma, a small town on the South Coast of Sweden. The town’s popularity has been built on its convenient location for commuting to Malmö and Lund while providing a spacious locale with high quality of life. The recent addition of a rail link further increases that demand. However rising sea levels to one side and high quality agricultural soils all round make expansion in land or along the coast controversial. Students taking the MSc course “Advanced Digital Landscape Analysis with GIS” at SLU tackled this wicked problem.
Team leaders:
Neil Sang
Polina Savchenko


Alternative Futures for Green Spaces X Patch by Planting
National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
Along with the phenomenon of population concentrated in an urban area, the need for development changes the natural landscape and severs the connection with a green infrastructure. In terms of green spaces, this project uses the combined thinking of two methods, from top-down to bottom-up, and then applies them to the city of Taoyuan. Taoyuan is located near the Taipei metropolitan area and has seen a rapid population increase. It also has a spectacular cliff skyline, irrigation pond network, and historical landscape. The Alternative Futures for Green Spaces Project has set up the geodesign framework to improve the industry and protect the green infrastructure based on increased green coverage and reduced sprawl.
The Patch by Planting Project seeks out potential green coverage improvement through geospatial analysis based on open data and citizen participation. A physical workshop is held to join these two projects and rethink the possibilities for green spaces.
GeoDesign Management Team:
TEAM Leader: Shiau-Yun Lu NSYSU
TEAM Members: Pei Chun Lin, Xin Ying Ho, Zheng Yuchen, Yan Chen, Jo Chen Huang
“Patch by Planting” Project:
Po-Hung Liu, Taiwan Institute of Landscape Architects Che-Wei Liu, g0v Jothon
Su-hiân Li , Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility
Hank Chou, City of St. George
Hao-Wen Lin, Arup, Integrated City Planning
Morgane Le Guilloux, Urban Taiouan
Clément Tricot, Radio Taiwan International
Wei-Chan Hsieh, Function of City Studio
Li-Te Wang, Graduate Institute of Urban Planning, National Taipei University
Ming-Tsung Chiang
IGC Workshop (GeoDesign NSYSU Team / Patch by Planting Team):
Taoyuan City Government: Zhi-Ren Chen, Pi-Hsien Kao, Mei-Fen Chen, Ya-Min Chen Chung Yuan
Christian University: Wen-Hui Peng, Hua-Sun Chang, Cheng-Yung Chen
National Taiwan University: Su-Hsin Lee, Hsuan-Yin Pan, Hsiao-Ting Kao, Hsuan-Pei Huang, Teng-Yu You, Li-Wen Wang, Rui Liu
Feng Chia University: Jui-I Huang
The Society of Wilderness (SOW): Chun-Lan Lin, Chiang-Ho Chen
Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan (CET): Lee, Ken-Cheng
Observer Ecological Consultant Co., Ltd.: Yu-Bo Hwang, Zhi-Hao Chen, Jen-Hua Chang, Lin Lin
Blue Racemosa Co., Ltd.: Jen-Yang Lee
Classic Design and Planning Co., Ltd.: Ming-Yi Chen, Tao-Shian Wei, Chin-Yu Tu, Po-Sheng Kuo
TAYA Pristine Homeland Foundation: Shih-Ning Chen
Canopy Impact Investment: Chia-Yen Yang
Eyes on Place: I-Hisn Chen

Development Scenarios for Harran, Southeastern Turkey
University of Harran, Turkey
Harran is located in the center of the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) one of the world's biggest irrigation projects. This region is part of the Fertile Crescent where the first high cultures were established. Already 2000 years ago, Harran school, predecessor of our Harran University, was established. Despite this glorious history, nowadays the region counts for one of the poorest in Turkey. Development scenarios have been designed showing how the big potential in the tourism sector capitalizing on this glorious past and the agricultural sector can be implemented to the benefit of a rapidly growing population.
Project leaders: Fred Ernst, Mehmet Ali Çullu, İbrahim Yenigün
Presenter: Fred Ernst
Participants: Esma Ağaltun, Adnan Aslan, Rozerin Aydoğan, İbrahim Demiroğlu, Olgu Gür, Songül Naryapraği, Sümeyye Önel, Esra Tuğalan, Şevval Uğurel, Muhammed Furkan Yilmaz

Design for the Depopulating City: Regeneration in Johnstown, PA, USA
Texas A&M University, United States
Like many other U.S. Rust Belt cities, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is a victim of deindustrialization. After the collapse of the steel industry, Johnstown has faced severe problems related to population decline including structural abandonment and economic downturn. Excessive depopulation leads to amplified amounts of vacant land, which in turn, leads to decreased neighborhood satisfaction and quality of life.
Using Johnstown as a case site, this project further develops a framework for design/planning for shrinking cities, integrating permanent functions into potential high development areas, and more temporary functions into declining areas. Such functions were based on community engagement processes which sought to identify and apply the social demands, needs, and desires of the remaining population.
Zhihan Tao, 3rd year PhD in Urban Planning & Regional Science, Galen D Newman, PhD, Associate Professor Chenxia Pu, MLA Anyi Qu, MLA


Sustainable Vacant Lot Greening for Enhancing Landscape Connectivity in Hartford, Connecticut, USA
University of Connecticut, United States
Vacant land in post-industrial cities has always been treated as negative spaces associated with high crime rates and environmental degradation. This collaborative study explores four joined park design plans for vacant lot transformation in Hartford Connecticut, to exemplify the use of sustainable design features in reversing urban decay, reducing vacancy rates, and pursuing a series of sustainable urban development goals such as climate change adaptation, stormwater management, environmental justice and promoting ecosystem services.
In order to incorporate the Trillion Trees initiative, this study also prioritizes 185.1 acres of vacant parcels for future urban forests which have great importance in landscape connectivity to the regional landscape. The study highlights the approaches of utilizing vacant lots for additional tree planting in the cities, which can contribute to biodiversity, environmental remediation, human well-being and urban revitalization in general.
Pan Zhang, Sohyun Park, Tao Wu, Junyi Shi University of Connecticut, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

Assessing a Suitable Infrastructure Land System
University of Florida, United States
Our project deals with land-use types to implement a Suitable Infrastructure Land System (SILS) in the City of Apopka, Florida, USA. Through SILS, we apply, integrate, and promote innovative actions; and examine the consequences of early-, late-, and non-adopters at three timestamps: 2020, 2035, and 2050. Such assessment in SILS will provide detailed guidance in reflecting and mitigating the impact of rapid growth caused by residential expansion.
As land-use planning practices in the City of Apopka, SILS has revealed how to implement multifunctional efforts in response to interactions between built and natural environment.
Presenters: Luwei Wang, Changjie Chen
Instructors: David Hulse, Timothy Murtha, Changjie Chen
Students (alphabetic order of last names) Eliza Breder, Alexander Eide, Alexander Green, Isabella Guttuso, Yu-Ya Huang, Blake Linquist, Kyle Peterson, Tyler Tornese, Yanni Xu


Root District and Minneapolis 2040
University of Minnesota, United States
The Root District is an industrial area next to downtown Minneapolis whose redevelopment can serve as a model for the conversion of under-utilized urban industrial parks into equitable, affordable, and sustainable neighborhoods. This study looks at how to develop the district in ways that meet the city’s comprehensive-plan goals of eliminating disparities, increasing economic opportunity, responding to climate change, and respecting the diversity of the city, while also addressing the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of the Trillion Trees Project.
The recommended plan envisions a mixed-use residential and commercial district that pursues a range of equity and sustainability strategies and that has the district’s entire first level devoted to low-cost, start-up economic opportunities for people who need access to equipment or facilities and who could rent space for short periods of time, as is the case in the district’s farmers market.
Participants: Minnesota Design Center (MDC) Tom Fisher (Facilitator), Tim Griffin (Facilitator), Joseph Hang (Facilitator), Chon Fai Kuok, and Jason Xiong
Root District Workshop Participants Lisa Austin, Fernando Burga, Dan Collison (Facilitator), Antonia Eboreime, Jeremiah Ellison, McKenzie Erickson, Tom Erickson, D’andre Gordon, Dani Hans, Doug Harvey, Christian Huelsman, Jamil Ford, Buacaya Bistreauz Joao, Ryan Kelley, Nick Koch, Julie Lux, Jeff McMenimen, David McNary, Rebecca Muchow, Amanda Nonnemacher, Christopher Palkowitsch, Denetrick Powers, Kerri Pearce Ruch, Max Salmen, Jackson Schwartz, Ben Shardlow, John Slack (Facilitator), Gordy Stofer, Aaron Tag, Wendy Underwood, Clayton Watercott, and Ellie Ziaie

Landscape Resilience Cache Valley, Utah, USA
Utah State University, United States
Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
Cache Valley, located in northern Utah in the U.S., faces numerous environmental challenges now and in the future (EPA, 2016). The region is increasingly subjected to weather extremes, such as storms, droughts, floods, and wildfires. Climate change is not the only challenge the study area faces; the population in Cache Valley is also constantly growing and is expected to double by 2040 (Envision Utah, 2009). Our goal is to identify and develop strategies and sustainable solutions to make Cache Valley more resilient in the face of climate change and the expected population growth.
Group Teachers:
Dr. Daniella Hirschfeld (USU)
Dr. Bartlett Warren-Kretzschmar (LUH)
Presenters:
Clara Bukies (LUH)
Anna Hachmöller (LUH)
Amanda Hamilton (USU)
Workshop Participants:
Clara Bukies, Sophia Germer, Joyce Gosemann, Anna Hachmöller, Lena Lambers, Romain Rollot, Daniel Schneider (LUH students)
Patricia Beckert, Jessica Clements, Kenzy Fogle, Hooman Hadayeghi, Amanda Hamilton, Saul Karamesines, Lloyd Sutton, Averie Wheeler (USU students)