See how the Municipality of Piaseczno, part of the Warsaw metropolitan area in Poland, used SimuDome’s immersive technology to present future urban developments and engage residents in a new way.
When cities plan new roads, residential districts, public spaces or infrastructure projects, residents are usually asked to review technical drawings, maps or static visualizations. While these materials are essential for planners and engineers, they are often difficult for the general public to understand.
As a result, many public consultations focus on explaining the project itself instead of discussing its impact.
The Municipality of Piaseczno, located just south of Warsaw, decided to take a different approach.
Together with the Warsaw University of Technology, SimuDome delivered a pilot project that transformed traditional public consultations into a shared immersive 360° experience. Instead of imagining the future, residents were able to step inside it.
The Challenge
One of the biggest challenges in public consultation is helping people understand how a proposed development will affect the place where they live.
Construction drawings, CAD documentation, GIS datasets or planning maps provide accurate information, but they rarely communicate the true scale and spatial context of a project to non-technical audiences.
This often leads to:
- misunderstandings about proposed developments,
- engthy discussions focused on interpreting plans,
- unnecessary conflicts,
- lower public engagement,
- less effective communication between local authorities and residents.
The Solution
SimuDome transforms planning data into an immersive shared environment.
Inside a mobile 360° dome or cylindrical projection space, dozens of participants can explore future developments together – without VR headsets.
Residents, planners, decision-makers and investors view exactly the same content at the same time, making discussion easier, more transparent and more productive.
Participants can:
- explore planned developments in an immersive environment,
- compare multiple design options,
- better understand the relationship between new investments and existing surroundings,
- discuss projects with planners and municipal representatives,
- make more informed decisions based on realistic spatial visualization.
Pilot Project – Piaseczno, Poland
The pilot project demonstrated how immersive visualization can support communication between local government and residents during urban planning.
For the event, SimuDome created a fully immersive presentation showcasing current and future developments planned by the Municipality of Piaseczno.
Using 3D city models and geospatial data, visitors experienced their neighbourhood from entirely new perspectives – from aerial views to fully immersive 360° visualizations surrounding the audience.
During the consultation, participants were able to:
- explore planned investments,
- understand proposed urban changes in realistic spatial context,
- discuss projects directly with municipal representatives,
- ask questions during the presentation,
- provide feedback through post-event surveys.
Technologies Used
SimuDome supports a wide range of engineering, architectural and geospatial data formats already used during planning and design processes.
The platform can visualize:
- BIM models,
- GIS datasets,
- CAD projects,
- Digital Twins,
- interactive 3D environments,
- Unreal Engine applications,
- Unity projects,
- aerial imagery,
- 360° video,
- drone recordings,
- geospatial datasets.
Because most municipalities and design offices already produce these assets, existing project data can often be adapted for immersive presentations without rebuilding the project from scratch.
Pilot Outcomes
The Piaseczno pilot demonstrated that immersive visualization can significantly improve how residents understand proposed developments.
The project showed:
- higher participant engagement,
- better understanding of planned investments,
- more productive discussions based on shared visualization,
- easier communication between residents and local authorities,
- a more accessible way of presenting complex urban planning projects.
Who Can Benefit from SimuDome?
SimuDome is designed for organizations responsible for communicating complex spatial projects to the public, stakeholders and investors.
Local Government
- Cities and municipalities
- Regional governments
- Metropolitan authorities
- Urban planning departments
- Public participation offices
Infrastructure & Transportation
- Railway infrastructure operators
- Highway and road authorities
- Public transport agencies
- Airport authorities
- Port authorities
Planning & Development
- Architecture firms
- Urban planning studios
- Engineering companies
- Property developers
- General contractors
Public Utilities
- Water utilities
- Energy companies
- Utility operators
- Regional development agencies
- Public infrastructure organizations
Benefits for Local Governments
Using SimuDome during public consultations helps municipalities:
- improve residents’ understanding of proposed developments,
- encourage more informed public discussion,
- present multiple project scenarios during one meeting,
- visualize investments within their real spatial context,
- increase community engagement,
- strengthen transparency throughout the planning process,
- create a modern and innovative image of the municipality.
The same platform can also be used for investor presentations, stakeholder workshops, planning meetings, education and public exhibitions.
Typical Applications
SimuDome can support presentations of:
- urban regeneration projects,
- local development plans,
- residential developments,
- transport infrastructure,
- railway projects,
- roads and highways,
- public spaces,
- parks and green infrastructure,
- utility networks,
- energy projects,
- university campuses,
- industrial zones,
- Smart City initiatives,
- Digital Twin projects.
Just the Beginning
The Piaseczno project was SimuDome’s first pilot focused on immersive public consultation.
Its objective was to explore how immersive visualization can improve communication between municipalities, planners and local communities.
The positive reception and encouraging pilot results demonstrate the potential of immersive technologies to make public consultations more understandable, engaging and effective.
SimuDome continues to develop this platform together with universities, technology partners and public institutions, helping shape the future of urban communication and public engagement.
Let’s Build Better Public Consultations
If your municipality, planning office or engineering team is looking for a more effective way to present future developments, we’d be happy to show how SimuDome can support your next project.
Whether you work with BIM, GIS, CAD, Digital Twins or interactive 3D environments, we can transform your existing project data into an immersive experience that residents, stakeholders and investors can truly understand.
Contact us to schedule a live demonstration and discover how immersive technology can transform public consultations.