Application of 3D virtual city models in urban analyses of tall buildings : today practice and future challenges

The complex geometry of the city structure and the increasing speed of ongoing urban transformations in large European cities, requires powerful tools for the analysis, design and management. Virtual 3D city models can be an important tool in urban planning, used to diagnose phenomena produced by tall buildings. In recent years, the issue has become a considerable challenge for the cohesion of the European urban landscape. This paper presents foundations of a research project under Polish-Norwegian financing mechanism called 2TaLL. The project examines possibilities and limitations of using virtual 3D models of cities to provide advanced urban analyses focused on simulating impact tall buildings have on landscapes of European cities. The research is an interdisciplinary combination of geo-information and urban planning and contributes to the development of theory & applications in the two fields of engineering science.