THE POTENTIAL OF CITY INFORMATION MODELING (CIM) IN UNDERSTANDING AND LEARNING FROM THE IMPACT OF URBAN REGULATIONS ON RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN ROMANIA

Abstract

Inspired by the video-games industry that simulated the design and development of fictive cities (e.g. the SIM City series), CIM - City Information Modeling, aims to create a platform that allows architects, planners and other specialists to collaborate on the study and design of city-wide projects. Similar to BIM - Building Information Modeling, CIM utilizes 3D modeling that goes beyond the traditional know CAD - computer aided design, capabilities in order to incorporate data and information that are specific to a city. In this way the actual form of the city is linked to the infrastructure, to the public services, to the people's mobility and interactions through the urban space and other aspects that are attributed to the urban life. The chaotic development of the new residential areas in Romania has been usually attributed to different social, economic or political factors. To fully understand the current urban form of the Romanian cities we must also look into the influence of urban regulations on the current development and anticipate how they will evolve. The aim of the study is to use CIM as a scientific and educational tool of understanding how urban regulations impact the residential areas through time. The focus will be on what can we learn from the simulation of a certain Romanian residential area and how changing the urban regulation impacts not only the urban form but also other aspects concerning the quality of life. Thus, the simulations will allow the parallel study of different urban regulations in a controlled environment.