The key project goals are:
• Improving accessibility: TL 2.0 will be completely written in Python and implemented as a plugin in QGIS, a free and widely used GIS platform. This transition will allow professionals and non-experts alike to work with the tool using familiar, user-friendly software—removing the need for programming knowledge or specialist systems.
• Enhancing scale and precision: A new, high-resolution scanner will replace the existing one. TL 2.0 will be able to detect finer terrain changes across larger areas, making it suitable for broader geographic contexts and realistic scenarios.
• Expanding applicability: TL 2.0 will generate DEMs exportable to hydrological models (e.g., for flood or drought). Based on case needs, fast, open-source hydro-models like FLoPy will be listed and one of them will be selected and linked via simple scripts for each case. The code will be published on GitHub/GitLab for developer use.
• Boosting user-friendliness: The entire process—from scanning to simulation and exporting—will run through a single, intuitive interface in QGIS. Users in the 2 cases with basic GIS experience (designers, policymakers, or even community members) can apply TL 2.0 with help of a clear manual and an interactive StoryMaps, which guides users through the process.
To assess TL 2.0’s impact on co-creation, it will be tested in two real-world cases: Renkum, Netherlands(C-NL), Datong Village, China(C-CN). Each workshop will be followed by participant surveys, assessing usability and co-creation impact. These results will be compared to baseline data (e.g. the effectiveness score 5.7/10) from the 2024 Rhine-Waal session to validate improvements and demonstrate TL 2.0’s added value.
In summary, TL 2.0 will democratize spatial modeling and co-design—enabling faster, smarter, and more inclusive decisions for the climate-resilient landscapes of tomorrow.

Tangible Landscape (TL) bridges physical sand modeling with GIS and hydrological simulation, offering a novel way to co-create spatial designs in real time. However, during a TKI Water Safety Landscape session at the Rhine-Waal junction, key limitations became clear: The current system uses a low-resolution X-Box scanner, restricting scannable models to scales of 1:2500 or smaller. For larger areas (e.g. 1:12,000), participants had to use strings to indicate new dike locations, reducing interactivity and precision. TL’s reliance on Linux and GRASS GIS further limits accessibility, especially for designers accustomed to user-friendly environments. Besides, the tool has only been connected to one model, namely SFINCS. It can only tackle surface water issues. These existing limitations have become the motivation for this innovative project.

Kickoff meeting took place on 10th July.

The innovative aspects of Tangible Landscape (TL) 2.0 include:

High-Resolution Scanner: TL 2.0 will feature a high-resolution scanner, allowing for more precise and larger-scale terrain modeling compared to the current low-resolution X-Box scanner.
Broader Scale Capacity: The new system will support larger areas, enhancing interactivity and precision in spatial design.
Multiple Hydrological Models: TL 2.0 will connect with various hydrological models, addressing both surface and groundwater issues, unlike the current system which only connects to the SFINCS model.
Open-Source QGIS Plugin: TL 2.0 will run as an open-source plugin in QGIS, making it more accessible and user-friendly, especially for designers who are accustomed to intuitive environments.
Real-Time Co-Creation: The improved tool will enable live workshop simulations, allowing participants to see immediate effects of their design choices, fostering better understanding and collaboration.
Enhanced Education and Collaboration: TL 2.0 aims to improve education and international collaboration by providing a more effective tool for co-creating resilient landscapes.
Overall, TL 2.0 will significantly lower technical barriers, increase precision, and expand the applicability of the tool, making it a key instrument in climate-resilient spatial planning.

Valorisation in this project focuses on maximizing the use and impact of its outputs through several products. The StoryMaps aim to raise awareness of TL 2.0 among the general public and are considered successful when widely read, with WENR, LAOS, and STREEKK responsible. The QGIS plug-in TL 2.0 serves as a practical tool for users in case studies, with positive workshop feedback indicating success, maintained by WENR. The open-source TL 2.0 Python code base targets developers, offering easy integration into workflows, also maintained by WENR. The TL 2.0 manual supports plug-in users and is successful when user feedback is positive, overseen by WENR and LAOS. Additionally, an article is intended to reach professionals such as policymakers and engineers, with impact measured by readership, involving WENR, LAOS, ECODESK, and STREEKK. Maintenance of these tools during the project is limited to WENR and the two cases, with future needs to be planned in other project proposals.

The article about TL2.0 will have shared IP among WENR, LAOS, ECODESK, and STREEKK. The StoryMaps will have a shared IP among WENR, LAOS, and STREEKK. The IP from the rest of the project products will belong to WENR.

Instead of making progress reports, an attractive StoryMaps will tell the story of TL 2.0 narratively. Not only the progress of the project will be shown in this StoryMaps, but project information, workshops, participants, upcoming events, and the TL 2.0 manual will also be visualized in step-by-step in StoryMaps. It is accessible to the public with constant updates. In this way, the attention of more potential users will be drawn.

The consortium agreement will enter into a cooperation agreement that meets the requirements of the regulation.