Tangible Landscape 2.0 – Co-creating Climate-Resilient Landscapes
Samenvatting project
Climate change presents urgent challenges: flooding, drought, and shifting landscapes demand smart, integrated solutions. But how can we bring policymakers, designers, researchers, and citizens together to make real, future-proof decisions? Tangible Landscape (TL) offers an innovative way forward.
TL combines a physical sand model with digital map projections and hydrological simulations. During workshops, participants can literally shape the landscape with their hands and immediately see the effects of their choices—how water flows change, how elevations shift, and how different scenarios play out. Originally developed at North Carolina State University in 2015, TL has since early 2024 been adapted by Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR) for use in climate-resilience planning. In workshops such as the water safety landscape project in Rhine-Waal junction area, professionals from waterboards, engineering firms, and drinking water companies responded with enthusiasm: TL helped them better understand dynamic landscapes, think creatively, and collaborate more effectively.
Despite these successes, the current TL setup still faces major limitations regarding Low accessibility, Limited scale and precision, Mono hydrological model, and Suboptimal co-creation effectiveness. It relies on complex software, requires advanced technical skills, and lacks precision for detailed planning. It is time-consuming to operate and not accessible to most stakeholders. The core idea is strong—but to truly scale its impact, a new version is needed. These limitations stand in the way of testing the true potential of TL in increasing the effectiveness of the creative co-creation process. Our central research question guiding the project is:
“How effectively can TL 2.0 support co-creation in spatial planning for climate adaptation?”
To answer this research question, we would like to address the limitations as were found in previous sessions and find out if reducing these limitations will increase the effectiveness of TL in the co-creation process.
• Improving accessibility by developing a plugin in QGIS —a widely used, free GIS platform—making it far more accessible than current setups;
• Enhancing scale and precision by integrating a high-resolution scanner that enables the plug-in to generate accurate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) as input for different hydrological models;
• Expanding applicability by connecting to both surface and groundwater models. It will cover flooding and drought climate issues.
• Boosting user-friendliness by creating a simplified, intuitive user interface, eliminating the need for coding skills or specialist software, and adding the ability to instantly visualize the impact of landscape changes during co-creation workshops.
To evaluate the impact of TL 2.0, the project will apply it in two case studies:
• Dutch case (Renkum and its surroundings): As a case in Knowledge-Based project in Nature Based Solutions to translate long-term vision to applicable policies, TL 2.0 will support the design of nature-based solutions (such as tree planting and meandering waterways) and test how stakeholder input can shape spatial interventions and water retention capacities.
• International case (Datong Village, China): A site in the upper reaches of the Xin’an River Basin, where landscape architecture students from Tongji University will use TL 2.0 in their graduation projects with a participatory approach with local stakeholders. The tool will help the students and local stakeholders to better understand landscape dynamics, water resilience, and the integration of GIS in design.
After each workshop, participants will complete feedback questionnaires assessing their experience and the tool’s contribution to collaboration and decision-making. These results will be compared with earlier feedback from the Rhine-Waal session to assess improvements in usability and impact.
In short, Tangible Landscape 2.0 will transform how we plan for the future—by making complex landscape systems more visible, design processes more inclusive, and climate adaptation more actionable. With its playful yet powerful approach, TL 2.0 is a tool for change—connecting ideas, people, and policies to create better landscapes for tomorrow.
Doel van het project
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.
Motivatie
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.
Uitgevoerde acties
Kickoff meeting took place on 10th July.
Innovativiteit
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.
Valorisatie
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.
Intellectueel eigendom
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.
Informatievoorziening project
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.
Projectvoorwaarden
The consortium agreement will enter into a cooperation agreement that meets the requirements of the regulation.