Digital twin and 4D planning

Connect the existing city, future plans and project phases

Build a shared 3D planning environment that combines current conditions, development scenarios, external models and change over time. Use it to review alternatives, coordinate project phases and communicate complex spatial choices more clearly.

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Existing + future GIS and 3D models 4D project phases Shared review
Digital twin view of an urban neighbourhood in 3D Cityplanner
A planning model, not only a 3D image

Bring place, plans, data and time into one shared context

A useful digital twin supports real planning work. It connects the current situation to future interventions and makes the consequences of change easier to review with project teams and decision-makers.

Existing spatial context

Combine buildings, terrain, infrastructure, public space, GIS layers and detailed 3D context in one recognisable area model.

Future scenarios

Add new plans, imported designs or parametric alternatives and compare them against the same existing conditions.

Change over time

Relate objects to phases or dates so demolition, renovation, construction and intermediate situations can be reviewed in 4D.

Start from reality

Build the digital twin from the existing environment

Use worldwide context as a first basis and enrich it with the local information needed for the project. This creates one spatial reference for analysis, design and coordination.

  • Use worldwide basemaps, roads, buildings and vegetation as an initial context.
  • Connect local WMS, WFS, ArcGIS REST, GeoJSON and other project datasets.
  • Add national sources such as 3D BAG, BGT and PDOK services in the Netherlands.
  • Use photorealistic 3D mesh and other 3D Tiles for a detailed existing situation.
  • Combine ownership, infrastructure, environmental constraints and organisation-specific layers.
Photorealistic 3D mesh used as existing context in 3D Cityplanner
A detailed 3D mesh can provide a recognisable existing context for planning and project review.
Development scenarios compared within the same digital twin in 3D Cityplanner
Compare alternative future situations while keeping the same spatial context, indicators and project assumptions visible.
Add possible futures

Combine generated scenarios and external design models

The digital twin can contain early area concepts, detailed external models and several alternatives at the same time. This helps the model remain useful from exploration through later project reviews.

  • Create areas, buildings and scenarios directly in 3D Cityplanner.
  • Import IFC, SketchUp or glTF models and connect other 3D Tiles.
  • Distinguish existing, retained, demolished, renovated and newly built objects.
  • Compare programme, land use, parking, financial assumptions and selected KPIs.
  • Review spatial effects such as shadow, sightlines, noise and connected environmental results.
4D planning

Make the transformation sequence visible

A future plan rarely appears all at once. Connect project objects to phases or dates and review how the area changes between the current situation and the completed plan.

Existing Show the current buildings, infrastructure and operational situation.
Retained Identify objects and functions that remain in use throughout the project.
Demolition Relate removal activities to the correct phase and project dependencies.
Renovation Show which assets are adapted and when they return to use.
New construction Place future buildings and infrastructure in their intended delivery phase.
Project phases Review intermediate situations, milestones and the final transformation.
Connected data and models

Use the formats and services already present in the project

3D Cityplanner provides the shared area-scale environment. Specialist systems remain the source for detailed design, authoritative data and domain-specific calculations.

GIS and map services

Use WMS, WFS, ArcGIS REST, GeoJSON and managed project layers from public or organisation-specific sources.

BIM and 3D models

Combine IFC, glTF, SketchUp models, meshes and other project-specific 3D content with the wider area context.

Cesium and 3D Tiles

Connect Cesium ion, Google Photorealistic 3D Tiles through your own setup and other tiled 3D sources.

Indicators and analysis

Relate the visible scenario to programme, KPIs, spatial analyses and connected specialist outputs.

Views and project reviews

Use bookmarks, viewpoints and selected layers to prepare consistent review and presentation moments.

Sharing and communication

Share the same 3D context with project teams, clients, decision-makers and other stakeholders.

Typical workflow

Develop the digital twin as the project gains detail

Start with the information needed for the current decision and enrich the model as new data and designs become available.

1

Assemble the baseline

Load the project boundary, existing buildings, context data and relevant constraints.

2

Add future scenarios

Create or import development options, models and interventions.

3

Connect phases and results

Relate objects to project phases and add indicators or analysis outputs.

4

Review and update

Use the model in project reviews and update it as plans and source data change.

A digital twin is only as current as its sources. 3D Cityplanner does not make every dataset real time automatically. The update frequency and reliability depend on the connected services, imported files and project-management process.
Related capabilities

Build the digital twin from connected data and testable scenarios

Worldwide data and GIS integration

See how global context, local GIS services and project-specific data come together.

Parametric urban design

Generate and compare editable area layouts and buildings within the digital twin.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about digital twins and 4D planning

It is a shared 3D representation that combines the existing environment, planning scenarios, project data and change over time for analysis, review and communication.
Yes. Existing, retained, demolished, renovated and newly built objects can be combined and related to project phases or dates.
The digital twin can combine GIS services and files with IFC, glTF, 3D Tiles, photorealistic meshes and other project-specific 3D content.
Not automatically. The model is as current as its connected sources and update process. Live services can provide current information when they are available and configured.
No. 3D Cityplanner provides the shared area-scale planning environment in which selected information and models from specialist systems can be combined, reviewed and communicated.

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