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A window into our future community: an augmented on-site experience
This pilot project brings together the Future Mobility Design (FMD) Lab at the University of Cincinnati and the MIT Media Lab’s City Science group, in collaboration with 3DStreet. Its aim is to reimagine urban streets by merging advanced 3D street-design tools with mobile augmented-reality (AR) technology, enabling people to step directly into tomorrow’s city.
Over the summer of 2025 the team developed and tested a complete workflow that integrates precise 3D models with geo-anchored AR visualizations on smartphones, while engaging residents, decision makers, and experts in on-site sessions. These sessions allow participants to walk through a digital twin of their street, experience alternative designs, share feedback, and review real-time impact data.
The project progressed through exploration and testing, the preparation of a pilot site in Cincinnati’s Short Vine and University Avenue area, and a full-scale simulation in which participants experienced and critiqued future street designs. This first “Pilot Zero” validated both the technical process and the participatory method, establishing a robust framework for co-designing streets of the future. Next steps include pilots in other U.S. cities and international locations, scaling the approach so communities worldwide can visualize, debate, and shape sustainable urban transformations before they are built.