Modelling

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At La Vida, we have created a tool to generate images of the flows of light, wind, water and soils on the site, as well as show some of the principal elements of development.

The user interface is meant to be simple and intuitive. Based on the TV remote control analogy, the panel on the right enables the user to choose the terrain features he wishes to model, select his tools and define the site.

Having built the model, the user can switch to a viewing mode with a very similar set of controls. Here he can combine any number of different factors and select the perspective. At bottom-left is the button which switches between the 2 modes.

The controls are divided into three bands. At the top, you can define the site: name, date, scale; select input device or save. In the middle you specify the element you are modelling. At the bottom are the tools for drawing, erasing, measuring and viewpoint selection.

The result is a 3 dimensional model which allows the designer or planner to represent any combination of factors. In this case, the summer afternoon sun on the contours of Cabo Codera, in conjunction with the surface runoff pattern.

The solar diagram is an essential tool which this system generates automatically for the specific latitude of each site. Vertical lines represent the hours of the day. The East-West curves map the months of the year, and the concentric circles indicate the elevation of the sun above the horizon.

The other most important representation of factors over time is the climate table, which is best understood as a set of overlay graphs with meshing scales. For each month of the year we show the average solar radiation, temperature, rainfall, cloud cover; and also the wind's velocity, direction and moisture content.

Bearing this in mind we can look at different combinations of factors, such as in this case, orographic contact (wind on slope), the morning sun in winter and the drainage pattern.

In very flat areas, such as this water buffalo farm in the South of Venezuela, minute differences in topography become very important as they allow us to understand flooding and soil distribution patterns.

Here, on the island of Macanao, in the Southern Caribbean, we can visualize the slopes which helps us understand the erosion and sedimentation patterns.

The Site Modelling System.