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Fusing LiDAR Observations with Remote-sensing Analysis for finding “beauty” in the city

Project description

Measuring what makes cities feel like home

City life can feel chaotic: too much noise, too little green, and no clear sense of what makes a neighbourhood truly liveable. Urban planners often struggle to get the full picture, as tools to measure quality of life typically focus on just one factor at a time. The ERC-funded FLORA project will combine data from LiDAR, satellite imagery, GIS, and local perception surveys. Specifically, it is building an interactive dashboard to assess beauty, health, and liveability in cities. This human-centred tool reflects not just hard data, but how people actually feel about where they live. With FLORA, policymakers can better understand what makes urban spaces thrive and make decisions that truly improve life on the ground.

Objective

The FLORA project aims to develop a comprehensive, multidimensional indicator dashboard (“FLORA dashboard”) that combines data from LiDAR, remote sensing, GIS, and human perception surveys to assess and enhance urban environments. The project seeks to address the need for a holistic tool that integrates diverse data sources to capture and score urban aesthetic perception, liveability, and health, ultimately aiding urban planners and public health officials in making data-driven decisions to improve quality of life in cities. Urban environments are complex, with multiple factors—such as green spaces, traffic patterns, air quality, and building structures—affecting the well-being of residents. Existing assessment tools are often limited to specific factors, lacking the ability to synthesize data from multiple sources into a comprehensive view of urban health and aesthetics.

The breakthrough innovation of FLORA lies in its ability to merge multiple data sources into a single, cohesive assessment platform. Key innovations include:
1. Multisource Data Integration: Combining LiDAR, remote sensing, and human perception data for a comprehensive understanding of urban environments.
2. Multidimensional Indicators: Creating integrated metrics for urban beauty, liveability, and health, facilitating targeted urban interventions.
3. Human-Centred Approach: Including subjective data from residents to ensure that assessments reflect lived experiences and community needs.

The FLORA dashboard will drive evidence-based policy-making and foster proactive urban health strategies. FLORA’s innovative approach entails challenges, such as data integration and interdisciplinary collaboration, but also promises high gains in setting new standards for urban health assessment. The potential of FLORA to revolutionize urban planning and public health strategies through data-driven, human-centred insights makes it a high-impact project with significant societal benefits.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC

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Host institution

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO
Net EU contribution
€ 150 000,00
Address
Via Festa Del Perdono 7
20122 Milano
Italy
Region
Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Beneficiaries (1)