Zhang Zongyu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-108). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH --- p.i-ii / ABSTRACT IN CHINESE --- p.iii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv-v / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.vi-viii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.ix / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.x-xi / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1 --- Landscape and landscape Assessment --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- The descriptive inventory approach --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Public preference models --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Urban Landscape --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Relationship between professional and public --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.1 . --- Inherent conflicts --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.2. --- Roles of both sides --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Collaboration between professionals and the public --- p.10 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT / Chapter 2.1 --- The needs for visual impact assessment --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2 --- The visual impact assessment process --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- The information inventory in the visual impact assessment --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Landscape simulation --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Visual impacts identification --- p.22 / Chapter 2.4 --- Public participation --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Public preference in the urban landscape --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Public accessibility to the urban landscape planning process --- p.28 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- CAPTURING THE SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS / Chapter 3.1 --- General considerations --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Function requirements --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Project management --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- User interface --- p.33 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Web access --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Qualification of public participation in urban planning --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2 --- Envisioning the proposed web based system --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Proposed virtual collaboration --- p.38 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Improving participants' access to the web based visual impact assessment --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Capturing the public appreciation --- p.41 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Collaboration between planners and public --- p.43 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- SYSTEM DESIGN / Chapter 4.1 --- Main software or tools for developing the proposed web based system --- p.45 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Arcview 3.1 or Arc/Info with 3D analyst and Internet mapping server extensions --- p.46 / Chapter 4:1.2 --- VRML 2.0 and Java --- p.49 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Java3D API --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2 --- System configuration --- p.55 / Chapter 4.2.1. --- System architecture --- p.55 / Chapter 4.2.2. --- Data management --- p.57 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Urban landscape information management --- p.57 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Public participation --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2.3. --- User interface design --- p.69 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- PROTOTYPE SYSTME AND PILOT STUDY / Chapter 5.1 --- General description --- p.74 / Chapter 5.2 --- Implementation --- p.75 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Connecting the two-dimensional world with a three-dimensional virtual urban environment --- p.75 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Data flow of the system for interactions between the GIS and the VRML browser --- p.77 / Chapter 5.3 --- Data preparation --- p.81 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Constructing the terrain model --- p.81 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Retrieving the landscape themes --- p.87 / Chapter 5.4 --- Public oriented user interface design --- p.88 / Chapter 5.5 --- Participation log --- p.96 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION / APPENDIX