rewrite this title Building the Open Metaverse | Visualizing the Future: AR in Urban Planning W/ Dana Chermesh-Reshef, founder of inCitu

Dana Chermesh-Reshef, co-founder of inCitu, delves into her journey from architecture to becoming a tech entrepreneur. She begins by discussing her transformative experience as an entrepreneur in residence at Schmidt Futures, where she was one of six social impact entrepreneurs selected. This opportunity allowed her to develop her vision for using augmented reality (AR) in city planning, despite having no prior tech background.

Dana explains that inCitu, named after the Latin phrase meaning “in its natural place,” aims to revolutionize urban planning by making it more inclusive and transparent. The company uses AR to allow residents to visualize and interact with future developments, fostering better communication and collaboration among architects, designers, policymakers, and the community. This approach addresses the common issue of community opposition by providing clear, visual representations of proposed changes, which helps to cut through the noise and focus on the real impact of developments.

Dana highlights several successful projects, including inCitu’s work in New York, where they created AR experiences for over 4,000 development permits using open data. She also discusses their project in Charleston, South Carolina, where AR was used to help residents understand and support a proposed seawall designed to protect the city from flooding. These projects demonstrate the power of AR to engage diverse audiences and facilitate meaningful participation in urban planning processes.

Dana emphasizes the importance of accessible technology, noting that inCitu’s platform is designed to be mobile and web-based, eliminating the need for expensive headsets or complex installations. This democratizes access to information and ensures that more people can participate in the planning process. She mentions partnerships with Snapchat and Esri, which have enhanced the user experience and expanded inCitu’s reach.

Beyond the technology, Dana is passionate about promoting inclusive entrepreneurship, particularly for women and mothers. She shares her personal experience of balancing motherhood with running a startup and advocates for more diverse funding opportunities and residency programs that support non-traditional entrepreneurs. Dana believes that her role as a mother has positively influenced her work, providing her with a unique perspective and driving her commitment to creating a better world for future generations.

Dana also touches on the broader potential of AR and XR (extended reality) technologies in various fields. She is optimistic about the future of spatial computing and its ability to integrate seamlessly into everyday life, moving beyond gaming and entertainment to address critical issues like climate change and urban sustainability. She notes that while the industry is still evolving, there have been significant advancements, such as the Apple Vision Pro, which could further enhance AR’s capabilities.

In closing, Dana reflects on the future of cities and the importance of urban centers in solving global challenges. She remains optimistic about the potential of cities to adapt and thrive, emphasizing the role of technology in making urban environments more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Her insights offer a compelling vision for the future of urban planning and the transformative power of AR in creating more connected and engaged communities.

Show Notes

In closing, Dana reflects on the future of cities and the importance of urban centers in solving global challenges. She remains optimistic about the potential of cities to adapt and thrive, emphasizing the role of technology in making urban environments more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Her insights offer a compelling vision for the future of urban planning and the transformative power of AR in creating more connected and engaged communities.

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Building the Open Metaverse is a podcast hosted by Patrick Cozzi (Cesium) and Marc Petit that invites a broad range of technical experts to share their insights on how the community is building the metaverse together. 

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