mountain drama – natural hazards experience
Research set-up project
Elena Kaeser, Alumna BA 2023, Knowledge Visualization, Ecology & Sustainability Design
The research project investigates the possibilities of immersive and interactive communication of future alpine natural hazards using virtual reality (VR) and focuses on design issues of 3D modelling.
The main aim of the project is to inform and sensitise the public about the increasing natural hazards in the Alpine region caused by progressive global warming. An easily accessible and understandable transfer of knowledge in combination with strong experiential moments should enable a forward-looking understanding and encourage an emphatic confrontation with potential natural disasters. The starting point is the highly topical case study of the "Spitze Stei", a mountain formation above Lake Oeschinen above Kandersteg, where a large-scale landslide is expected.
The concept and design were developed in close collaboration with the SLF, the WSL's Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. A translation of the scientific and data-based landslide scenarios using immersive technologies enables the public to immerse themselves in selected future scenarios and actively experience the landslide. An elaborated exemplary concept and a VR prototype will be available by the end of 2023.
The increasing threat posed by alpine natural hazards requires low-threshold information methods that reach a broad population. Suitable visual forms of presentation are not only crucial for understanding the content, but also for the acceptance and promotion of protective measures.
