Worcester Waterfront uses online 'emotion map' to assess public response to design plans

The Worcester Waterfront, an ambitious two-year project to improve the city’s riverside, is being put to residents in the coming weeks. The scheme will provide more seating and paving, suitable lighting, interpretation of the natural and social history of everything along the route and linking up all sorts of places and stories along the way.

It will build upon the existing fountain square and links the town cetre with new developments to the south at Diglis and incorporating the potential for a new footbridge at Diglis island and weir. The work will be planned and take place over the next few years and concept work is already in progress. The partnership will involve the section working with County Council, Sustrans, British Waterways, Environment Agency as well as landowners and the private sector via Section 106 agreements.

The project team is assessing user response to the proposals using 'an online  interactive online ‘Emotimap’, a new form of multimedia visualisation'.  The method, which involves satellite (GPS) tracking, heart rate monitoring and listening to audio commentaries, is helping to show how individuals both utilise and react when out travelling along the riverside paths near Worcester’s City Centre. It illustrates the route online, and helps to gain opinions about the area to inform the design.

The system is being developed to help the progress of the design and to see how stretches of the riverside can be most effectively enhanced for all users.

The resulting interactive online ‘Emotimap’ allows the viewer to access details of how individuals ‘feel’ when they are moving through a particular part of Worcester’s Riverside. The route shown is on both sides of the river from the main bridge down to Diglis Island and weir, which will be greatly improved by the City for walking and cycling over the next two years.

The prototype system is being developed in partnership with the University of Worcester's Digital Arts Centre.

The scheme also plans to create good links to the new river footbridge at Diglis, due for completion in 2010.  It will provide more seating and paving, a picnic area, viewing platforms, suitable lighting on the east bank, and interpretation of the natural and social history at key points along the route.

The improvements will be carried out between Worcester Bridge and Diglis Island on both sides of the river. The new pedestrian and cycle bridge will complete an attractive three and a half km circular walk.

Councillor Barry Mackenzie-Williams, Deputy Leader of Worcester City Council, said: 'This is a major improvement and an important addition to the already considerable attractions of our city. Despite the financial challenges we currently face, the City Council has promised to complete the work on Worcester Waterfront - and we will keep that promise.'

To see artists’ impressions of the revamped area and give an opinion, visit the Waterfront Project Phase 1 exhibition at the following venues:

21-24 May The Guildhall: 8.30am - 4.30pm

27-28 May St John's Sports Centre: 8am - 11pm

29 May -7 June Customer Services Centre