2. Execute – The Role of Augmented Reality Innovative Water Recycling and Conservation Techniques in Urban Planning

Meaningful integration of AR in hands-on learning is already happening globally, particularly in fields like environmental and urban education. These examples demonstrate how AR can move students beyond passive observation and into active, creative problem-solving inspired by nature. Integrating real-world examples and hands-on activities, augmented by AR, solidifies learning.

This case study explored the effectiveness of Augmented Reality (AR) as a tool to engage youth in urban planning processes, specifically focusing on a project in Oslo, Norway, where young participants were tasked with planning the placement of new trees.

The study involved fieldwork conducted over five weeks (between 2020 and 2021) with five different groups of youth from various districts of Oslo. These participants utilized AR technology to visualize and design urban development models by overlaying them onto real-world spaces. The researchers documented the youth's interactions through films, images, drawings, interviews, and screen recordings. AR proved to be a highly intuitive tool for the youth in their design and planning tasks. AR aided the users' ability to generate their own planning proposals on-site and at scale, significantly increasing their motivation and willingness to participate in planning processes. The study concluded that AR can significantly improve the quality of participation processes in urban planning by presenting different planning concepts more realistically and increasing engagement, particularly among young people. It highlighted both the opportunities and barriers for implementing AR in participatory urban planning, emphasizing the need for a more coordinated and holistic approach to both AR technology development and planning policy for its further integration into sustainable urban transitions (Reaver, 2023).