City Analytics Series

Spatial digital twins have become essential in academia, government and institutions for planning, decision-making and management. This course introduces 3D digital models for the built environment, covering how to create, manage and visualise them. You’ll explore foundational theories and technical skills, including GIS, 3D modelling and database management and gain practical experience with tools like SketchUp, PostGIS and QGIS.

Through lectures, practical exercises and self-study, this 25-hour course combines theory with hands-on practice, allowing you to build and visualise 3D models and reinforce your learning with quizzes after each session.

Course Convenors

Professor Sisi Zlatanova is a Professor at the School of Built Environment and supervises master and PhD students on topics related to 3D spatial modelling and analysis. Her recent research concentrates on 3D Indoor modelling and navigation. She is an author and co-author of more than 300 papers and had edited and co-edited 23 books. She is the president of ISPRS TC IV on Spatial Information science, the treasurer of UDMS and a co-chair of OGC SWG IndoorGML. 

Dr Jack Barton manages Geospatial Research Innovations and Development research cluster (GRID) at UNSW and is an Adjunct Professor at the Far Eastern University, Philippines. He is trained as an architect and specialises in three-dimensional mapping and urban modelling applications.

This course offers essential skills for navigating the intersection of open data with cultural heritage, housing markets and urban planning. In today’s digital era, open data is vital for informed decision-making, citizen engagement and sustainable urban development. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to urban big data, covering licensing, analysis, visualisation, citizen science and participatory planning.

A key feature of the course is the Colouring Australia platform, an innovative open data initiative by the City Futures Research Centre in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute (London). As part of the Colouring Cities Research Program, it offers spatial data on buildings across major Australian cities, fostering a collaborative knowledge exchange on urban data.

This 28.5-hour online course is fully flexible, with recorded lectures, readings and interactive activities. Work at your own pace to explore the potential of open data for cities, engage with the Colouring Australia platform and apply insights through discussion forums and practical exercises.

Course Convenor

Dr Matthew Ng is a data scientist and a Scientia Fellow at the City Futures Research Centre. He currently works alongside PEXA, where his research is focussed on developing new tools that leverage machine-learning and artificial intelligence to enhance property market analysis across Australia.