Altering aerial and street level photographs to present urban designs.

Ron Morgan, from Charlotte, North Carolina, is an architect and developer of adaptive reuse projects. He uses computer-imaging technology to develop urban development proposals in conjunction with neighborhood organizations, community institutions and local governments.

Urban Venture's work typically begins by taking aerial photographs of a site. The firm then alters the photographs to show neighborhood-scaled urban revitalization strategies. The macro views are then coupled with more detailed street level "before" and "after" images. This working methodology helps to allay neighbors’ fears about density and mixing of uses.

In downtown Durham, North Carolina, there are currently many surface parking lots that erode the urban fabric and expose the unsightly backs and sides of older buildings. One of Urban Venture's proposals was to bring a transit line through downtown, providing an alternative to auto use, thus freeing up parking lots for infill development and the creation of new public spaces for the district. The firm’s process showed that the downtown, which many regarded as fully developed, had a huge potential for new development consistent with the goals of the community.

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