Characteristic features of computerized visibility zones’ construction factoring in settlement development and relief model

The paper presents a description of the algorithm implementation used for the assessment of the objects’ visibility zones. The algorithm is realized in a program system using the concepts of object-oriented programming. A three-dimensional model of the settlement involves input data for the algorithm. The result of the algorithm is a computed visibility zone of the studied object with regard to the relief of the area and mutual arrangements of all buildings. A special feature of the presented implementation is a possibility of its use in two modes: normal and progressive. In the normal mode, all computations are performed at the beginning, and then the visibility zones are show to the user together with the digital vector master plan of the settlement. In the progressive mode, the visibility zones are presented as they are computed, at first a low-resolution image is shown to the user, and then while the computations are in progress the image becomes more detailed. The designed program system can be used to solve historical and architectural problems of assessing visibility zones of the main objects in the settlement structure such as an isolated building, an architectural ensemble, a water body. It can also be facilitative in the assessment of the settlement structure proximity.