GeoInformatics and Spatial Planning bridging the gap towards GeoDesign: focus on VGI

The adoption of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as supporting tool in spatial planning has been an active research field since the late 1980s. Nevertheless, the results of promising research, education and practices, but in seldom cases, often failed to lead to widespread adoption of ICT in spatial planning curricula and professional practices. The current debate on GeoDesign represents a join attempt of scientists, practitioners and the geospatial-industry to overcome the barriers which still limit the adoption of geospatial methods in planning and design. Within this framework, this contribution presents a recent research and education project on Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) application design, undertaken in cooperation between the University of Cagliari and the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Early results of the project are presented together with a discussion on implications for education and research in the domain of ICT support in spatial planning and Geo-Design.