In its infancy, the transition from the analog to the digital working methods meant doing the same things as before – only faster. Instead of producing data that can be re-used, interpreted and analysed by computers, we are using them to create “documents”. Documents that we can print in 25 copies, that is.

CAD – Computer Aided Design

CAD software emulates papers, rulers and pencils and is very much targeted towards reproducing digital drawings to scale on  paper. CAD is however limited when it comes to structure.

A CAD drawing consists of lines, polygons, points, texts and dimensions. However, the information is not interrelated and a text doesn’t know that it sits inside a polygon – or that a dimension line is associated with a certain wall. CAD doesn’t know these things – and CAD doesn’t care – since CAD has as its primary purpose to produce paper drawings – the data aspect is not relevant.

GIS – Geographical Information Systems

Geographical information systems associate information with geography. Unlike CAD, a GIS stores structured information, “attributes”,  about any geometric feature such as points, lines or polygons.

NORPLAN has been awarded a contract to develop a new addressing system for Muscat Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman. The Client, Muscat Municipality, intends to implement the new system in Muscat first and then roll it out to the remaining governorates and regions in the country.

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NORPLAN together with a consortium of Norwegian companies prepared a master plan concept for Greater Doha, Qatar as well as detailed plans for downtown Doha. The detailed plan focussed on redevelopment of the city centre, the master plan comprised a proposed structural plan for the metropolitan area.

The purpose of the project was to develop the Directorate for Urban and Rural Planning in the Ministry of Planning. The main objectives of the project were: 1) Institution building, 2) Physical planning, and 3) Training. The Institutional building spanned both the internal organisational development with the ministry and development of the institutional relationships to other ministries and external entities. A major task was to prepare regional plans for the West Bank and Gaza, and to develop structural plans for three larger cities (Gaza City, Jericho and Ramallah/Al Bireh). The training part consisted of  on-the-job training, locally conducted specialised courses and a Masters Programme for 10 candidates at the Oslo School of Architecture. In addition, NORPLAN assisted in developing the GIS section within the Ministry of Planning.

NORPLAN is consultant for the update of fundamental geospatial data for Abu Dhabi Municipality, supervising establishment of geodetic infrastructure and aerial photography, orthophoto creation and vectorization into a purpose-made Enterprise GIS data model.

Mutrah Redevelopment Master Plan Contract

January 1st, 2011 | Posted by (Stein) Runar Bergheim in Reference projects - (Comments Off on Mutrah Redevelopment Master Plan Contract)

NORPLAN through partner Asplan Viak has been appointed Consultant for the Mutrah Redevelopment Master Plan by Muscat Municipality in the Sultanate of Oman.

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On assignment from the Ministry of National Economy, NORPLAN laid the foundation for the establishment of a national GIS authority whereby the whole government sector will benefit from Oman’s GIS investments integrating into the national e-Governance policy.