Hoyt Architects
Research and White Papers

Research and White Papers

We offer research-driven insights at the intersection of architectural visualization, digital twin technology, and artificial intelligence. Each publication below reflects Hoyt Architects’ commitment to advancing the field through rigorous inquiry and forward-thinking perspectives, providing practitioners, academics, and industry partners with a valuable resource for navigating the evolving built environment.

Decision Intelligence for the Florida Wildlife Corridor

Advancing Digital Twins for Conservation & Land-Use Planning

As Florida rapidly grows, nearly 60,000 acres of natural and agricultural land are lost each year. Led by the University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, this initiative explores how digital twins and decision intelligence can support smarter, more transparent conservation and land-use planning for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation.

The project is developing a scalable ecological digital twin — an interactive platform combining GIS, ecological data, and scenario modeling to help stakeholders evaluate conservation, resilience, connectivity, and future growth impacts over time. 

Key Goals

  • Develop a scalable ecological digital twin framework
  • Support scenario-based conservation planning
  • Identify fragmentation risks and ecological tipping points
  • Integrate resilience and connectivity analysis
  • Create a transferable model for future planning initiatives

Why It Matters

Current conservation planning often relies on fragmented data and static tools. This framework enables planners, agencies, nonprofits, and communities to test “what-if” scenarios and make more informed, collaborative decisions about growth, resilience, and conservation priorities.

 

 

 

 

Dunnellon Bottleneck Digital Twin

Pilot Project for the Florida Wildlife Corridor

The Dunnellon Bottleneck Pilot Project is the proof-of-concept for the broader Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Digital Twin initiative. Spanning Marion, Levy, and Citrus Counties, the study area includes more than 18,000 acres of critical ecological linkages connecting waterways, habitats, and regional conservation networks.

As development pressure increases across Central Florida, the pilot explores how ecological digital twins can support proactive conservation and land-use decisions before irreversible fragmentation occurs.

Pilot Goals

  • Develop an interactive digital twin for the Dunnellon region
  • Test conservation and growth scenarios
  • Support collaborative regional planning
  • Evaluate visualization and decision-support tools
  • Create a scalable framework for statewide expansion

Long-Term Vision

The Dunnellon pilot is the first step toward a statewide ecological digital twin designed to support Florida’s long-term conservation, resilience, and land management goals across the full wildlife corridor system.

 

 

 

Belinda B. Nettles, Ph.D., ASLA

Assistant Scholar

College of Design, Construction & Planning | Department of Landscape Architecture

University of Florida

Zoning-Aware Street View Image Generation

Research Initiative

This research initiative explores how artificial intelligence can translate zoning codes into realistic street-level visualizations. By combining zoning data with real-world street imagery, the project investigates how AI-generated environments can help planners, designers, and communities better understand the visual impact of urban development patterns.

Focus Areas

  • AI-driven urban visualization
  • Zoning-informed image generation
  • Street-view and satellite data integration
  • Urban morphology and planning analysis
  • Public engagement and design communication

Research Goals

  • Generate realistic street-view imagery from zoning classifications
  • Compare generated environments with existing urban conditions
  • Differentiate visual characteristics across residential, commercial, and mixed-use districts

Potential Applications

  • Urban planning and scenario testing
  • Community engagement and visualization tools
  • Design education and research
  • Digital twin and smart city initiatives

 

Shenhao Wang

Assistant Professor in Urban AI

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, DCP

University of Florida