Selective Precision: Managing the Performativity of Urban Planning Visualisations in View of a Case from Finland

Abstract

The performative role of visualisations, particularly photorealistic renderings, has been acknowledged in planning literature. However, how planners engage with them remains understudied. This paper explores how they perceive and manage the performative functions of renderings as part of broader storytelling in urban planning. Drawing on observational and interview data from a Finnish planning case and using urban planning renderings as our supplementary data, we identify three key approaches: persuasion, avoiding closure, and managing expectations. For planners, the challenge lies not only in using images effectively, but also in navigating and controlling their influence throughout the planning process.