Development of a Mobile Application for Accessing Finnish Building Information
Luo, Liuwei (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052515854
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052515854
Tiivistelmä
An iOS mobile application was developed to provide users with detailed information about buildings in Finland by leveraging open government data. The urgent need for digitalization in Finland’s construction industry was identified through the EU’s Digital Building LogBook initiative, motivating the project. The primary objective of the study was to design and implement a lightweight, user-friendly application that supports address-based search, map-based visualization, and dynamic retrieval of key building attributes. The scope of the work was limited to the iOS platform; large-scale deployment, Android support, and enterprise-level considerations were not addressed.
A theoretical framework was established by reviewing the Finnish Built Environment Information Model (Ryhti), open-data concepts, and Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines. Two live APIs—City of Helsinki’s WFS service and the national Ryhti OGC API—were integrated to retrieve building data in real time. Swift, SwiftUI, MapKit, and SceneKit were employed within Xcode to implement the application’s functionality. The development process was structured into a demo prototype phase, which used mock data to validate UI layouts and core interactions, followed by a final production phase where live API integration, error handling, and user feedback were incorporated.
The completed application demonstrates functional search and map features, correct parsing of GeoJSON data, and flexible API source switching. Usability issues—such as keyboard behavior, address parsing, and loading indicators—were identified and addressed. While dynamic map-based annotations based on live coordinates remain partially implemented, the study confirms that open building data can be effectively integrated into a mobile interface. Future work will focus on enhancing geospatial visualization, refining search precision, and extending functionality as the Ryhti system evolves.
A theoretical framework was established by reviewing the Finnish Built Environment Information Model (Ryhti), open-data concepts, and Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines. Two live APIs—City of Helsinki’s WFS service and the national Ryhti OGC API—were integrated to retrieve building data in real time. Swift, SwiftUI, MapKit, and SceneKit were employed within Xcode to implement the application’s functionality. The development process was structured into a demo prototype phase, which used mock data to validate UI layouts and core interactions, followed by a final production phase where live API integration, error handling, and user feedback were incorporated.
The completed application demonstrates functional search and map features, correct parsing of GeoJSON data, and flexible API source switching. Usability issues—such as keyboard behavior, address parsing, and loading indicators—were identified and addressed. While dynamic map-based annotations based on live coordinates remain partially implemented, the study confirms that open building data can be effectively integrated into a mobile interface. Future work will focus on enhancing geospatial visualization, refining search precision, and extending functionality as the Ryhti system evolves.