Virtual reality in the service of user participation in architecture

The issue of user participation in the processes of building and urban design is enjoying renewed attention following its relative neglect over the last 20 years due, in large measure, to significant advances in emerging information technologies, particularly multimedia, virtual reality and internet technologies. This paper re-established the theoretical framework for participatory design evolved in the late sixties and early seventies as part of the movement towards a more explicit design methodology and attempts an explanation of why the concept failed to gain commitment from the architectural and urban design professionals. The paper then gives an account of two significant developments in the evolution of the application of information technologies with which the authors have been engaged. These are: i. a responsive and interactive interface to wholly immersive and realistic virtual reality representations of proposed buildings and urban neighbourhoods. ii. an intuitive and platform-independent VR modelling environment allowing collaborative evolution of the scheme from within the virtual world. The impact of these IT developments is demonstrated in the context of the design of a leisure facility for a community of users with physical impairment

Real Teaching and Learning through Virtual Reality

This paper addresses an articulated vision of Virtual Reality which lends itself to design collaboration in teaching, learning and communication of architectural design ideas among students, design professionals and client body during the early stages of the design process. Virtual Reality (VR) has already acquired a new degree of complexity through development of network-based virtual communities and the use of avatars. The intrinsic quality of VR technology is to support collaborative design experience. The design tools developed for this experiment are capable of creating 3D objects in a shared VR environment, thus allowing the design and its evolution to be shared. The choice of programming language (JavaTM) reflects the desire to achieve scalability and hardware independence, which in turn allows for creation of a VR environment that can co-exist between high-end supercomputers and standard PCs. The prototype design environment was tested using PC workstations and an SGI system running a Reality Centre. The research and teaching/learning experience in the collaborative design environment reported in this paper describe the development and application of software that aims to increase the opportunity for architects to collaborate within virtual worlds which enable effective and transparent information exchange

A Java3D Tool for Real-Time Collaboration in a Virtual Reality CAADEnvironment

Today the development of network-based virtual communities and the use of avatars have brought a new level of complexity to the meaning of virtuality, providing the technology for remote presence and collaborative experiences. In this project the intention was to pursue this articulated vision of VR in order to assist the design profession during the early stages of the design process. The objective was to provide a tool that is capable of creating 3D shapes in a shared VR environment, thus allowing thedesign and its evolution to be shared. The use of the Java programming language was a natural choice for this project. Because of Javais performance scalability and hardware independence the concept of CAAD has been extended, making it possible to create a VR environment that can co-exist between high-end supercomputers and standard PCs. The project is currently being tested using PCs and an SGI system running a Reality Centre. The research reported in this paper describes the architecture and application of software that aims to increase the opportunity for collaboration within virtual worlds and enable effective and transparent information exchange

Real Teaching and Learning through Virtual Reality

This paper addresses an articulated vision of Virtual Reality, which lends itself to design collaboration in teaching, learning and communication of architectural design ideas among students, design professionals and client bodies during the early stages of the design process. Virtual Reality (VR) has already acquired a new degree of complexity through development of network-based virtual communities and the use of avatars. A key intrinsic quality of VR technology is to support collaborative design experience. The design tools developed for this experiment are capable of creating 3D objects in a shared VR environment, thus allowing the design and its evolution to be shared.The choice of programming language (JavaTM) reflects the desire to achieve scalability and hardware independence, which in turn allows for the creation of a VR environment that can co-exist between high-end supercomputers and standard PCs. The prototype design environment was tested using PC workstations and an SGI system running in a Reality Centre

JCAD-VR: Java Collaborative Architectural Design Tool in Virtual Reality - a Java3D based scalable framework for real-time, multiplatform VR environments

This paper proposes a framework that provides the architect with a tool that uses Virtual Reality (VR) as part of the design path. It offers the possibility to deploy a system capable of assisting the design profession during the early stages of the design process. This way VR becomes the means for a new experience where the architect can, free from constraints of the 2D world, create and manipulate the space she/he is designing. The idea upon which JCAD-VR is being built is that all the users present in the virtual world have to be able to share the same virtual environment in a “transparent fashion” where the user interface, instead of the traditional menu/windows based layout, it is part of the virtual world itself. The aim is to provide the designer with a tool for creating 3D-shapes in a shared VR environment, thus allowing the design to be shared as it evolves

Designing within virtual worlds

This paper celebrates the successful outcome of a trial of an innovative multi-platform distributed design decision support system in which the shared design environment exists within the virtual world. The outcome is the result of a sustained three-year research and development effort, within an internationally recognised research group. The project set itself a number of ambitious targets within the broad spectrum of distributed design decision support, viz: • A multi-platform environment: the trial demonstrates inter-operability of different machine platforms - from a home PC to an international standard Virtual Reality Centre. • A distributed environment: the trial demonstrates the high level of understanding amongst the design team separated by time and space. • An ability to propose, discuss and agree upon, design decision from within the virtual world. Hitherto, virtual environments were viewing galleries, designers had to leave them to effect design changes in a conventional CAD package. The trial described in the paper amply demonstrates the potential to design, collaboratively and, in distributed mode, from within the virtual world. The two ideas upon which the system (known as JCAD-VR) is built are: • That all the users present in the virtual world have to be able to share the same virtual environment in a “transparent fashioni, • The user interface, instead of the traditional menu/windows based layout, is part of the virtual world itself. Any element of the interface becomes an object belonging to the 3D world and therefore it is treated as any other object. Each element of the interface can then be moved or scaled according to the useris needs. The entire project is based on client-server architecture where every user logs into a virtual world and starts sharing design tasks with other users. The authors propose to present a video which demonstrates the positive outcome of the trials to date. More importantly, perhaps, the authors will put the achievements of the R+D into the context of past aspirations and developments in the subject area and, most importantly of all, suggest how these modest achievements will impact on the next decade of increasingly rapid R+D

Visualisation: the Customer\u27s Perception

Probably the most frustrating circumstance which might occur to an architect is to find out that his client is going to live for years in a house that is not like he expected it to be. Everybody has experienced to look at a picture of a place and after some time to go there and find out that the place is not according to his idea. This is due to the effectiveness of the media in representing the real space. During our experience we have tried to find out the way this effectiveness interferes in the relation between client and architect and how computer images can be effective in communicating the idea of architectural space. The problem of communication between designer and client rises when you notice that traditional graphic techniques (plans, sections, facades) are not enough understandable to make laypeople feel the real architectural space. And the unique answer to this problem has always been faced simply by leaving the architect understand the wishes of his client. During these last years though, computer techniques and multimedia tools have changed the way architects communicate their ideas

From “Soft” to “Hard” Prototyping: a Unique Combination of VR and RP for Design

This paper will highlight innovative approaches to the building design process made possible by the application of two of the most sophisticated technologies currently available: Virtual Reality (VR) and Rapid Prototyping (RP). These will be discussed by drawing examples from recent case studies.

Virtual Walk in a Lost Built Environment using Immersive Virtual Reality

This paper illustrates the methodology, technological solutions and interaction metaphors chosen for the development of a 3D immersive Virtual exhibition that aims at enriching the visit of an important part of the historical cultural heritage of the city of Trento, in Italy. The goal of this work, supported by the local authority for Cultural Heritage, was to implement a user friendly virtual environment, which could show to the visitors the significance of the archeological findings of the ancient Roman town of Tridentum, despite the peculiarity of the siteis premises, located below a square among a theatre foundations. Outcomes of the research work are a high-quality and scientifically correct reconstruction of the Roman town in various historical eras, thanks to fruitful interaction with archeologists, and the development of an ad-hoc user-friendly immersive virtual environment implementing a customized interaction metaphor for the fruition of the virtual reconstruction. The developed interface allows users speaking different languages to share simultaneously the experience of virtual tours across time using a joystick. The whole environment has been developed to become a permanent virtual exhibition in the premises of the archeological site