11/18/2019
Allan Javier Trejo Garza Boston Architectural College FROM PLANES TO VIRTUAL SPACE Drawing and physical modeling have been the point of departure for designers since the beginning, when we draw and build physical models, we create natural forms that come directly from our thoughts, we connect mind and body. The primary task of the architect is to represent and express their thoughts graphically. Designers had use different representation tools to communicate ideas, visual communication has evolved from a raw sketch to a 3D digital model. “While concept sketches and renderings are a great way to help visualize a project, virtual reality is the most realistic way to help a client truly gain a sense of scale and the proportions of a space.” (Kovach,2019) From my perspective and based on Kovach (2019) for the past years, architecture technological tools have limited our skills and abilities to design, the basic design method of transferring the drawing concept to an architecture computer software, distortion the original idea that was in paper, due to the lack of capacity to create the same concept that was in the drawing into the design software, the final building is not the same as the architect expected. “VR is a great marketing and communication tool, that could replace other ways of representation that cost a lot of money and time to complete like: 3D renderings, sketches, elevations, floor plans, and physical models.” (Kovach,2019) Meaning that now ideas are bound by computer rules, Computer Aided Design (CAD) limits our mind to think in 2dimension, with Building Information Modeling (BIM), we design with software rules, limiting our design ability to express organic forms. 3D modeling software like Rhino has helped us to express organic or natural forms, however, it doesn’t give full detail of the spaces and it limits the designer experience of connecting mind and body. Architects are adapting to use spatial 3D modeling to communicate their ideas, this set to increase as technology evolves, meaning that virtual reality is the new alternative design tool to express architects ideas.
Virtual reality merges the architect into a virtual environment where we experience the design from model scale to 1:1 scale. Simultaneously, as we design the building from outside and inside, we can comprehend how spaces work and how deep, tall or big are the rooms, by this we can have a total perception of how the real dimensions will be.
This paper will try to explain what improvements VR can do for us and how architects design and express their thoughts using virtual reality and how it affects our design ability and thinking methods. The paper hypothesis attempts to demonstrate that Virtual reality is the answer for designing problems like: perception of space and scale, translation from our minds to computer and cost of money and time in representing ideas. However, this tool is not good for making construction drawings, virtual reality is not precise for drawing floor plans and 2D drawings. My design process is not only about creating something in VR but, “creating a useful workflow with the help of virtual reality as a design tool”.