Breaking Through the Looking Glass: How Virtual Reality is Disrupting Architectural Practice

Cardiff University Welsh School of Architecture

AR5002: Dissertation

Breaking Through

the Looking Glass How Virtual Reality is Disrupting Architectural Practice

By: Ramez Khalil b1635559 Supervised by: Dr Benjamin Spaeth

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of MArch, 2018

CONTENTS

ABSTRACT 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 4

CHAPTER ONE: ‘Introduction’ 7

CHAPTER TWO: ‘The Origins of Virtual Reality’ 11

CHAPTER THREE: ‘The Viability of VR as a Tool for Architecture’ 23

CHAPTER FOUR: ‘The Prevalence of VR as a Tool for Architecture Practices’ 35

CHAPTER FIVE: ‘VR and the Architectural Process’ 47

CHAPTER SIX: ‘Conclusions’ 64

BIBLIOGRAPHY 69

APPENDICES 74

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ABSTRACT This dissertation aims to explore the trends in the architectural applications of Virtual Reality as used by architectural practices, and how this technology is currently being deployed in the design process. After a brief overview of the technical specifications and historical development of VR, the technology’s unique representational ability is analysed from the perspective of architectural theory. This results in the determination of VR’s capability of the immersive display of 3D spaces as they are perceived in the physical world, thus retaining their scalar and phenomenological properties in a dynamic experience. Therefore, the technology is perfectly poised to be a universal reference point that would level the communication gap between all the parties of a design project, regardless of professional background, or lack thereof.

With this realisation, a survey of the Architect’s Journal list of 100 largest practices in the UK1 was conducted, in order to test VR’s theoretically deduced capabilities in architectural representation. The results provide an overview of current trends of VR application in architectural practice. They indicate that a growing number of practices, that currently constitute a majority, are starting to implement VR technology in almost 1 in 4 of their current projects, and that most popular functionality is as a representational tool, as expected.

After that a case study was conducted with regards to the practical functionality of VR and its effects on the design process and workflow, where two projects that are mainly differentiated by VR use were compared. The main observations of this exercise were that, even though VR content creation is quite time consuming and carries the risk of distracting the client if not used effectively, it actually improved design communication and collaboration between the different parties of the design process leading to more efficient decision-making and thus a quicker more streamlined project lifecycle.

Thus, this leads to the conclusion that VR is not only a necessary communication tool but also a welcome addition to the architectural toolkit that promises to revolutionise the education and practice of architecture, providing architects with more opportunities and control over their designs than ever before.

1

"The AJ100", The Architect's Journal, 2017 <https://aj100awards.architectsjournal.co.uk/> [16 November 2017].

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my mentor Dr Benjamin Spaeth for his valuable guidance, my partner Simona Kuneva for her constant help, and my family for their endless support and proof reading.

I would also like to extend a special thanks to all the practices that participated in my survey, especially KSS Design Group and Arran Ewin, without whom I would not have been able to complete the majority of my research.

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1: Computer-mediated Reality Venn diagram, Mann, Steve, and Woodrow Barfield, "Introduction to Mediated Reality", International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 15 (2003), 205-208 <https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327590ijhc1502_1> ……………………………….…………. P11 Figure 2: Reality-Virtuality Continuum. Image by author based on the information below, Milgram, Paul, and Fumio Kishino, "A Taxonomy of Mixed Reality Visual Displays", IEICE Transactions on Information and Systems, 77 (1994) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………. P12 Figure 3: Levels of VR, Lingard, Brian, "Human Interfacing Issues of Virtual Reality", WPI, 1995 <https://web.cs.wpi.edu/~matt/courses/cs563/talks/brian1.html> [13 November 2017] ………………………..….……. P13 Figure 4: History of VR development. Image by author………………………………………………………………………………………………….…... P14 Figure 5: HTC Vive at the top, Oculus rift at the bottom, Lang, Ben, "HTC Says Vive Price Drop Wasn't a Reaction To Oculus", Road To VR, 2017 <https://www.roadtovr.com/htc-viveprice-reduction-reaction-to-oculus/> [18 October 2017] ……………………………………………………………..…………………..…….. P16 Figure 6: Samsung Gear VR in the left, Google Cardboard in the right, Nafarrete, Jonathan, "Weekend Downloads: New Oculus Store Content for Samsung Gear VR - Vrscout", Vrscout, 2016 <https://vrscout.com/news/weekend-downloads-new-oculus-store-content-for-samsung-gear-vr/> [18 September 2017] "Google Cardboard – Google VR", Google Cardboard <https://vr.google.com/cardboard/> [18 November 2017] ……….…... P17 Figure 7: Microsoft Hololens, "Microsoft Hololens", Microsoft Hololens <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/hololens> [9 November 2017] …………..…... P17 Figure 8: Logos of VR Platforms, "Oculus", Oculus.Com <https://www.oculus.com/> [2 December 2017] "Steamvr", Steamcommunity.Com <https://steamcommunity.com/steamvr> [2 December 2017] "Daydream", Vr.Google.Com <https://vr.google.com/daydream/> [3 December 2017] "Windows Mixed Reality | AR Mixed with VR Gaming, Travel & Streaming in Windows 10", Microsoft.Com <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-mixed-reality> [6 December 2017] ………..……………..………... P18 Figure 9: Types of positional tracking. Image by author…………………………………………………………….……………………………….………. P20 Figure 10: Types of user-defined VR content. Image by author………………………………………………….……………..……..………..………. P21 Figure 11: History of architectural representation. Image by author……………………………………….…………………………….…………... P23

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Figure 12: Sense perception in various art forms. Image by author…………………………………………….……………….…………………….. P26 Figure 13: The measured parameters, Heydarian, Arsalan, Joao P. Carneiro, Burcin Becerik-Gerber, and David Gerber, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126 ………………….………………………………..………….…………………….. P30 Figure 14: Physical environment and virtual environment test conditions, Heydarian, Arsalan, Joao P. Carneiro, Burcin Becerik-Gerber, and David Gerber, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126 ………………….………………………………………………………………….. P31 Figure 15: Overview of the test pool, Heydarian, Arsalan, Joao P. Carneiro, Burcin Becerik-Gerber, and David Gerber, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126 ………………….………………………………….……………………..……….. P31 Figure 16: A summary of the test results, Heydarian, Arsalan, Joao P. Carneiro, Burcin Becerik-Gerber, and David Gerber, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126 ………………….………………………………….……………..……………….. P32 Figure 17: A summary of the test limitations, Heydarian, Arsalan, Joao P. Carneiro, Burcin Becerik-Gerber, and David Gerber, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126 ………………….………………………………….……………..……………….. P33 Figure 18: AJ100’s market share. Image by author………………………………………………………………..….………………………………….……. P36 Figure 19: Survey questionnaire sheet. Image by author………………………………………………………………..……………………...…………. P37 Figure 20: VR usage in the AJ100. Image by author………………………………………………………………..…..……………………….….…………. P38 Figure 21: VR functionality in the AJ100. Image by author……………………………………………………..…..……………………….….…………. P39 Figure 22: Volume of VR use in live projects by the AJ100. Image by author……………..…………..…..…………………….…….…………. P40 Figure 23: VR service expenses in the AJ100. Image by author……………..………………………..……..…..…………………………..…………. P41 Figure 24: Non-VR users in the AJ100 and trends in their non-implementation. Image by author…………………………..…………. P42 Figure 25: The AJ100 non-VR users’ views on VR. Image by author……………..………………………..……..…..…………………….…..……. P43 Figure 26: Overview of the VR implementation trends of the AJ100. Image by author.………..……..……………………….……..……. P45

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Figure 27: A simplified diagram of the RIBA plan of work, RIBA, RIBA Plan of Work (London, UK: RIBA, 2013).………..………………….…..…..……………………………………………………………. P48 Figure 28: A simplified diagram of the design development process. Image by author……………………..…………………….…..……. P49 Figure 29: Bird’s eye visual of the Meopham project at the top, example of BIM output at the bottom. Image courtesy of KSS Design Group……………………..……..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………….…. P52 Figure 30: Moepham project design team. Image by author……………..……………………………………………….……..……..…..……..……. P53 Figure 31: Moepham project workflow. Image by author……………..……………………………..…………………………...……..…..……..……. P55 Figure 32: Visual of the RHS Wisley project at the top, example of BIM output at the bottom. Image courtesy of KSS Design Group……………………..……..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………….…. P56 Figure 33: RHS Wisley project design team. Image by author……………….……………………..…………………………………..…..……..……. P57 Figure 34: RHS Wisley project workflow. Image by author……………..…….……………………..…………………………...……..…..……..……. P58 Figure 35: KSS Survey Results. Image by author……………..…….……………………………………..………..…………………….…..…..……..……. P58 Figure 36: Example of an interior 360-degree stereoscopic panoramic view. Image courtesy of KSS Design Group……………………..……..……………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….…. P60

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CHAPTER ONE

‘Introduction’ "If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a virtual reality experience is worth a whole book." - Kate Allen, UK chapter Director of Amnesty International2.

With the 2013 release of the first batch of prototype Developer Kits (DK1) of the Oculus Rift3, followed by the, even more popular, 2014 release of the Google Cardboard4, VR’s second coming was ushered, and exploded unto the global scene, capturing the imagination of the tech world. This old-new innovation, however, did not pass unnoticed by the architectural industry, with many individuals and practices leaping at the first chance they get to start experimenting with its unique capabilities in representing their designs5. Now that almost 5 years have passed since VR’s current renaissance, this dissertation examines the prevalence and current functionality of VR within architectural practice.

The aim of this research is to present the case for VR’s architectural viability, examine the trends of its implementation in professional practice, and demonstrate how this new technology is changing the way architects perceive, present, and develop their designs. The scope of the dissertation is focused on addressing the current research gaps within the field’s available literature, found below: 1. An investigation of the purpose and extent of VR application in the UK architectural sector.

2. A contemporary examination of the functions and effects of VR technology on the activity of architectural design, since most available research was conducted in the past two decades.

2

Andreas Sandre, "War and ISIS in Virtual Reality", Medium, 2016 <https://medium.com/digital-diplomacy/war-and-isis-in-virtual-realitybae250efc212> [4 October 2017].

3 Greg Kumparak, "A Brief History of Oculus", Techcrunch, 2014 <https://techcrunch.com/2014/03/26/a-brief-history-of-oculus/> [18 October 2017].

4 Lee Bell, "Google Cardboard Launches In UK", Wired, 2016 <http://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-cardboard-vr-headset-uk-launch> [3 October 2017].

5 Sam Lubell, "VR Is Totally Changing How Architects Dream Up Buildings", Wired, 2016 <https://www.wired.com/2016/11/vr-totallychanging-architects-dream-buildings/> [29 November 2017].

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Objectively, the goal of this dissertation is to answer the following research questions: 1. What makes VR uniquely useful for architecture?

2. What the trends regarding VR implementation in architecture practice?

3. How is VR used in the architectural project’s workflow? And what is its effects on the design process?

The material presented in this work is collected from three main sources, the first of which is a literature based examination of the history and developmental framework of VR, supplemented by an examination of the available research with regards to the relationship between architecture and VR. Secondly, an assessment of the state of VR utilization in UK architecture practices is done through the collection of quantitative data from the survey of a suitable sample size, being the AJ1006. In addition to, to further interviews with various VRusing industry professionals to get more varied and thus a well-rounded view of the technology’s role within the industry. Thirdly, a comparative case-study where two projects from KSS design group are chosen for qualitative analysis in regard to VR implementation and its effects on design methodology, communication, as well as, client participation and interaction. Finally, the culmination of the research is reached with the correlation of the collected quantitative and qualitative data to generate conclusive observations and insight with regards to the current place of VR in architectural practice Due to the fact that literature covering the subject of VR application in architectural design was quite scarce, one had to widen the scope of research more general categories of sources. Beginning with online articles chronicling the different types of VR technology, their specifications, modus operandi, and the history of their development. Beginning with ‘the Rise and Fall and Rise of Virtual Reality’ a multi-author collection of articles, constantly being updated, on online tech news magazine the verge, one acquires the essential technical and historical background needed to build the necessary contextual foundation for the rest of the research7.

6

"The AJ100", The Architect's Journal, 2017 <https://aj100awards.architectsjournal.co.uk/> [16 November 2017].

Matthew Schnipper and others, "The Rise and Fall and Rise of Virtual Reality", The Verge <https://www.theverge.com/a/virtual-reality> [30 August 2017].

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The next classification of reading had to be architectural theory in order to build an understanding of the major intellectual trends of the discipline. This exploration began with a brief outlook unto the historical study of the process of creating architecture, as displayed in the writings of, noted South African academic, Gilbert Herbert8. In his paper titled ‘The Architectural Design Process’, Herbert takes note of the peculiar nature of architecture, when compared with the rest of the visual arts, the design process is not directly result in an end product, like painting for example, but rather it is concluded with ‘architectural potential’, in the form of a set of instructions, contained within drawings, that would later lead to the construction of a building9.

This realisation of the vast importance of design communication to architectural projects, and the discipline’s clear current over-reliance on digital means, drove the research in the direction of computational design theory. David Ross Scheer’s book ‘The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation’ quickly became the main focus of this topic, the main thesis of which is that representation, in the form of drawing, is the means by which meaning can be both bestowed and extrapolated from design10. But as a result of the huge shift to digital simulations, in the form of BIM and computational design, which the author finds to be superficial and inadequate copies of reality, representation is slowly dying from the profession11.

However, when the research progressed to include the theory of phenomenology, one starts to realise the unexplainable esoteric nature of buildings. In Juhani Pallasmaa’s writings, he details the tactile multisensory experience of architectural space, where the user is subconsciously immersed into their dynamic perception of place, sensations which cannot be replicated by drawings or even photographs, therefore he argues that the ‘spiritual’ act of visiting a building is the best suitable way to experience it12.

With a better understanding of both VR technology and the relevant architectural theory, the next logical step was to search for literature that examines the intersection of both fields. The few sources that fit this requirement were either expositionary guides to VR from

8

"Professor Emeritus Gilbert Herbert", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/obituary-professor-emeritus-gilbert-herbert> [20 December 2017].

9 Gilbert Herbert, "The Architectural Design Process", British Journal of Aesthetics, 6.2 (1966), 152-171.

10 David Ross Scheer, The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation, 1st edn (London: Routledge, 2014).

11 Ibid 12 Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of The Skin: Architecture and The Senses, 3rd edn (Chichester: Wiley, 2014), 42-46.

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an architectural perspective, or research papers detailing the studies of the means and effects of using VR in architecture. Although books like ‘Designing Digital Space: An Architect's Guide to Virtual Reality’ and ‘Virtual Reality and the Built Environment’ provide a good starting point for regarding VR from an architectural perspective, one finds both to be quite dated and probably, and more usefully, better considered as snapshots of both the technology and the profession on the 1990s13 and 2000s14 respectively. The research papers, on the other hand, provide a better understanding of the scope and functionality of VR architecturally, since they are more recent than the fore-mentioned books, and since they set precedents for undertaking case-studies that would be helpful to consider when performing the one on hand.

This brief overview of the literary context of the subject of study underlines the research gap identified for this work. As has been demonstrated above, there currently lies a lack in guides that tackle the contemporary VR technology from an architectural perspective.

Also, there is no literature that tries to weigh the added depth the technology brings to architectural representation from the perspective of architectural theory in terms of both perspectives brought on by the analytical, phenomenological, and computational theories of architecture. Finally, there exists no statistical or qualitative outlook on the technology’s application by architectural practices in the UK. The dissertation formally begins with chapter 2, where a brief overview of the history and the technology behind VR is established to create a foundation for the rest of the contents.

After that, in chapter 3 VR’s unique capabilities of representing the physical world are weighed with regards to the merits that they bring to their architectural applications. In chapter 4 the survey results are unveiled, analysed, and mined for trends with regards to the previously explored VR applications. Then, in chapter 5, the case study projects are presented and compared to examine the practical effects of VR implementation on design process and workflow. Finally, in chapter 6, after a critical review of the research methods, the data from the survey is compared to the observations from the case-study and conclusions are drawn with regards to the current effects and the potential future implications of VR use with regards to architectural practice.

13 14

Jennifer Whyte, Virtual Reality and the Built Environment, 2nd edn (Oxford: Architectural Press, 2004).

Daniela Bertol and David Foell, Designing Digital Space: An Architect's Guide to Virtual Reality, 1st edn (Wiley: New York, 1997).

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CHAPTER TWO

‘The Origins of Virtual Reality’ 2.1 Terminology and Taxonomy: Virtual Reality (VR) is defined, in the Oxford dictionary, as “the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment”15.

Although the term Artificial Reality, coined in 1970 by Myron W. Krueger, who is considered among the first generation of VR/AR researchers, has previously been used to describe what we now call Virtual Reality16, currently, it is less in use in order to prevent confusion with Augmented Reality (AR), a different technology that, along with VR, falls under the umbrella of Computer-mediated Reality.

Figure 1: Computer-mediated Reality Venn diagram

Computer-mediated Reality “refers to the ability to add to, subtract information from, or otherwise manipulate one's perception of reality through the use of a wearable or hand-held device”, and is regarded as “a superset that encompasses Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Virtual Reality”17.

15

"Virtual Reality", Oxford Dictionary of English (Oxford: OUP, 2010) <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/virtual_reality> [13 September 2017].

16 Myron W. Krueger, Artificial Reality, 1st edn (Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1983).

17 Steve Mann and Woodrow Barfield, "Introduction to Mediated Reality", International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 15.2 (2003), 205-208 <https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327590ijhc1502_1>.

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Figure 2: Reality-Virtuality Continuum

To understand Augmented and Mixed Reality and their relationship to Virtual Reality it is important to introduce the ‘Reality-Virtuality Continuum’ which was first ushered by Professor Paul Milgram of the University of Toronto18. The continuum is a continuous scale that ranges between the entirely virtual, or completely CGI, and the entirely real, or completely void of CGI, thus entailing all the possibilities in between19, as seen in Figure 2. However, for the purposes of this paper, the main focus is on VR in its textbook definition established in the beginning of this chapter.

In 1995, Brian Lingard classified virtual reality into three stages: Passive VR, Exploratory VR, and Immersive VR in a lecture titled “Human Interfacing Issues of Virtual Reality”20. For the purposes of this dissertation Immersive VR will be the sole focus of the research, and to avoid confusion, it will be what is meant when the term VR is used henceforth.

18

Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino, "A Taxonomy of Mixed Reality Visual Displays", IEICE Transactions on Information and Systems, 77.12 (1994).

19 Ibid.

20 Brian Lingard, "Human Interfacing Issues of Virtual Reality", WPI, 1995 <https://web.cs.wpi.edu/~matt/courses/cs563/talks/brian1.html> [13 November 2017].

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Figure 3: Levels of VR

As seen in figure 3, the ultimate goal of VR is to achieve maximum immersion. This means bringing the user the unmistakable and visceral feeling of ‘presence’ within the particular place, time or situation21. It aims to supply the user’s senses with the necessary stimulations to mimic the sense of ‘realness’ experienced in the natural world, where the user is so convinced by the simulation that the body reacts instinctively to the virtual world as though it is the real one.

Although such concept is impossible to measure, the level of immersion could be assessed through observing the depth in the user’s interaction with their VR experience and its believability to them22. As will be demonstrated below, contemporary technology is only able to address two of the senses, namely sight and hearing, and it does not seem that this will change in the near future, thus making complete immersion, and thus complete presence, a theoretical perfect state, at least for now.

21

Bradley Austin Davis, Karen Bryla and Philips Alexander Benton, Oculus Rift in Action, 1st edn (Shelter Island: Manning Publications Company, 2015).

22 Ibid.

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2.2 Development:

Figure 4: History of VR development

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Although VR seems like a novice technological advancement, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main concept of interactivity and immersion has been a subject of pursuit since the time of ancient Egypt23, as displayed in the above illustration. It is also important to note that the current wave of hype being experienced for VR technology is not new either. The first time VR technology made its splash in the mainstream consciousness was actually in the 1990s, because of the various VRthemed media and film, however the technology was still not fully viable, with consumer products failing to generate any excitement.24

23

Brendan Sexton, "Virtual Reality Beats Architectural Drawings for Clients", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/brendan-sextonrising-star-architectural-drawing-communication-virtual-mixed-reality> [7 September 2017].

24 Ibid.

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2.3 Hardware Overview: VR Hardware is divided into two categories, Immersive Dome Displays (IDDs), currently referred to as CAVE VR, and, more commonly, Head Mounted Displays (HMDs). CAVE VR or IDDs are dome like structures made out of projector screen material where a 180 to 360degree VR environment is cast using a set of projectors25. Although this technology is useful for experiencing VR in large groups, it is less interactive immersive than HMD, and is more likely to cause motion sickness.

On the other hand, a HMD ‘is a display device, worn on the head or as part of a helmet, that has a small display optic in front of one monocular HMD or each eye binocular HMD’, most HMDs are binocular, acting as a sort of ‘headphones for the eyes’26. HMDs are divided into the three following categories:

Figure 5: HTC Vive at the top, Oculus rift at the bottom

1. PC-tethered HMDs, that require a PC with the specifications that are capable of the daunting task of running the VR system. The most notable examples are the Oculus Rift27 and the HTC Vive28.

25

Siddhesh Manjrekar and others, "CAVE: An Emerging Immersive Technology", in Uksim2014 (Cambridge, United Kingdom: IEEE, 2014).

Ozan Cakmakci and Jannick Rolland, "Head-Worn Displays: A Review", Journal of Display Technology, 2.3 (2006), 199-213.

27 "Oculus", Oculus.Com <https://www.oculus.com/> [2 December 2017].

28 "Steamvr", Steamcommunity.Com <https://steamcommunity.com/steamvr> [2 December 2017].

26

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Figure 6: Samsung Gear VR in the left, Google Cardboard in the right

2. Mobile VR HMDs, which ‘built entirely around the hardware already present in smartphones, uses a combination of a clip-on headset with corrective lenses and a software override which makes use of the phone’s built-in gyroscope and screen to properly display VR content’, with the Samsung Gear VR & the Google Cardboard, and later, Daydream as the most prominent examples29.

Figure 7: Microsoft Hololens

3. Untethered HMDs, which are self-contained VR devices that do not need any additional external computing power to run. Currently the only product capable of that is the Windows Hololens30, with Oculus, Google & Vive vowing to release their own by mid to late 201831.

29

Paul Lamkin, "The Best Smartphone Headsets for VR Apps", Wareable, 2017 <https://www.wareable.com/vr/best-smartphoneheadsets-mobile-vr-apps-1655> [1 December 2017].

30 "Microsoft Hololens", Microsoft Hololens <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/hololens> [9 November 2017].

31 Ian Hamilton, "CES 2018: Wireless VR And Haptics to Push VR Forward", Uploadvr, 2018 <https://uploadvr.com/ces-2018-wireless-vrand-haptics-to-push-vr-forward/> [2 January 2018].

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2.4 Software & Tracking: In this section, the soul that gives life to the hardware discussed above, the Operating Systems, or in this case Software Platforms, will be examined. In addition to providing the necessary systems to run VR on a PC or a mobile phone, these platforms provide a starting point, or ‘home screen’, from which the user can select from their available files, experiences, applications, or environments, and most cases these resemble a house or living room environment in which all the available items are portrayed in thumbnails for the user to choose from. Other than the obvious aesthetic and interfacial differences between these platforms there are deeper programming, operating, and compatibility disparities that are, in a way, similar to the contrasts between Microsoft’s Windows OS and Apple’s Mac OS, with all the comparable division that this analogy entails. Below are the most prominent of the currently available platforms:

Figure 8: Logos of VR Platforms

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1. Facebook’s Oculus Home that currently runs, their PC tethered HMD, the Rift and Samsung’s mobile Gear VR, and is arguably the oldest consumer VR platform, officially released for commercial use, along with the Rift, on March 28th, 201632.

2. Valve’s Steam VR, which builds on the widely successful Steam,’ an online gaming, digital distribution, video streaming, and social network’, and runs the HTC Vive, which were both officially release for consumers on April 5th, 201633.

3. Google’s mobile VR platform Daydream, that currently supports 6 different Android phones, with future plans of expansion currently underway, and was officially released on November 10th, 201634.

4. Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Platform, which is currently in beta testing and is expected to be rolled out by the end of 2017, potentially making it the first VR/AR computer operating system35.

32

Josh Constine, "The “Oculus Platform”", Techcrunch, 2014 <https://techcrunch.com/2014/09/20/oculus-platform/> [2 October 2017].

Jessica Conditt, "Valve is Making a VR Headset and Its Own Steam Machine", Engadget, 2015 <https://www.engadget.com/2015/02/23/steamvr-valve-virtual-reality-gdc/> [7 August 2017].

34 Adi Robertson and Ross Miller, "Daydream is Google’S Android-Powered VR Platform", The Verge, 2016 <https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/18/11683536/google-daydream-virtual-reality-announced-android-n-io-2016> [1 December 2017].

35 Eric Auchard and Douglas Busvine, "Microsoft Pushes 'Mixed Reality' Features with Windows 10 Update", Reuters, 2017 <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-windows/microsoft-pushes-mixed-reality-features-with-windows-10-updateidUSKCN1BC4UO> [20 November 2017].

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This leads to the topic of Positional Tracking. Easily decipherable from its label, Positional Tracking is merely the technology by which the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movements in the real world are captured and translated into the virtual world36. There are currently two predominant tracking techniques explained in the following illustration.

Figure 9: Types of positional tracking

36

Heather Shen and Jason Liu, "Rendering for Positional Tracking" (unpublished MSc, Stanford University, 2017).

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Now, the focus could be shifted to user defined inputs file types of software and/or applications, which are more important to this examination of VR than the constantly changing and expanding professional developer-created software. As explained in the figure 10, the user-created custom content can generally be divided into two main categories, interactive and non-interactive content37.

Figure 10: Types of user-defined VR content

37

Abi Mandelbaum, "User-Created Content Key to Mainstream VR", Hypergrid Business, 2016 <http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2016/01/user-created-content-key-to-mainstream-vr/> [5 October 2017].

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2.5 Architecture and VR Development: At first glance, VR may seem like an innovation that is taking over the gaming and entertainment industry, however; it is also the newest advancement to manifest architecture’s adoption of technology seemingly unintended for it.38 Whether it be 3D modelling software developed for the animation industry or 3D printers developed for the manufacturing industry, architecture throughout the ages was the vehicle for the convergence and further development of new technology39. Architecture is the art of innovative appropriation whether that be in the influence of the various design movements or each other, or in this case the reacclimating of various technologies from other sectors to continually improve and evolve the profession40. With this spirit of adventure and creativity that has always heralded magnificent architecture, we will take a brief look at the remarkable history of VR in the AEC industry, and the role architecture had in the development of said technology.

Although VR was available in rudimentary forms since the mid-80s, it was not until the late 90s that the technology was finally marketed for architecture. Nevertheless, apart from a few pioneering architectural practices such as Foster and Partners, who were exploring the new technology, most of the architectural adaptations of VR occurred in the context of university research. The most notable of these applications was the ‘the virtual wheelchair simulator’, a research project conducted by the Advanced Computing Centre for the Arts and Design, and the Ohio Supercomputer Centre, to simulate the various accessibility issues experienced by wheelchair users41. Another notable application from this period was ‘the Detroit terminal project.’, where the VR lab at the University of Michigan developed a virtual model for the airport terminal under construction to help the architects and the client to make better design decisions42. CAVE VR technology was also thoroughly used by university research43 in that period and all the way until the 2010s when early versions of the contemporary HMD devices started releasing developer kits.

38

Randy Deutsch, Convergence: The Redesign of Design, 1st edn (Somerset: Wiley, 2017).

Ibid.

40 Ibid.

41 Wayne Carlson, Don Stredney and Beth Blostein, "The Application of Virtual Wheelchair Simulation", in ICSRIC, 1994 <http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.4.2798&rep=rep1&type=pdf> [1 October 2017].

42 Murali Paranandi and Tina Sarawgi, "VIRTUAL REALITY IN ARCHITECTURE: ENABLING POSSIBILITIES", in CAADRIA 2002, 2002, pp. 309316 <http://papers.cumincad.org/data/works/att/3439.content.pdf> [20 December 2017].

43 Jennifer Whyte, Virtual Reality and the Built Environment, 2nd edn (Oxford: Architectural Press, 2004).

39

22 ꟾ Ramez Khalil

CHAPTER THREE

‘The Viability of VR as a Tool for Architecture’ 3.1 The Evolution of the Tools of the Architect:

Figure 11: History of architectural representation

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 23

Beginning with plans, sections, elevations, literary descriptions, and physical models, the architect’s representational toolkit has gone through a developmental journey of various advancements and turning points44, as shown in figure 11.

Within this evolutionary map of the architectural toolkit, VR takes its place as the newest addition. VR is, perhaps, the most important advancement in architectural presentation since the rediscovery of one-point and two-point perspective representations in the renaissance45, because for the first time it shatters the surface of paper and computer screen, which have long acted as a window into the architect’s imagination, and actually pulls the architect into their design from the beginnings of its inception46.

However, at the same time VR is not here to replace the discussed traditional 2D methods of representation, but should rather be used to expand on them and supplement them with more depth and information. In the same way that CAD and BIM did not, and will never, completely kill off hand drawing, VR is not here to completely eliminate other means of presentation, but rather to add to the complexity of the design process.

44

Brendan Sexton, "Virtual Reality Beats Architectural Drawings for Clients", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/brendan-sextonrising-star-architectural-drawing-communication-virtual-mixed-reality> [7 September 2017].

45 Ibid.

46 Alex Coulombe, "Designing Like You're There: What I Learned Using VR For Architecture", IBM, 2017 <https://www.ibm.com/blogs/insights-on-business/ibmix/designing-like-youre-learned-using-vr-architecture/> [10 October 2017].

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3.2 VR’s Uniquely Architectural Capabilities: Architecture has always been regarded as the ultimate means of artistic expression since it is the medium of some of humanity’s most significant achievements. Buildings, though sometimes taken for granted, hold a profound fascination for many because they symbolise the greatest testament to humanity’s dominion over their environment, providing people with the unique ability to be in complete control of their surroundings. This all-encompassing nature of architecture gives it the singular capability of full physical immersion, a feature that is unachievable for any other art form47. Being enveloped in a built environment provides the inhabitants with a dynamic perception of unlimited continually shifting perspectives that are singular to each person’s location, viewpoint, and physical attributes, as opposed to the static perception of a painting, which is a single framed perspective of a particular single viewpoint48.

These unparalleled attributes make architecture very difficult to be completely depicted via traditional 2D and 3D media. Where, on the other hand, through VR panoramic images and walkthroughs architecture’s unique dynamic perspectives and its sense of immersion could be actually represented.

There is also another dimension exhibited by architecture that is beyond the physical realm, which is the experience of emotional and psychological interaction between a person and the place they inhabit, a subject studied by the philosophical school of thought known as phenomenology. This movement, which is interested in the study of human experience, started taking off exponentially within the architectural community, because according to authors Steven Holl and Juhani Palasmaa “architecture is the only branch of art and design that can fully and continuously awaken all the senses simultaneously”49. Thus, architecture offers one to be a participant rather than an observer, since according to the authors, experiencing buildings “involves both the physical and spiritual presence of the body”50, where the occupant is “subconsciously mirroring the sensations of the designer in a constant dialogue of movement, atmosphere, and scale”51 that cannot be translated unto paper or screen. The same authors also claim that phenomenological architecture is the result of “partially 47

Robert Sokolowski, Introduction to Phenomenology, 1st edn (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2000).

Steven Holl, Juhani Pallasmaa and Alberto Perez-Gómez, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, 2nd edn (San Francisco, California: William Stout Publishers, 2008), pp. 41-42.

49 Ibid.

50 Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of The Skin: Architecture and The Senses, 3rd edn (Chichester: Wiley, 2014), 42-46.

51 Steven Holl, Juhani Pallasmaa and Alberto Perez-Gómez, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, 2nd edn (San Francisco, California: William Stout Publishers, 2008), pp. 41-42.

48

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 25

controlled complexities which are mostly unintended and unpredictable”52. But through the use of VR, the designer is empowered with control over these factors, since the technology allows them to experience such relationships long before a single brick is laid.

Controlling and communicating the complex nuances and intricacies of architecture’s unparalleled physical and phenomenological attributes, discussed above, have always eluded architects, especially when the very determinant factor of scale is added to the fold. The sense of scale is of the essence to architecture; it acts like the grammatical rule that brings order and meaning to a building’s proportions, form, and aesthetic language53. Through the manipulation of scale, architects are able to zoom in and zoom out in order to be able to portray the various elements of a design. But in the process of juggling the different scales one has to sacrifice either the detail and accuracy or the context and completeness of what is being represented.

With the use of VR, one can perceive the scale and proportion of their design decisions, while still early on in the project, in the complete accuracy of the physical world without sacrificing detail or context.

Seeing a project in its actual size also effectively conveys the hierarchy of design elements and their place within the overall composition. Something which is sometimes lost in the fragmented nature of large scale detailed drawings that usually only focus on a very particular feature or junction while disregarding its framework within the design, which is a side-effect of designing in unnatural scales54.

Figure 12: Sense perception in various art forms 52

Steven Holl, Juhani Pallasmaa and Alberto Perez-Gómez, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, 2nd edn (San Francisco, California: William Stout Publishers, 2008), pp. 41-42.

53 Helena Casanova and Jesus Hernandez, Casanova+Hernandez: Scale & Perception (Berlin, Germany: Wasmuth Publishers, 2013).

54 Ibid.

26 ꟾ Ramez Khalil

3.3 VR, Simulation or Representation: In this portion of the chapter, the main ideas posed by David Ross Sheer’s ‘The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation’ and will be introduced and critically examined. Then VR and its capabilities and functions will be weighed against these established ideas to examine its place within the architectural realm of design communication and the act of designing buildings itself.

In Sheer’s book, he draws a clear distinction between representation and simulation from the outset. He defines representation as evocations of the individual human perception as it relates to reality, while on the other hand, he establishes simulation as an artificial reproduction of an environment as accurately as possible, that demands to be taken for reality55. He stresses, throughout the book that through representation’s inherent ambiguity lies the abundant opportunities for artistic expression through highlighting or framing a particular aspect of your object of study or communication56. Through representation, people can see the world from different angles and share their experiences through imperfect and incomplete portrayals, and from the exchange of information that occurs from each different iteration of illustration, people can empathise towards each other's views and learn more about the diverse aspects and properties of their surroundings57.

On the other hand, Sheer sees simulation as a cheap, invasive, and inaccurate form of uninspired reproduction that tries to superficialise reality as a means to escape its inherent complexity58. Sheer invokes Kant’s formulation of the theory of perception in ‘the Critique of Pure Reason’, where Kant declares that “there exists a reality outside the flawed human perception, a gap that cannot be bridged due to the inherent limits of our senses”59, in order to conclude that as a result of the theory of perception, it is impossible for humans to create an objectively accurate replica of reality60. While acknowledging the vital role of simulations in scientific and technological advancements, Sheer believes that simulations are a threat to creativity and inquisitiveness because of the inherent tendency of the shallow simulation to

55

David Ross Scheer, The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation, 1st edn (London: Routledge, 2014).

Ibid.

57 Ibid.

58 Ibid.

59 Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Pure Reason, Reissue (Brisbane, Australia: Emereo Publishing, 2012).

60 David Ross Scheer, The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation, 1st edn (London: Routledge, 2014).

56

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 27

erase the distinction between itself and the complex true reality and eventually replacing true reality61.

However Sheer fails to consider the inherent inadequacies of traditional means of representation with communicating design ideas, since architecture is not only concerned with artistic expression but rather its chief aim is creating contextually sound functional buildings that excel at fulfilling the occupantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. He also does not take into account that representation and simulation could coexist as the two extremes of a continuous spectrum of architectural presentation, he only sees them as mutually exclusive and opposite means of communicating ideas62. This romanticised way of looking at traditional means of presenting architecture through hand-drawn sketches of plans, elevations and sections assumes the universality of these modes of communication, which could not be further from the truth63.

Depending on the complexity of the design, trained architects sometimes have trouble understanding a building from simply looking at drawings, let alone the inexperienced client64.

That is in addition to the miscommunications that regularly occur between the architect and the engineers or, more commonly, the contractors, and it is not uncommon for the misunderstanding to not present itself until the building is actually built and it is too late to address and rectify65.

61

David Ross Scheer, The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation, 1st edn (London: Routledge, 2014).

Randy Deutsch, "The Death of The Death of The Death of Drawing", BIM And Integrated Design, 2014 <https://bimandintegrateddesign.com/2014/06/08/the-death-of-the-death-of-the-death-of-drawing/> [7 December 2017].

63 Ibid.

64 Gunita Kulikovska, "The Dawn of The Virtual Reality in Architecture", in Tedx Riga (Riga, Poland: TEDx Talks, 2016) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KGPf_PM8gQ> [14 October 2017].

65 Ibid.

62

28 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

Through VR’s uncanny ability to simulate 3D space in near complete accuracy, it is able to transcend all possible miscommunication and misunderstanding and speak directly to the intrinsic human means of perceiving space and scale more than any screen or piece of paper ever could66. Reality is a common language that all humans understand because they encounter it in every waking moment. This shared experience makes VR the easiest means of communication since it doesn’t rely on any expertise or prior knowledge, but on the emphatic vivid sensations of experiencing space at its natural scale67. These capabilities help in bridging the knowledge gap between the different parties involved in a construction project, which in turn, help in mitigating failed expectations and averting the need for significant design changes, which typically occur in the last stages of the construction lifecycle68

66

Matthew Vitti, "VR And Architecture", in AWE USA 2017 (Augmented World Expo, 2017) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCHgRveyNFc> [14 January 2018].

67 Ibid.

68 Gunita Kulikovska, "The Dawn of The Virtual Reality in Architecture", in Tedx Riga (Riga, Poland: TEDx Talks, 2016) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KGPf_PM8gQ> [14 October 2017].

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 29

3.4 The Accuracy of VR as a Representation of the Physical Environment: In a study conducted in 2014/15 by the University of Sothern California (USC) the objective was to evaluate whether Immersive virtual environments were adequate representations of real physical places, more specifically office spaces69. This would be achieved by examining the difference in user performance with regards to office tasks between both a benchmark physical office space and its virtual replica70. Through identifying lighting as one of the major factors affecting performance in indoor environments a simple test was devised that would measure the parameters illustrated in figure 13.

Figure 13: The measured parameters

A single small faculty office at USC is selected for the test case, then an exact copy is modelled digitally, rendered to photorealistic quality and then transformed into a VR interactive environment71, as seen in figure 14.

69

Arsalan Heydarian and others, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126.

70 Ibid.

71 Ibid.

30 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

Figure 14: Physical environment and virtual environment test conditions

After the subject pool was selected, as seen in figure 15, each subject was given a thorough tutorial on how to use the VR hardware and software, and was allocated time to train on a different virtual environment setting so as to avoid any learning effects or biases that could develop and inform the usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; performance during the actual experiment72.

Figure 15: Overview of the test pool

72

Arsalan Heydarian and others, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 31

As illustrated in figure 18, the outcome for the performance measurement element of the experiment was in-line with the hypothesis that users had better results in the bright condition than in the dark condition. It was observed that the mean measurement (μ) of every performance test was not identical between each physical lighting condition and its VR counterpart was not identical. However, the difference in the mean performance measurements between the bright and dark conditions in the physical environment (Δ1) was found to be almost identical to the difference of the mean performance measurements in their virtual counterparts (Δ2)73.

Figure 16: A summary of the test results

73

Arsalan Heydarian and others, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126.

32 ꟾ Ramez Khalil

Figure 17: A summary of the test limitations

With all the studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s various limitations, as seen in figure 17, still its results portray VR as an effective tool to study how users behave and perform in hypothetical physical environments. More specifically, VR can be used to obtain essential information about the endusers' inclinations early on in the design phase of projects, which should lead to improvements in design decision making. VR also provides designers the ability to test larger numbers of design alternatives in their true physical scale, a process which is normally limited given the constraints of time and resources with regards to 1:1 scale design mock-ups.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 33

Even though according to, the previously discussed, David Ross Sheer classification, VR stands as the ultimate superficial simulation, this experiment establishes VR as a very reliable means of naturally experiencing 3D space. That is because VR allows for the immersion and dynamic perspectives that a person usually experiences within true 3D space, which is in turn a more faithful means of representing space than the illusion of 3D presented in various traditional 2D representations.

Beyond accurately conveying true 3D space, VR also provides one with a representation of different perspectives and situations that they seldom get to experience. In what is described as the ‘empathetic model’ of VR74, architects are using the technology to represent the effects of dementia and colour blindness, as well as, wheelchair simulations, to better understand accessibility needs within their designs. In these cases, VR also becomes the ultimate representation tool, because according to famous director and VR content provider Chris Milk: “Virtual reality is the 'ultimate empathy machine.' These experiences [that VR provides] are opportunities to walk a mile in someone else's shoes.”75

74

Chris Milk, "How Virtual Reality Can Create the Ultimate Empathy Machine", in TED2015 (TED Talks, 2015) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXHil1TPxvA> [18 November 2017].

75 Ibid.

34 ꟾ Ramez Khalil

CHAPTER FOUR

‘The Prevalence of VR as a Tool for Architecture Practices’ 4.1 An Overview of the Survey: As a result of VR’s technological resurgence being a relatively recent phenomenon, a lack of data with regards to VR use within the UK architecture sector was to be expected.

Therefore, a survey had to be conducted in order to obtain enough information in order to assess the use of this technology in UK architectural practice. The challenge then became identifying how many practices could be feasibly be surveyed within the limited research period of July to November of 2017. And if the selection of the survey subjects were not random, then on what criteria should it be based. After all, according the 2016 research of the Architects Council of Europe (ACE), there are about 7000 practices in the UK76.

The Architects’ Journal list of 100 top UK architectural practices (AJ100) was used as a framework for selection, since it offers a more manageable sample size of 140 practices, compiled from AJ100 lists between 2010 and 201777. More importantly, however, the AJ100 practices were chosen since they represent UK’s largest most well-renowned industry leading architectural practices. Leading to the assumption that from gauging these practices’ tendencies towards VR one could form an outlook for how VR is currently being used and, potentially, even predict trends in the rest of the industry’s VR adoption78.

76

Architects' Council of Europe, The Architectural Profession in Europe 2016, ACE Biennial Sector Study (Architects' Council of Europe, 2016), p. 95 <https://www.ace-cae.eu/activities/publications/sector-study-2016/> [28 December 2017].

77 "The AJ100", The Architect's Journal, 2017 <https://aj100awards.architectsjournal.co.uk/> [16 November 2017].

78 Ibid.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 35

Figure 18: AJ100’s market share

After all, the AJ100 practices’ far reaching influence on the UK’s architectural sector could be summed in that even though the AJ100 are only 2% of the UK’s currently active architectural practices79, based on the UK government’s Office of National Statistic’s 2016/17 numbers, they constitute to about a quarter of the UK’s architectural work force, and they contribute more than half of the sector’s total annual revenue, or Gross value added (GVA), of £4.3bn80. These astonishing numbers help in proving the AJ’s claim that “where the AJ100 practices go, the profession [soon] follows”81.

79

"Directory of Architectural Practices", Construct UK <https://constructuk.com/directory/category/architectural-practices> [4 December 2017].

80 Kate Youde, "London’S Architecture Sector Worth £1.7 Billion", Architects' Journal, 2017 <https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/londons-architecture-sector-worth-17-billion/10018205.article> [8 November 2017].

81 "The AJ100", The Architect's Journal, 2017 <https://aj100awards.architectsjournal.co.uk/> [16 November 2017].

36 ꟾ Ramez Khalil

The practices on the compiled list were then contacted via email and phone call and were asked the series of questions seen below:

Figure 19: Survey questionnaire sheet

Of the 140 contacted practices 101 were willing to take part in the survey and 39 declined or did not get back into contact. This yields a 72% engagement rate, a very good outcome compared to the average survey response rate of 30-40%. The responses are also almost distributed evenly throughout the ranking table, with 52 responses coming from those practices ranked in the top 70 spots, and 49 responses coming from the bottom 70, thus, providing one with a more representative outlook of the entire sample. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also worth noting that in most of the cases the respondent was either a BIM manager/specialist or a visualiser, with the remaining cases the responder being an architect or an architectural assistant.

Meaning that answers have mostly come from the employees with the most exposure and expertise with regards to the subject of the survey.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 37

4.2 The trends of VR-capable Practices:

Figure 20: VR usage in the AJ100

The results of the survey show that 52% of the surveyed practices currently use some kind of VR technology in-house in their practice, while the 48% do not currently use it. The results also show that the most common VR devices used are, are by far, HMDs, with Space Domes, or CAVEs, and other means being equal in a distant second. Mobile VR takes 56% of the HMD share, proving to be the most popular immersive VR device, while the remaining 48% goes to PC tethered HMDs. Which is reaffirmed when regarding the fact that the most used VR output is 360 panoramic images, rather than walkthroughs which are currently only supported

by PC tethered HMDs and CAVE VR/space domes. Which makes sense because mobile VR and 360 panoramic images are respectively the cheapest, simplest and most widely available VR hardware and software output available at the present time.

38 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

Figure 21: VR functionality in the AJ100

In the answers obtained with regards to the question of the aspects for which VR is used within the profession, all the surveyed practices mentioned at least one of the following functions: client meetings/presentations, final visualisations and marketing, design process, and project coordination. These four main functions identified in the survey results all refer to some aspect of design communication or project representation. Which is not a surprise given the fact of VRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singular capability of accurately representing the uniquely immersive 3D properties of buildings to ensure the understanding of all the different parties to the project regardless of expertise, as discussed in the previous chapter. It also makes sense since, as of the time of writing, there is no reliable software for modelling or designing in the immersive 3D virtual environment.

The most popular function for VR was use in client meetings/presentations, with about 35% of the answers, followed by final visualisations/marketing, with about 26%. Which is validated by the previous findings that pointed out that the most used VR hardware was mobile VR and the most popular output was panoramic images, since for both of the functions identified to be the most prevalent, mobility, ease-of-use, quick turn-over, and ubiquity are quite important.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 39

Figure 22: Volume of VR use in live projects by the AJ100

Another interesting observation obtained from the survey results, is that the practices that currently use VR in their practice use the technology in about a quarter of their active projects on average. This number signifies the effectiveness of VR’s architectural functions, and the high regard to which it is held to by both the surveyed practices and their clients. This also points, if at least indirectly, to the technology’s practicality and its high level of client satisfaction.

If one assumes that the architectural sector’s GVA numbers, and thus distribution, are somewhat proportional to the allocation of active projects to UK architecture practices, this would lead to the supposition that the AJ100 undertake about half of all active projects available to the UK architectural sector. Then when taking into consideration the result of the survey, with regards to current inhouse use of VR, one is able to infer that half of half, or in other words, a quarter, of all projects available to the UK architectural sector are undertaken

by VR capable practices. When this is compared to these practices’ average VR usage, which is about 1 in four projects, it brings one to the conclusion that almost 7% of all ongoing architectural projects are, to some extent, currently using VR. A portion that adds up to about 8,750 of the 125,000 live projects being undertaken by the sector82.

82

"Architecture: Facts and Figures", Thecreativeindustries.Co.Uk <http://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/industries/architecture/architecture-facts-and-figures> [13 November 2017].

40 ꟾ Ramez Khalil

Figure 23: VR service expenses in the AJ100

One of the most compelling findings from the survey is that almost a fifth of the surveyed practices currently using VR charge extra for this service. Thus, highlighting the potential of VR in increasing design fees, and even potentially, creating new revenue streams for the architectural industry. Which echoes the claims of an RIBA Journal article, titles ‘Virtual Reality Increases Actual Fees’, where the architect being interviewed claims that implementing VR in his practice has increased its revenue by about 10%83.

83

Gesine Kippenberg, "Virtual Reality Increases Actual Fees", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/virtual-dimensions-ofgloucestershire-pioneering-vr-for-architecture> [18 October 2017].

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 41

4.3 The trends of non-VR-capable Practices:

Figure 24: Non-VR users in the AJ100 and trends in their non-implementation

Now, to gain a more complete overview of the professionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VR practices, the focus shifts to the 48% of participating practices that do not use VR. When asked about the main factors they find to be the most important when considering potentially implementing VR, the practices that do not use VR, on average, regarded compatibility with their used CAD/BIM software to be the most important factor. Which is a fair requirement, especially with the current scarcity of VR capable software tailored for architects, however this is expected to change with many VR software companies targeting the architecture sector as a good market for expansion. The other three factors that these respondents regarded as key in considering for VR implementation, in order of importance, are as follows: user-friendliness, production time, and hardware/software costs.

In other words, the top three factors that practices feel need improving for them to start using VR are all related to the fact that currently VR enabling software is quite complex and completely independent from most digital modelling software catered to architects.

Meaning that more specialised users are needed to operate such software, and that the turnover from CAD/BIM to VR engines is difficult and time consuming. Challenges which ring true given the fact that architecture-centric VR software are still quite scarce and rudimentary.

42 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

The fourth reason, which is hardware/software costs, seems to be unconvincing, especially since when comparing the prices of VR hardware and software to other their architectural counterparts, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem too untenable84. However, what would make sense is the fact that these practices regard consuming VR content as an isolating activity, since after all the point of the technology is to literally transport one to an alternate reality. This means that more than one HMD are needed at each meeting so as not to disrupt the flow of the design presentation, which when added to the software costs starts adding up to the price of the initial investment to VR. One must also bear in mind that this is the case when buying a singular type of HMD. If this is the case, one will either have to sacrifice the mobility of mobile VR HMDs to the ability to perform full immersive walkthroughs in PC tethered HMDs, or viceversa.

Figure 25: The AJ100 non-VR usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; views on VR

Although it may have initially seemed that the responding practices that indicated that they do not currently use VR in-house had no exposure or interest in the technology, further questioning proved that this was an inaccurate assumption. Firstly, because about 10% of these practices indicated that they are currently outsourcing the production of architectural VR content to third party visualisation firms. Secondly, it was determined that 31% are planning to introduce VR into their workflow by mid-2019 at a maximum.

So, in order to identify the true number of practices that do not use VR at all, both groups are cross-referenced, in order to avoid any double counting. Then when subtracting the combination of both lists from the initial number of non-VR users reveals that the true number of completely VR-averse practices is actually about 30% of all respondents.

84

"Virtual Reality Uses in Architecture and Design", Medium, 2017 <https://medium.com/studiotmd/virtual-reality-uses-in-architectureand-design-c5d54b7c1e89> [18 November 2017].

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 43

The fact that 70% of the responding practices are either currently using VR inhouse, outsourcing it or are planning to use it in the immediate future appears quite optimistic.

However, it is actually not an exaggeration, since 88% of the non-VR using respondents see that VR will be a future necessity. Which when added to current users reveals that 96% of the surveyed practices see the architectural potential of VR, thus meriting the prediction that VR use within the architectural sector will inevitably grow.

44 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

4.4 Mapping the Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future VR Trends:

Figure 26: Overview of the VR implementation trends of the AJ100

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 45

Based on the responses, it is clear to see the steady rise of VR adoption that begins in 2013/14 with the boom in VR technology that was brought by Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purchase of Oculus, and the release of the first dev kits of the rift. If this steady rise continues it is expected that all 100% of the responders would be VR adopters by 2020/21, and this rise is not expected to plateau anytime soon with the increase of the quantity of architecture oriented VR software and the steady decrease in price of VR hardware.

As discussed above, the data suggests that VR is not a future up-and-coming technology that lies on the fringes of the profession, but is quickly shifting to the mainstream, with a 52% majority of the surveyed practices are currently using it, that is still expected to increase to at least 65% by the end of 2018. The technology has already arrived in the sector and it seems like this time it is not a fleeting fad but is here to stay growing deeper roots in the architectural community with every new product and capability.

This rapid embrace of VR in the architecture community does not only show that architects see the potential and importance of such technology as a means of streamlining their design process, but is also a testament to the overwhelmingly positive reaction that clients have shown towards this technology. According to the survey, 67% of the respondent practices that use VR have indicated that clients usually request the use of VR when it is an available resource in the practice, with the vast majority professing that VR improves client interaction and engagement with the project.

46 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

CHAPTER FIVE

‘VR and the Architectural Process’ 5.1 Design Methodology, Design Method, and Design Process: The lifespan of a building could be broadly divided into 3-4 phases: the design phase, the construction phase, the occupancy phase, and sometimes, the demolition phase. For the interest of this chapter, the main focus will be on the design phase of a project, which, in this context, is defined as “the creative process of synthesis, preceded by analysis and followed by validation; and the production of an output”85. Usually, the act of design is described by such vague and wrongfully interchangeable expressions as the design methodology, the design method, and the design process. However, each of these terms has a very distinct meaning which is vital to understand in order to proceed with the case study.

The design method is defined as “the broad strategy, plan of action, and the process of choosing and applying particular design methods and techniques, which is shaped by the economic, socio-political, and philosophical zeitgeist of its time and place”86. On the other hand, the design method is described as “the technique of or approach to design as dictated by the designer’s style and their chosen or available tools”87. Finally, the design process is characterized as “the actual procedure of steps undertaken to produce a design, which is usually shaped by the unique nature and needs of the client and the project”88.

85

Gilbert Herbert, "The Architectural Design Process", British Journal of Aesthetics, 6.2 (1966), 152-171.

Ibid.

87 Ibid.

88 Ibid.

86

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 47

When visiting the RIBA Plan of Work, which attempts to create milestones for the lifecycle of a construction project, one can see a clear delineation between the design stages 0 to 4 and the construction stages 5 and 689. This suggests that the design process is not terminated by a finished building, but rather with a set of drawings and instructions that describe how the building should be, or in other words “architectural potential” of the project, thus it could be possible to separate the process of architectural design from the actuality of the produced architecture90.

Figure 27: A simplified diagram of the RIBA plan of work

The transitional stage from instruction to action, or more specifically construction is the riskiest phase in a project’s life cycle, which underlines design communication as the allimportant link between the design phase and the construction phase. To avert the risk of miscommunication a level understanding of the design from all the different parties must be ensured, which opens an opportunity for VR’s singular capabilities of presenting 3D information as they are perceived in the physical, thus ensuring a common frame of reference for understanding the more technical drawings like plans and sections.

89 90

RIBA, RIBA Plan of Work (London, UK: RIBA, 2013).

Gilbert Herbert, "The Architectural Design Process", British Journal of Aesthetics, 6.2 (1966), 152-171.

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5.2 The Process of Design: In its simplest form, the process of design is a cyclical interaction of problem-solving between an architect, who provides solutions, and a client, who validates them. A continuous feedback loop of development, presentation, review, and reaction built on the flow of information and understanding between both parties91. As a result, presentation becomes a vital aspect of the process as it is the only means of communicating design ideas among both parties. Usually, architects use the conventional presentation standards of plans, sections, and elevations to express their design to the client, but in this lies an inherent knowledge gap between the two involved parties92. The architect has spent years learning these conventions and is fluent in understanding them, however it is seldom the case with the client. Even when models and perspectives are used they do not fully articulate the intricacies of scale, atmosphere, and detail to the client, and that results in misunderstandings and failed expectations93.

Figure 28: A simplified diagram of the design development process

91

Amir Saeid M. Mahmoodi, "The Design Process in Architecture" (unpublished PhD, University of Leeds, 2001).

Gunita Kulikovska, "The Dawn of The Virtual Reality in Architecture", in Tedx Riga (Riga, Poland: TEDx Talks, 2016) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KGPf_PM8gQ> [14 October 2017].

93 Brendan Sexton, "Virtual Reality Beats Architectural Drawings for Clients", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/brendan-sextonrising-star-architectural-drawing-communication-virtual-mixed-reality> [7 September 2017].

92

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 49

It is unusual for a design project to only involve a client and an architect, especially with the added challenges and requirements of modern times. Instead of a singular architect, there is usually a team of architects, that work within a wider multidisciplinary team of engineers, consultants, and contractors to deliver a building94. Which adds another layer of importance and complexity to clear communication and effective collaboration. Currently design teams share their design responsibilities through the use of the simplified collaborative nature of BIM software, which, although far from perfect, still leaves out non-BIM users who are usually the contractors and clients, who are the owners and main drivers of the project.

Through all these challenges the need for a common universal intrinsic language that can accurately and effectively describe the scalar and three-dimensional aspects of a design to all the relevant parties without any miscommunication, while taking into account the variations in their knowledge bases and skillsets. This task could simply be achieved through the use of VR as universal frame of reference or a key that expands on the traditional 2D technical drawings, due to its singular capability of accurately representing space in the same way that all humans experience in the natural world, as explored in chapter 3. The following case study will try to examine the effectiveness of VR within the framework of an active design project.

94

Brendan Sexton, "Virtual Reality Beats Architectural Drawings for Clients", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/brendan-sextonrising-star-architectural-drawing-communication-virtual-mixed-reality> [7 September 2017].

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5.3 Presenting the Case Study: KSS design group is large sized practice that employs 100 staff in both London and Sevenoaks. The practice mainly specializes in sports, residential, educational, and public projects, and has been using VR since the summer of 2016. The following case study undertakes a comparison between two of their projects that bare a fair amount of similarities, where the main difference is that one uses VR and the other does not, in order to test the influence and effectiveness of VR on the design process. Both projects will be compared in the following categories: background, team hierarchy, design process and project workflow, collaboration methods, and client/stakeholder interaction and feedback.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 51

1. Meopham Secondary School:

Figure 29: Bird’s eye visual of the Meopham project at the top, example of BIM output at the bottom

The first project to examine, which represents typical pre-VR KSS methodology, is a 4500 sqm secondary school in the village of Meopham, in the north west of Kent, with a construction cost of about 1265 £/sqm. The project is a classic Design and Build with the design process mostly taking place between the months of October of 2016 and April 2017, while construction started in March 2017 and is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2018, to catch the start of the 2018/19 school year.

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The school was identified by the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP), launched by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) of Her Majesty’s Education Department, as in need of urgent repair/reconstruction. The EFA then hired a contractor that was given the task of assembling a multidisciplinary design team, of which KSS was the architect. So KSS’s client was effectively the contractor, but ultimately the overall client of the project was the EFA. The brief for the project was designed by KSS after careful site analysis and observations, and through the examination of the criteria by the EFA and the client’s aspirations. After the initial client meeting KSS produced a few initial sketch options for the building’s design in order to ensure that the chosen design route was the most appropriate.

During the years of experience KSS has developed a methodology to design. Depending on the scale and the scope of work a permanent team is appointed to work on a project from start to finish. In the case of Meopham the team consisted of a director, an associate, an architect, an architectural assistant, with project support provided by the BIM manager and technologists, as well as, the rest of the consultants. This is a typical project team hierarchy for KSS, although the team size was slightly smaller than usual.

Figure 30: Moepham project design team

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 53

The design flow starts with an iterative sketch design, made by the appointed internal team, under the close supervision of the Director. After a strategy is established the design gets modelled in Revit, and periodically updated to reflect design development. Then when the design reaches a certain milestone the model is shared with all the consultants, so that they can add their input and then the architecture model is combined with its counterpart from the other disciplines. Next, after all the produced information is combined, a series of 2D drawings and visuals are produced and presented to the client. Upon receiving the feedback KSSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design team meets to discuss the comments and future action, that are divided into tasks and assigned unto the relevant team member. During the course of the project this process is repeated regularly to ensure that the client and all consultants are moving in the right direction according to the brief. Also, the key milestones of projects are subjected to internal audits by uninvolved senior staff members, in order to ensure design quality, as well as, subject to an external Quality Assurance Specialist (QA).

The wider design team for the project includes civil, structural, and building services engineers as well as a landscape architect, an acoustician, fire consultant, planning and travel consultant, catering and FF&E consultant. One of the requirements of the EFA is the high level of collaboration. Since 2015 all public-sector and government funded projects need to meet minimum Level 2 of Building Information Modelling (BIM). Therefore, at the start of the project, a shared 3D modelling environment in Revit is set up where all consultants have to collaborate together to deliver a full 3D model of the design.

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Figure 31: Moepham project workflow

KSS has an extensive BIM portfolio and an established BIM work-flow. Thus, the practice has protocols and standards in place that are updated weekly to keep up to date with the latest BIM improvements. In the core of BIM is successful collaboration between all consultants, which is easily achievable on paper but not in practice, due to the different expertise, standards, needs, and parameters of consultants and their fields of specialization. When adding common unsuccessful communication, miscommunications, and human error the process of collaboration becomes more difficult and time consuming and the quality of work suffers. Unfortunately, that was evident in the project since collaboration related errors would arise at most design team meetings, thus derailing from the meetingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda, and usually leading in hours, and sometimes days, spent to address issues and make sure that consultants had the necessary understanding to move forward.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 55

2. Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Wisley Front House Building:

Figure 32: Visual of the RHS Wisley project at the top, example of BIM output at the bottom

The second project in the case study, providing an example for a project with VR implementation, is the design for the new Front of house building at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) garden in Wisley, Surrey. With the popularity of the garden growing to an anticipated 1.4 million visitors in 5-10 years, a new visitor centre was required. The brief proposes a design of roughly 5000 sqm building space and 4000 sqm landscape with a cost of 1321 ÂŁ/sqm.

The brief for the project was developed in reference to the master plan designed by the London based practice of Feilden Clegg Bradley in 2014. The main objective of the brief is to combine the functions of the existing visitor centre, gift shop and the laboratory building that were spread across the site into one singular building. The ambition for the project is to improve the visitor experience of a popular garden by upgrading the visitor facilities so that they befit a world class garden experience.

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Figure 33: RHS Wisley project design team

The sketch design proposal for the RHS was started in a similar way as the Meopham Secondary School by conducting site investigation and establishing the main constraints of the scenic site. Then the design was further developed and modelled in Revit at BIM level 3, which was a client requirement, and then it was passed to the consultants, in the traditional manner.

The internal design team was composed in a similar manner to the Meopham project, with a director, an associate, an architect, two architectural assistants, with aid from the BIM manager, technologist, and other inhouse specialists.

The design process starts shifting from the Meopham project when VR is introduced in the project from day one, in the form of a real-time rendering engine called Enscape that works as a seamless plugin into Revit, to make use of the already high level of detail in the BIM model. The introduction of VR into the process lead to some changes to the usual project workflow, in the form of added responsibility to the BIM manager, who was the experienced VR user, and the addition of VR visualisation preparation time before design team reviews and client meetings. As indicated in the practiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to the survey questions, figure 35, VR was used in this project for the internal design process and for client and design team meetings and presentations. It was apparent in the first few weeks of the project, that the team had put more effort in the detail of the Revit model to improve the performance of Enscape, which resulted in an increase in the time spent on modelling for the whole team.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 57

Figure 34: RHS Wisley project workflow

Figure 35: KSS Survey Results

On a weekly basis, the internal team had a Monday design review, for which an export of the rendered VR model was used in conjunction with the other various plans, sections, and elevations. However, as indicated in the survey result seen in figure 34, KSS only has mobile VR HMDs which meant that the walkthroughs were typically done on the projector screen, which significantly decreased the sense of immersion and scale. But that did not mean that the mobile VR HMDs were only used in presentations, in fact, when the rendered model was being prepared at the end of each week, lower quality sketch renders of the key areas, that were to be discussed in the upcoming meeting, would be taken as well, so the team can have the full experience of scale and immersion of the areas of the design being audited.

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A few weeks into the project, it was clear to see the effects VR use on project understanding among all the consultants in the wider design team. Through the use of live walkthroughs and panoramic images, taken of the model in a virtual environment, from the live rendering engine, the perception and detection of design clashes between the different disciplines had improved significantly. Also, through the periodic use of VR in design teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fortnightly meetings the amount of misunderstanding and miscommunication was decreased which meant that the overall collaboration process was more streamlined resulting in the process becoming less disruptive, because all parties were becoming well acquainted with the project and the various design challenges it faced. Nevertheless, this meant that the team had to pull off longer hours every other week, to keep up with the extra model detailing and to optimize and cater the VR content of the meetings.

The effects of VR where most evident when it came to client presentation, where the client representatives, who were not well-versed in construction projects, were able to accurately perceive the natural scale, atmosphere, and phenomenological environment of the spaces. The experience provided a clear frame of reference for communication between the designers and the client and improved the readability of the 2D technical drawings. This helped the client in taking ownership and being more engaged in the design process, since they were able to better articulate their remarks and improve the quality of their feedback. Which in turn lead to faster, more efficient, and better-informed decision making, when compared to other projects that do not use VR.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 59

Figure 36: Example of an interior 360-degree stereoscopic panoramic view

At the same time, however, this did not mean that it was smooth sailing all throughout, because VR content was sometimes found to be a distraction during meetings, where the client got lost in awe of the technology itself or was taken aback by the large amount of data presented to him. Thus, the challenge became how to focus the client’s VR experience on the meeting’s point of discussion. Through the minimization of the client’s freedom to wander in the design by relying more on still 360 panoramic images, and also by eliminating unguided walkthroughs, the risk of the client visiting unfinished areas within the design without an architect escorting them was relatively averted.

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Figure 36: Architectural Technician Natalia Jurek, on the left, with client reps, middle and right, during the RHS summer show stakeholder project VR showcase

The final effect of VR experienced in the project, was how much of an effective and appealing marketing tool, because of how it offers viewers the ability to visit the design without leaving their seats, as well as providing the impression that the practice is on the cutting edge of technology. During the annual RHS show over the summer, VR panoramic images were shown to the stakeholders and general public. This generated a lot of intrigue and interest from attendees and users were very pleased with the experience they received and were very engaged with their interaction with the design.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 61

5.4 Case Study Outcomes: When comparing both case study projects, one might see VR as a non-essential timeconsuming distraction used primarily to wow the client into agreeing with the architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design decisions. Even thought, it is clearly established that creating and using VR content is still a tricky and time-consuming activity, it is also clear that VR is a very beneficial technology for all the parties involved in a construction project. VR is demonstrated as an effective tool for mutual understanding and communication of the design between client and designer. Also, it is shown to be a good perspective changing tool for architects, where they can see their design in a new light and objectively audit it for the development of the design and the project.

The main measurable point of contrast between both projects is the fact that the VR using project had a quicker turnaround than the non-VR project. This might be attributed to the different functionality of the buildings, the different contracts, or even that the school project may have had quite a bit more bureaucracy. But it is undeniable that VR is also a factor in that improvement in project delivery, especially when observing the improved client interaction and design team communication, in which VR played a crucial role.

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These observations are further corroborated by a study done by Malmo University Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Interactive Institute, where researchers where bought in by the Chemistry Department at Lund University to aid in the design of a new laboratory building95. In their research, the conductors where to collaborate with the architect, by providing VR output to their design for their meetings with the labâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s users96. Through the use of CAVE VR technology, the researchers conducted design meetings between the designer and the client, which were then compared to the traditional meetings that used 2D technical drawings and sketches.

Through recording the interactions of both sets of meetings the researchers found that the clients participated more and provided more concise feedback in the VR meetings than the traditional meetings. Through later interviews with the architects, they also determined that the architects found that they found it easier to more understandably articulate their ideas to the clients through the use of VR97.The results show that the collaborative design process including VR helped the users by providing a method with which their ideas could be better formulated, analysed, tested and finally realized. Finally, the feedback from this research was incorporated by the architect into the building program for the new Chemical laboratory building98.

95

Peter Frost and Peter Warren, "Virtual Reality Used in A Collaborative Architectural Design Process", in IEEE Conference on Information Visualization (London, UK: IEEE, 2000).

96 Ibid.

97 Ibid.

98 Ibid.

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 63

CHAPTER SIX

‘Conclusions’ VR is a technology that is still in its infancy, compared to most tools employed by the architectural profession, but even so, it can still clearly be seen that it is quickly spreading and establishing a new experiential frontier for research, business, medicine, and entertainment.

It is still quite early to accurately assess the impact of VR on architectural practice and its influence on the actual produced architecture, especially since VR is currently mainly being used as a visualization/representation tool. With that in mind, a summary of the presented research follows below.

When assessing this work’s research methodology, especially with regards to the survey and the case study, areas for improvement become quite apparent. Beginning with the survey, the first obvious area of development is increasing the sample size while choosing a more diverse set of practices for questioning. Because the AJ100 present a rather skewed perspective that does not include the input of the smaller practices that constitute the vast majority of the industry99.

The case study, on the other hand, seems to lack quantitative data, which could have been accumulated if a few more practices were willing to cooperate, to add more variety to the observed design methods and increase the test pool. It would have also benefited from more client participation over a longer design period, where the presentation tools could have been altered between VR and traditional content in consecutive meetings to observe the effects of VR on the subject more clearly.

99

"Directory of Architectural Practices", Construct UK <https://constructuk.com/directory/category/architectural-practices> [4 December 2017].

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In a more general sense, it would be interesting to expand the research to include assessing whether VR has an effect on the produced design in a more formal or aesthetic sense, but the technology has not been used long enough for this to be a viable research opportunity.

Another interesting angle of enquiry is perhaps the study of the effects of designing at 1:1 scale in the virtual environment has on the design process and final product, but up until the time of writing there exists no viable software with this capability100.

With that in mind, however, some determinations could be made with regards to VR technologyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s usefulness for architectural practice. According to the survey results, it was found that the top architectural functions where, respectively, client meetings/presentations, final visualisations and marketing, design development process, and design coordination. Which was reflected in the case study with of the RHS Wisley project, where VR was primarily used for client meetings, design development, and coordination, but was still found useful as a marketing tool in the RHSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; annual networking event.

In the case study, VR is showcased to be a very effective tool in communicating 3D space, which results in a more effective communication and a better understanding of the design by all the involved parties, regardless of their experience. This fact seems to be identified by architectural practices, because according to the survey VR use in the industry is steadily growing, especially with about 96% of the participant practices regarding the technology as an upcoming industry standard. This is also further demonstrated by the data which indicates that on average VR-able practices use the technology in 1 out of 4 of their currently active projects.

100

Xingyun Jin, "Virtual Reality in Architecture: Establishing an Immersive Modelling Environment" (unpublished MArch, University of Florida, 2016).

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ę&#x;ž 65

After examining non-VR using practices’ survey responses, one finds that, on average, the two most important reasons that these practices cite for not using the technology are, noncompatibility with their used CAD/BIM, and that VR is not user-friendly in terms of content creation and consumption. Although non-compatibility was not a factor in the case study because Enscape, a direct plugin into Revit, is used, user-friendliness was somewhat an issue.

As explored in the case study, catering the VR content and managing the clients’ experience was somewhat challenging, especially since clients had to be repeatedly shown how the VR hardware was operated and were never really fluent in its use.

The third most cited reason for fearing VR application in practice was the long production time, a notion which rang true in the case study, where the VR implementation increased modelling time, in order to produce required detail VR. That’s in addition to the actual time spent in rendering the BIM model and extracting VR ready content, such as walkthroughs and 360 panoramic images. These two activities lead to longer hours for the RHS Wisley design team than what is usual for a project of the size.

As demonstrated above, VR use in architectural practice has ample pros and cons.

Architects find themselves facing a new powerful technology that can literally have people visit and experience their imaginary designs, as though they were finished buildings. A notion that some architects regard with hope while others note with cautious scepticism. It is undeniable that using VR in architectural practice comes with its fair share of risks, whether in the form of the disappointment of clients with a final product which is not quite the same as the perfectly rendered VR walkthrough, or where, in a pessimistic future, VR makes construction, beyond the most basic of living quarters, unnecessary, since people are spending most of their lives in the virtual world where they can escape to wherever they choose without even leaving their chairs.

However, with the same pessimistic regard, any form of modern technology carries risk if it were to be overused. In this light, the power of VR in displaying all the unique aspects of the 3D physical world, which is displayed time and again throughout this dissertation is also undeniable. VR offers architects the ability to take full charge of their designs with their full complexity with unprecedent control over the atmospheric and phenomenological aspects of their designs, thus leaving very little to chance.

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On a more personal note, I have also experienced, first-hand, VR’s ability to improve one’s spatial awareness. For example, in a design review I was undertaking last year, my reviewers thought that in plan, my entrance vestibule seemed to be too small, but upon experiencing the same area in immersive VR they were quick to agree that the assigned area was suitable. More generally though, in the two years in which I’ve been using VR in my architectural design process and representation, I’ve found it to improve my spatial understanding and the bond I have to my design projects. I also believe that with VR’s constant and rapid development its future is showing limitless potential, and one can easily see it becoming an essential tool for design within a few years.

But perhaps the most exciting future aspect of VR is designing at 1:1 scale in a virtual environment. One can only imagine the awe of creating architecture and instantly experiencing its full impact in its real-life scale101. This new capability will provide architects with a tool to that would enable the age-old cliché of ‘inside-out design’. In this case designers can actually design spaces from interior to exterior in a more natural process that does not involve the mental gymnastics designers have to go through in order to imagine the impact of the indoor on the outdoor.

This new capability will open the door to a whole new philosophical question of whether architecture needs to be physical, a question some fear might render the architecture industry, as we know it, to be completely obsolete. But even in this bleakest of futures lies the path to a whole new frontier in design, where virtual products will be the final goal, rather than a means to an end. Some architects might even specialize in virtual design where people can inhabit and enjoy their masterpieces without a single brick being laid. Thus, a new age of ultracompetitiveness will rise in the architecture industry, where clients will venture through various designs that are fully realized in the virtual world to choose their liking from tens of bids, thus, completely levelling the playing field between larger and smaller practices.

101

Xingyun Jin, "Virtual Reality in Architecture: Establishing an Immersive Modelling Environment" (unpublished MArch, University of Florida, 2016).

Breaking Through the Looking Glass ꟾ 67

Or maybe the leaps and bounds in Mixed Reality (MR) would enable the construction of buildings that are partially physical and partially virtual, where people can easily and seamlessly customize and redecorate their surroundings to their own individual liking with zero impact to the surrounding built environment102. People interacting with two different planes of reality at the same time living like gods in a reality that they have full control of, while at the same time experiencing the relative normality of the natural physical environment, the best of both worlds103.

Only time can tell where VR technology progresses from here, and that should be an intriguing journey, but it would definitely be interesting to revisit this dissertation in 15-20 years to see how the technology has moved since the time of writing, and compare the effects of VR in architecture then, after it becomes as ubiquitous as CAD or BIM software today.

102

Dashiell Lacey Bryant, "How Do You Define Real? An Analysis of Virtual Reality Technologies and Their Potential Effect on Architectural Design." (unpublished MArch, University of Huddersfield, 2016).

103 Ibid.

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Davis, Bradley Austin, Karen Bryla, and Philips Alexander Benton, Oculus Rift in Action, 1st edn (Shelter Island: Manning Publications Company, 2015) "Daydream", Vr.Google.Com <https://vr.google.com/daydream/> [3 December 2017] Deutsch, Randy, Convergence: The Redesign of Design, 1st edn (Somerset: Wiley, 2017) Deutsch, Randy, "The Death of The Death of The Death of Drawing", BIM And Integrated Design, 2014 <https://bimandintegrateddesign.com/2014/06/08/the-death-of-thedeath-of-the-death-of-drawing/> [7 December 2017] "Directory of Architectural Practices", Construct UK<https://constructuk.com/directory/category/architectural-practices> [4 December 2017] "Enscape: Architectural Real-Time Rendering Plugin", Enscape <https://enscape3d.com/> [18 October 2017] Frost, Peter, and Peter Warren, "Virtual Reality Used in A Collaborative Architectural Design Process", in IEEE Conference on Information Visualization (London, UK: IEEE, 2000) "Google Cardboard – Google VR", Google Cardboard <https://vr.google.com/cardboard/> [18 November 2017] Hamilton, Ian, "CES 2018: Wireless VR And Haptics to Push VR Forward", Uploadvr, 2018 <https://uploadvr.com/ces-2018-wireless-vr-and-haptics-to-push-vr-forward/> [2 January 2018] Herbert, Gilbert, "The Architectural Design Process", British Journal of Aesthetics, 6 (1966), 152-171 Heydarian, Arsalan, Joao P. Carneiro, Burcin Becerik-Gerber, and David Gerber, "Immersive Virtual Environments Versus Physical Built Environments: A Benchmarking Study for Building Design and User-Built Environment Explorations", Automation in Construction, 2015, 116-126 Holl, Steven, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Alberto Perez-Gómez, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, 2nd edn (San Francisco, California: William Stout Publishers, 2008), pp. 41-42; 58; 122 Jin, Xingyun, "Virtual Reality in Architecture: Establishing an Immersive Modelling Environment" (unpublished MArch, University of Florida, 2016) Kant, Immanuel, The Critique of Pure Reason (Brisbane, Australia: Emereo Publishing, 2012) Kippenberg, Gesine, "Virtual Reality Increases Actual Fees", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/virtual-dimensions-of-gloucestershire-pioneeringvr-for-architecture> [18 October 2017] Krueger, Myron W., Artificial Reality, 1st edn (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1983)

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Kulikovska, Gunita, "The Dawn of The Virtual Reality in Architecture", in Tedx Riga (Riga, Poland: TEDx Talks, 2016) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KGPf_PM8gQ> [14 October 2017] Kumparak, Greg, "A Brief History of Oculus", Techcrunch, 2014 <https://techcrunch.com/2014/03/26/a-brief-history-of-oculus/> [18 October 2017] Lamkin, Paul, "The Best Smartphone Headsets for VR Apps", Wareable, 2017 <https://www.wareable.com/vr/best-smartphone-headsets-mobile-vr-apps-1655> [1 December 2017] Lang, Ben, "HTC Says Vive Price Drop Wasn't a Reaction to Oculus", Road To VR, 2017 <https://www.roadtovr.com/htc-vive-price-reduction-reaction-to-oculus/> [18 October 2017] Lingard, Brian, "Human Interfacing Issues of Virtual Reality", WPI, 1995 <https://web.cs.wpi.edu/~matt/courses/cs563/talks/brian1.html> [13 November 2017] Lubell, Sam, "VR Is Totally Changing How Architects Dream Up Buildings", Wired, 2016 <https://www.wired.com/2016/11/vr-totally-changing-architects-dream-buildings/> [29 November 2017] Mahmoodi, Amir Saeid M., "The Design Process in Architecture" (unpublished PhD, University of Leeds, 2001) Mandelbaum, Abi, "User-Created Content Key to Mainstream VR", Hypergrid Business, 2016 <http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2016/01/user-created-content-key-tomainstream-vr/> [5 October 2017] Manjrekar, Siddhesh, Mayur Gondhalekar, Shubhrika Sandilya, Deesha Bhosale, Sravanthi Kanchi, and Adwait Pitkar, "CAVE: An Emerging Immersive Technology", in Uksim2014 (Cambridge, United Kingdom: IEEE, 2014) Mann, Steve, and Woodrow Barfield, "Introduction to Mediated Reality", International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 15 (2003), 205-208 <https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327590ijhc1502_1> "Microsoft Hololens", Microsoft Hololens <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/hololens> [9 November 2017] Milgram, Paul, and Fumio Kishino, "A Taxonomy of Mixed Reality Visual Displays", IEICE Transactions on Information and Systems, 77 (1994) Milk, Chris, "How Virtual Reality Can Create the Ultimate Empathy Machine", in TED2015 (TED Talks, 2015) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXHil1TPxvA> [18 November 2017] Nafarrete, Jonathan, "Weekend Downloads: New Oculus Store Content for Samsung Gear VR - Vrscout", Vrscout, 2016 <https://vrscout.com/news/weekend-downloads-new-oculusstore-content-for-samsung-gear-vr/> [18 September 2017] "Oculus", Oculus.Com <https://www.oculus.com/> [2 December 2017]

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Pallasmaa, Juhani, The Eyes of The Skin: Architecture and The Senses, 3rd edn (Chichester: Wiley, 2014) Paranandi, Murali, and Tina Sarawgi, "VIRTUAL REALITY IN ARCHITECTURE: ENABLING POSSIBILITIES", in CAADRIA 2002, 2002, pp. 309-316 <http://papers.cumincad.org/data/works/att/3439.content.pdf> [20 December 2017] "Professor Emeritus Gilbert Herbert", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/obituaryprofessor-emeritus-gilbert-herbert> [20 December 2017] Quirk, Vanessa, "Disrupting Reality: How VR Is Changing Architecture's Present and Future", Metropolis, 2017 <http://www.metropolismag.com/architecture/disruptingreality-how-vr-is-changing-architecture-present-future/> [21 December 2017] "Reality", Oxford Dictionary of English (Oxford: OUP, 2010) <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/virtual_reality> [13 September 2017] RIBA, RIBA Plan of Work (London, UK: RIBA, 2013) Robertson, Adi, and Ross Miller, "Daydream Is Google’S Android-Powered VR Platform", The Verge, 2016 <https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/18/11683536/google-daydreamvirtual-reality-announced-android-n-io-2016> [1 December 2017] Sandre, Andreas, "War and ISIS in Virtual Reality", Medium, 2016 <https://medium.com/digital-diplomacy/war-and-isis-in-virtual-reality-bae250efc212> [4 October 2017] Scheer, David Ross, The Death of Drawing: Architecture in The Age of Simulation, 1st edn (London: Routledge, 2014) Shen, Heather, and Jason Liu, "Rendering for Positional Tracking" (unpublished MSc, Stanford University, 2017) Sexton, Brendan, "Virtual Reality Beats Architectural Drawings for Clients", RIBAJ, 2017 <https://www.ribaj.com/culture/brendan-sexton-rising-star-architectural-drawingcommunication-virtual-mixed-reality> [7 September 2017] Sokolowski, Robert, Introduction to Phenomenology, 1st edn (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2000) "Steamvr", Steamcommunity.Com <https://steamcommunity.com/steamvr> [2 December 2017] "The AJ100", The Architect's Journal, 2017 <https://aj100awards.architectsjournal.co.uk/> [16 November 2017] "The Guide to VR Is Out.", Vray <https://www.chaosgroup.com/blog/guide-to-virtual-reality2> [5 November 2017] "Virtual Reality", Oxford Dictionary of English (Oxford: OUP, 2010) <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/virtual_reality> [13 September 2017] "Virtual Reality for The Construction Industry", Irisvr <https://irisvr.com/> [2 October 2017]

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"Virtual Reality Uses in Architecture and Design", Medium, 2017 <https://medium.com/studiotmd/virtual-reality-uses-in-architecture-and-designc5d54b7c1e89> [18 November 2017] Vitti, Matthew, "VR and Architecture", in AWE USA 2017 (Augmented World Expo, 2017) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCHgRveyNFc> [14 January 2018] Weinbaum, Stanley G., Pygmalion’s Spectacles, 3rd edn (Kessinger Publishing, 1935) "What Is Theviewer Actually?", The Viewer <http://help.theviewer.co/introduction/what-istheviewer-actually> [13 November 2017] Whyte, Jennifer, Virtual Reality and The Built Environment, 2nd edn (Oxford: Architectural Press, 2007) "Windows Mixed Reality | AR Mixed with VR Gaming, Travel & Streaming in Windows 10", Microsoft.Com <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-mixed-reality> [6 December 2017] Youde, Kate, "London’S Architecture Sector Worth £1.7 Billion", Architects' Journal, 2017 <https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/londons-architecture-sector-worth-17billion/10018205.article> [8 November 2017] Zelenko, Michael, Ellis Hamburger, Christian Mazza, Sam Thonis, Casey Newton, and Matthew Schnipper, "The Rise and Fall and Rise of Virtual Reality", The Verge<https://www.theverge.com/a/virtual-reality> [30 August 2017]

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APPENDICES

Appendix I: ‘Philosophical Framework of VR’ The term Virtual Reality was first coined as la réalité virtuelle by French avant-garde playwright Antonin Artaud in his 1938 book ‘Le Théâtre et Son Double’, which was translated in 1958 to ‘The Theatre and Its Double’104. In its original context, the term was used to describe the state audiences reach when they suspend disbelief and embrace the illusion portrayed on stage as their new reality. However, it was not until the 1982 novel ‘The Judas Mandala’ by Australian science-fiction novelist Damien Broderick that the term was first used within its modern contest105.

However, the exact conceptual origins of Virtual Reality are still in debate, in part due to the fact that it is quite a challenge to formally construe a conceptual characterization to the idea of a surrogate reality, since the idea of alternative existence has been ever-present in the collective human consciousness since the dawn of time, and was expressed in various media be it religious mythology or philosophical endeavour, which will be briefly explore in this section.

Reality is one of humanity’s most paradoxical intangible metaphysical states, a concept that is both thoroughly ubiquitous yet intensely individual due to its intimate relationship to our very consciousness as a species. Generally speaking though, the reality is the consensual “state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to a notional idea of them”106. However, our perception of the outside world relies on what we pick up with our senses, which are marred by various imperfections and limitations, and our brains’ interpretation of these inputs through mostly unconscious processes. These neural protocols can be easily fooled with various tricks, as so often demonstrated by the experiments of renowned contemporary American philosopher Dan Dennett, who has spent most of his academic career studying and theorising about the nature of human consciousness. So, in a sense, one’s mind does not interact directly

104

Antonin Artaud, The Theatre and Its Double (New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1958).

Damien Broderick, The Judas Mandala (Sydney, Australia: Fantastic Books, 1982).

106 "Reality", Oxford Dictionary of English (Oxford: OUP, 2010) <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/virtual_reality> [13 September 2017].

105

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with reality but rather with an impression that it formulates using the data it receives from the senses.

This intrinsic relationship with one of humanity’s primordial curiosities is why it is very difficult to accurately trace the theoretical framework of VR through history. As a result, we will try to trace the most influential literary and historical occurrences that contributed to the formation of VR as an idea and a concept.

Whether it is the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and his descent to the underworld to save his wife Eurydice, or the medieval Florentine poems of the journey of Dante &, his angelic guide, Virgil through the biblical afterlife, first-person narrative literature could be argued to be the earliest examples of interactive immersion in a surrogate reality, and thus the literary precursors to VR itself. But for the sake of brevity and concision, the unarguable first appearance of VR, as we know it today, in literature is in the 1935 short story titled ‘Pygmalion’s Spectacles’, ‘that describes a “shadow world” whereby the protagonist, a Mr Pygmalion, “made real a dream” through technology, in the form of a pair of glasses107. While these textual conceptualisations are essential, without technological advancements, VR would remain a fantasy today.

107

Stanley G. Weinbaum, Pygmalion’S Spectacles, 3rd edn (Kessinger Publishing, 1935).

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Appendix II: ‘Examples of VR Applications in Architecture’ 1. Well-established rendering software, like Vray, are providing users the opportunity to render immersive photorealistic 360-degree panoramic images that are either monoscopic or stereoscopic108. The produced images have the universal compatibly since they can be accessed on virtually any VR headset, whether they are mobile to PCtethered HMDs.

2. Online webhosting platform, such as theviewer.co, that provide an easy and accessible means to create VR tours of successive panoramic, in which each image has a marker, that if selected, acts as a portal that leads to the next panoramic image109. This service is also universally accessible on all headset types as long as an internet connection is available.

3. Gaming engines, whether they be standalone, like Unity, or plugins into CAD or BIM modelling software, like Enscape, provide the possibility of walkthroughs within the architectural model that is placed in a real-time render environment110. These walkthroughs could be done non-immersively, on a computer screen, or immersively with a PC-tethered HMD.

4. Online webhosting services, such as IrisVR, where a non-rendered or minimally rendered version of the digital model is turned into an immersive VR environment that is available anywhere anytime, using any VR HMD, regardless of type, with the condition of the availability of an internet connection111.

5. 360-degree camera capture of existing locations, like Google Earth VR, where panoramic images and videos of real world locations could be virtually inhabited from the comfort of your practice using a PC-tethered or mobile VR HMD112.

108

"The Guide to VR Is Out.", Vray <https://www.chaosgroup.com/blog/guide-to-virtual-reality-2> [5 November 2017].

"What Is Theviewer Actually?", The Viewer <http://help.theviewer.co/introduction/what-is-theviewer-actually> [13 November 2017].

110 "Enscape: Architectural Real-Time Rendering Plugin", Enscape<https://enscape3d.com/> [18 October 2017].

111 "Virtual Reality for The Construction Industry", Irisvr <https://irisvr.com/> [2 October 2017].

112 Lee Bell, "Google Cardboard Launches In UK", Wired, 2016 <http://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-cardboard-vr-headset-uk-launch> [3 October 2017].

109

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Name: Nick Employment: Director at KSS Design Group Appendix III: Marshal ‘List of Surveyed Practice + Responses’ 1.

Can you give me a brief introduction to your background?

(E.g. Where did you study? What was your professional route?)

Completed my PART I & II at Portsmouth University, graduated PART III at the AA. Before joining KSS in 2000, I worked at 2 practices as site architect, and prior to that I worked at an interior retail firm.

2.

What is your relationship to VR?

(E.g. Are you a visualizer or an architect or a client? Are you VR practitioner or user?)

I am not a VR content creator but I am a VR user.

3.

When were you first exposed to VR? Or when did you first start using VR? I knew about VR technology about 5-6 years ago, but I have been an active user from about 2 years, ever since I purchased Google Cardbord.

4.

How do you use VR?

(E.g. In what way do you use VR? What sort of output do you produce?)

I use VR for presentations, marketing, client and sometimes team meetings.

5.

What is your opinion on the relationship between VR and Architectural Practice?

(E.g. Do you think VR improves architectural practice or not?)

VR has not enhanced building technology, but I use it as a tool to bridge the gap between client & architect. I believe that a photo realistic VR would spoil the feeling of the actual finished building. However, I see VR as a very positive and effective tool for decision making especially by the clients, and I also see VR being successfully applied in education.

6.

Do you think that VR is the next big thing in Architectural technology or just a passing fad?

(E.g. Is VR here to stay? How important do you think VR capabilities are, if at all?)

Passing FAD. In its current form.

7.

Do you think VR technology has an impact on Architectural Practice? If yes, then how you think it impacts it?

(E.g. Do you think there is potential commercial impact for VR use within the AEC industry?)

I do not believe that VR would improve architecture, but VR is definitely an evolution from the traditional presentation boards & drawings.

8.

What do you think is the future of VR within the Architectural sphere?

VR is going to continue to develop and become more and more immersive, which would pose the question if VR achieves a fully immersive experience ‘’ why would one need to build at all’. VR is not grounded in real life.

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Name: Nick Marshal

1.

Employment: Director at KSS Design Group

Can you give me a brief introduction to your background?

(E.g. Where did you study? What was your professional route?)

Completed my PART I & II at Portsmouth University, graduated PART III at the AA. Before joining KSS in 2000, I worked at 2 practices as site architect, and prior to that I worked at an interior retail firm.

2.

What is your relationship to VR?

(E.g. Are you a visualizer or an architect or a client? Are you VR practitioner or user?)

I am not a VR content creator but I am a VR user.

3.

When were you first exposed to VR? Or when did you first start using VR? I knew about VR technology about 5-6 years ago, but I have been an active user from about 2 years, ever since I purchased Google Cardbord.

4.

How do you use VR?

(E.g. In what way do you use VR? What sort of output do you produce?)

I use VR for presentations, marketing, client and sometimes team meetings.

5.

What is your opinion on the relationship between VR and Architectural Practice?

(E.g. Do you think VR improves architectural practice or not?)

VR has not enhanced building technology, but I use it as a tool to bridge the gap between client & architect. I believe that a photo realistic VR would spoil the feeling of the actual finished building. However, I see VR as a very positive and effective tool for decision making especially by the clients, and I also see VR being successfully applied in education.

6.

Do you think that VR is the next big thing in Architectural technology or just a passing fad?

(E.g. Is VR here to stay? How important do you think VR capabilities are, if at all?)

Passing FAD. In its current form.

7.

Do you think VR technology has an impact on Architectural Practice? If yes, then how you think it impacts it?

(E.g. Do you think there is potential commercial impact for VR use within the AEC industry?)

I do not believe that VR would improve architecture, but VR is definitely an evolution from the traditional presentation boards & drawings.

8.

What do you think is the future of VR within the Architectural sphere?

VR is going to continue to develop and become more and more immersive, which would pose the question if VR achieves a fully immersive experience ‘’ why would one need to build at all’. VR is not grounded in real life.

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80 ę&#x;ž Ramez Khalil

Appendix IV: ‘Transcripts of the Interview with VR-using Industry Professionals’ Name: Jonathan Dreyfus

1.

Employment: Architect/Visualizer

Can you give me a brief introduction to your background?

(E.g. Where did you study? What was your professional route?)

I studied in Paris at EAPB, via Erasmus I completed PART II course in Edinburgh College. Worked in the field of architecture for about 18 years in the UK and France. Also worked as a visualizer for 2 years. I started using 3D software from the very beginning, with Autocad 3D, and gradually building-up and expanding my software knowledge. Today I use a wide range of programs for modelling like 3DS Max, Revit, scripting in Grasshopper (Rhino), Sketch-up and for visualisation Vray, Maxwell and Lumion.

I am full-fledged architect with keen interest in visualization and early stages of design.

2.

What is your relationship to VR? (E.g. Are you a visualizer or an architect or a client? Are you VR practitioner or user?)

Introduced VR to KSS two years ago, using Google CardBoard and an IPhone.

3.

When were you first exposed to VR? Or When did you first start using VR? I was exposed to VR through Lumion (Rendering Software) after they introduced their capability of producing VR outputs. After I tried it myself, After I presented to David Keirle (KSS’ Chairman), we bought Samsung Gear for the office, with its main benefit being the portability.

4.

How do you use VR? (E.g. In what way do you use VR? What sort of output do you produce?)

I use VR to check and review the design, to detect clashes and to get a general feel of the space. As well as for presentations to clients in order to communicate the project better.

5.

What is your opinion on the relationship between VR and Architectural Practice?

(E.g. Do you think VR improves architectural practice or not?)

I do not think that using VR makes one a better architect and the same applies to all software, having said that VR as a tool to explore and test the design is very beneficial for both the architect and the client. I also think that VR has improved the client experience. Through VR the clients understand the space much more clearly than when seen only in 2D drawings or still images and consequently that improves the feedback they give us.

6.

Do you think that VR is the next big thing in Architectural technology or just a passing fad?

(E.g. Is VR here to stay? How important do you think VR capabilities are, if at all?)

Definitely not a FAD, even though the format may change VR is increasingly becoming more and more user-friendly and close to the goal of architects and artist as early as in the Renaissance which is to achieve full immersion.

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7.

Do you think VR technology has an impact on Architectural Practice? If yes, then how you think it impacts it?

(E.g. Do you think there is potential commercial impact for VR use within the AEC industry?)

I do not think that VR would fundamentally change everything in architecture, however it does changes the workflow as well as BIM are pushing for total BIM architecture and enhanced realism, more information and work.

8.

What do you think is the future of VR within the Architectural sphere?

I can see VR and AR expanding and finding more applications in architecture like: ▪ Conducting site visits in AR & VR ▪ The possibility for planners to approve design changes remotely through VR ▪ Changing and sculpting directly in the VR environment Use of omni directional VR ▪ Real Physical Walkthroughs ▪ Experiencing VR with other people

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Name: Nick Marshal

1.

Employment: Director at KSS Design Group

Can you give me a brief introduction to your background?

(E.g. Where did you study? What was your professional route?)

Completed my PART I & II at Portsmouth University, graduated PART III at the AA. Before joining KSS in 2000, I worked at 2 practices as site architect, and prior to that I worked at an interior retail firm.

2.

What is your relationship to VR? (E.g. Are you a visualizer or an architect or a client? Are you VR practitioner or user?)

I am not a VR content creator but I am a VR user.

3.

When were you first exposed to VR? Or when did you first start using VR? I knew about VR technology about 5-6 years ago, but I have been an active user from about 2 years, ever since I purchased Google Cardbord.

4.

How do you use VR? (E.g. In what way do you use VR? What sort of output do you produce?)

I use VR for presentations, marketing, client and sometimes team meetings.

5.

What is your opinion on the relationship between VR and Architectural Practice?

(E.g. Do you think VR improves architectural practice or not?)

VR has not enhanced building technology, but I use it as a tool to bridge the gap between client & architect. I believe that a photo realistic VR would spoil the feeling of the actual finished building. However, I see VR as a very positive and effective tool for decision making especially by the clients, and I also see VR being successfully applied in education.

6.

Do you think that VR is the next big thing in Architectural technology or just a passing fad?

(E.g. Is VR here to stay? How important do you think VR capabilities are, if at all?)

Passing FAD. In its current form.

7.

Do you think VR technology has an impact on Architectural Practice? If yes, then how you think it impacts it?

(E.g. Do you think there is potential commercial impact for VR use within the AEC industry?)

I do not believe that VR would improve architecture, but VR is definitely an evolution from the traditional presentation boards & drawings.

8.

What do you think is the future of VR within the Architectural sphere?

VR is going to continue to develop and become more and more immersive, which would pose the question if VR achieves a fully immersive experience ‘’ why would one need to build at all’. VR is not grounded in real life.

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Name: Arran Ewin

1.

Employment: Architect & BIM Development Manger

Can you give me a brief introduction to your background?

(E.g. Where did you study? What was your professional route?)

BSc (First Class with Honours) & MArch (Commendation) at Cardiff University. PDip (Merit) Westminister University. ARB and RIBA registered. Practicing Architect for 2 years. Took on the role of BIM development Manager since 2016.

2.

What is your relationship to VR? (E.g. Are you a visualizer or an architect or a client? Are you VR practitioner or user?)

I am an Architect, user, content creator, and researcher.

3.

When were you first exposed to VR? Or when did you first start using VR? In about 2016.

4.

How do you use VR? (E.g. In what way do you use VR? What sort of output do you produce?)

For Visualisation purposes, internal design reviews and for VR output for use in HMDs such as the Gear VR. 5.

What is your opinion on the relationship between VR and Architectural Practice?

(E.g. Do you think VR improves architectural practice or not?)

Informs Design Development. Helps to convey architectural intent to in experience clients not used to reading architectural plans. Overall a positive force for change.

6.

Do you think that VR is the next big thing in Architectural technology or just a passing fad?

(E.g. Is VR here to stay? How important do you think VR capabilities are, if at all?)

In my opining VR will become a new tool for the industry, VR along with AR and MR will form a new arsenal of tools for the AEC industry.

7.

Do you think VR technology has an impact on Architectural Practice? If yes, then how you think it impacts it?

(E.g. Do you think there is potential commercial impact for VR use within the AEC industry?)

Yes, it has had an impact but it has been limited due to the barrier to entry current set too high because of hardware, software costs, the technology's immaturity at this time, and the market need for it has been limited.

8.

What do you think is the future of VR within the Architectural sphere?

A supporting tool in the Architects 'tool box' to help convey ideas to a wide range of users more coherently and with greater interactivity than ever before.

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Name: Jonathan Knofel

1.

Employment: Software Developer

Brief Description and Background of Enscape?

A software produced in Germany, and used for product development, VR delivery and visuals.

2.

What do most clients use Enscape for?

Daily design reviews, quick visualisations, and design solutions.

3.

What has been the client feedback so far?

Client are happy and satisfied with the software’s speed and user-friendliness and are part of a strong online community we’ve created for update suggestions that usually dictate our developing agenda.

4.

How many practices use Enscape worldwide? And in the UK? About 2000 worldwide, and about 150 in the UK.

5.

Is there a certain trend in sales (are sales increasing)? When did the uptake in sales occur? What do you think is the reason for it?

Sales are growing rapidly, keeping in line with current VR trends, due to the good word-of-mouth recommendations and the good relationships fostered with students and young individuals due to free software sharing.

6.

Is the architecture industry a good space for VR development? Why? Yes, because it is a fast and adaptive industry currently on the rise, and also because of the inherent and intuitive opportunities VR provides for architecture.

7.

What does the future hold for Enscape? Targets? Features?

We are working one goal at a time, with main goal of improving the VR experience and hopefully adding more interactive feature to the VR environment.

8.

What does the future hold for VR in the architecture industry?

VR will continue to grow, and will soon be an essential tool for the discipline, the two main things that interest me are the prospects of designing and modelling in VR, in addition to collaboration and client meetings in VR.

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“VR at its best shouldn't replace real life, just modify it, giving us access to so much just out of reach physically”

Matthew Schnipper

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1. Scan code 2. Build VR headset 3. Join the VR revolution