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Virtual Reality: The Latest Architecture and News

Debunking 3 Myths about 3D Visualization and VR in Architectural Projects

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There’s a lot of buzz going on in terms of technology-driven innovation in the AEC industry. Especially the increasing use of 3D renderings and virtual reality for architectural projects is hitting every architect’s newsfeed. Photorealistic images and virtual reality walk-throughs seem to be turning into the new industry standard. That being said, for many architectural firms it seems to be hard to keep up with quickly developing new tech and thereby find ways to differentiate themselves from the competition.

Kilograph Turns Unbuilt Michael Graves Design into VR Watercolor Experience

Design company Kilograph has announced the release of “Imagined Landscapes,” a new virtual reality experience exploring the unbuilt work of architect Michael Graves. Based on Graves’ personal paintings, “Imagined Landscapes” offers the first chance to add VR watercolors to an architectural project, turning a conceptual resort into an interactive experience for visitors.

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Aesthetics of Prosthetics

The Aesthetics of Prosthetics exhibition is within the framework of Pratt Institute School of Architecture’s 2019 Dean’s Lecture Series and will take place between September 19th and October 17th.

Free Plugin Exports 360-Degree Images from SketchUp to be Seen in Virtual Reality

With the popularization of virtual reality and augmented reality, new ways of exploring architectural representations have become available to professionals and students. Immersion in three-dimensional digital models is increasingly common, whether through a computer screen, smartphone or VR headsets. In light of this reality, which seemed overly futuristic up until a few years ago, the online platform Tour Fácil has launched a free plugin that can view exported 360-degree images from SketchUp in virtual or augmented reality.

Black Mirror: What Can it Teach us About the Future of Architecture?

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© Maíra Acayaba

Unlike its TV and film counterparts, which imagine the future as an over-populated dystopian nightmare overrun with violence and chaos, Black Mirror paints a picture of a near future that aligns far more with our current reality--and nowhere is this more apparent than in the architecture shown in the series.

Foster + Partners, Steven Spielberg, and Immersive Team Up for Universal Sphere

Foster+Partners and Immersive have joined forces with Steven Spielberg to create a digital entertainment experience for the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia. Immersive, recognized as a world leader in the design and production of experimental media installations, conceived the installation having been approached by Foster + Partners in 2016 to create a multimedia experience that would embody the Comcast Technology Center’s focus on innovation.

Zaha Hadid’s “Project Correl” Printed Model was Designed in Virtual Reality by Museum Visitors

The Zaha Hadid Virtual Reality Group has concluded the design phase of Project Correl, a collaborative experiment to test the potential of virtual reality as a tool for design. The results of the experiment are currently on display in the University Contemporary Art Museum (MUAC) in Mexico City, where it forms part of Zaha Hadid Architects’ “Design As Second Nature” exhibition.

Having launched at the end of 2018, Project Correl used VR headsets and apparatus to transport visitors to a virtual environment to collaborate with each other on an ever-evolving structure. The design was periodically captured and exhibited in the gallery as scaled 3D printed models to further demonstrate the design process encouraged by Correl. The final resulting model is now on display as part of the Design As Second Nature Exhibition.

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How To Create a 360 R​ender (And How to Improve your Presentation with Virtual Reality)

If you're looking to upgrade your standard architecture presentation, SENTIO VR's tutorials can be very useful. They allow you to accurately use Revit, SketchUp, V-ray, 3Ds Max, Lumion and Cinema4D to create 360 renders and perform virtual reality experiences, with both technical and visual advice.

Below, we've compiled a list of useful videos. 

Rios Clementi Hale Studios x Cal Poly Tech: VR in Architecture

Join Rios Clementi Hale Studios and Cal Poly Tech for an investigation of virtual reality in architecture on Sunday, December 9 at the Rios Clementi Hale Studios offices.

A jury will judge final presentations from architecture students taught by Frank Clementi and other RCHS team members. The virtual reality projects all aim to evaluate the essential conventions of architectural spaces and adapt them to the reduced conditions of simulated environments. Attendees are invited to experience the students' plans firsthand followed by a roundtable discussion investigating the evolution of architecture and how it behaves.

This event is open to the public.

This is How a Complex Brick Wall is Built Using Augmented Reality

Fusing augmented reality with the physical space, Fologram seeks to facilitate the construction of complex designs (for example, parametric designs that require a series of measurements, verification, and specific care) through digital instructions that are virtually superimposed into the workspace, directing a step-by-step guide for bricklayers during the construction process.

'Research institutions and large companies are working with industrial robots to automate these challenging construction tasks. However, robots aren’t well-suited for unpredictable construction environments, and even the most sophisticated computer vision algorithms cannot match the intuition and skill of a trained bricklayer,' stated their creators.

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Exploring Your Project in Virtual Reality: 7 Tips from the Experts Who Make It

Virtual reality offers benefits that, just years ago, were hardly even imaginable. Projects can be walked through before being built; the interiors fully visualized before all the details are decided. It allows architects and clients the ability to work as true collaborators in the design of a project.

Making Real-Time Rendering Less Daunting: Unreal Engine Online Learning

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When you see new software that can speed up your workflow, it’s fun to imagine what you can do with it. But in reality, many of us don’t want to be among the first to try it out, especially if documentation is lacking. No one wants to spend countless hours fighting with mysterious features only to go back to the old workflow because you just need to get things done.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about trying out photoreal real-time rendering for your workflow, but you’re concerned that that on-ramp is too steep. Real-time rendering requires you to import your CAD scene into a game engine, and anytime you import to a new piece of software, there are going to be issues to solve. If you have to figure it out on your own, it’s going to be a long, hard road.

Learning New Design Viz Methods—Is It Worth It?

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Design visualization just keeps reaching new heights. While renderings remain a common part of design presentation, advances in technology have made new types of media not only possible but within the reach of even small teams and firms. These newer types of media require a change in workflow. Is it worth it?

Step Inside Frida Escobedo's Serpentine Pavilion with This 360° Virtual Tour

For readers around the world who monitored with enthusiasm the opening of Frida Escobedo’s Serpentine Pavilion, but were unable to reach London to experience it in real life, Photographer Nikhilesh Haval of nikreations is here to help.

Similar to previous productions of BIG’s 2016 Pavilion, and SelgasCano’s 2015 Pavilion, Haval 360-degree virtual tour explores Escobedo’s pavilion to capture aesthetic delights such as the Mexican celosias façade, shallow water pool, and curving, mirrored roof element. When inside the courtyard, don’t forget to look up!

Ditch the Wait with Real-Time Rendering

A recent independent survey of more than 2000 architectural visualization professionals revealed an intriguing trend. More than 20% of these designers and architects are using real-time rendering as part of their presentation workflows right now, with another 40% trying it out for adoption.

The World's First Pavilion-Scale Structure Built Using Augmented Reality

Fologram has recently built the world’s first pavilion-scale steel structure using the HoloLens, displaying the possibilities of integrating standard CAD workflow with augmented reality. By displaying the generative design model through holographic instructions rather than traditional 2D drawings, it explores the potential of revolutionizing the bridge between design and construction.

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This Simple VR Tool Instantly Communicates Your Design Intent in 1:1 Scale

Communicating design intent and conveying space to non-technical clients has always been a challenge for architects. Fortunately, advancements such as virtual reality (VR) are starting to pave the way for new tools to address this challenge. The most immersive and effective solutions are ones that empower you to fully navigate 3D models, like Prospect by IrisVR. Created by architects, Prospect enables designers to easily jump into a 1:1, true to scale VR version of their 3D model.