Abstract:

Virtual Reality (VR) in architectural pedagogy has been increasingly gaining traction on account of its ubiquity in entertainment, accessibility of workflows, and notably, a more receptive audience on account of the major shifts to online curricular delivery during the COVID pandemic. At the early stages of VR integration nearly a decade ago, the most accessible method of generating and experiencing immersive VR was through fixed-point VR experiences, static 360 degree panoramic imagery. The benefits of low hardware and software barriers, enhanced design immersion, and general desire to adopt the technology proved to be useful to industry and academia alike. More robust tools providing navigable VR, where users are able to independently move throughout a digital model rather than remain locked to a fixed, predetermined position, have traditionally been inaccessible; however the rapid optimization and flattening learning curves of navigable VR software have made it a promising tool for contemporary architectural design. This paper presents a multiyear study comparing the integration of fixed-point VR against the navigable VR paradigm in student design work from the largest architectural science program in Canada. The authors present the benefits of each paradigm, including greater appreciation for materials, structure, light, and scale, and delve into the enhanced value derived from navigable VR use including greater sensitivities to narrative, program, and detail.

Keywords:

Virtual reality, navigable VR, design pedagogy, architectural design.