Abstract:

Architecture is a function of its technical, financial, environmental, and social constraints; however the ability to holistically respond to them is the epitome of architectural design excellence. This has become the standard for experienced success within the profession. Unfortunately in this increasingly multidisciplinary academic context, design students are often overwhelmed by all these determinants. To many, the panacea lies in the potency of contemporary computing. Despite the incredible impacts digital technologies have had on all design industries, the benefits to design with constraints has been overshadowed by technical efficiency and novelty. The ubiquity of advanced computer modeling software and digital fabrication equipment has provided young designers the ability to literally conceive and manufacture their ideas yet has not reinforced sensitivity to project constraints that distinguish proposals as excellent designs. The development and integration of the Augmented Reality in Design Development (ARIDD) platform emerged as a response to this condition. By seamlessly integrating the ability to display digital modeling data atop real world conditions on this platform, architecture students at Canada’s largest architecture program have demonstrated a heightened awareness and responsiveness to project constraints that not only develop a project but in some instances prove to define them. From technical factors such as zoning and structure to social constraints including traffic patterns and diurnal activities, the use of the ARIDD platform empowered students with the ability to develop their design work at full-scale, real-world visualization in real time.

Keywords:

Augmented reality, teaching innovation, design.