Abstract:

The benefits of incorporating multiple modes of immersion in architectural pedagogy are evident in the evolving educational landscape. By integrating virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), physical modeling, and experiential learning, students are offered a dynamic and comprehensive learning experience. These modes of immersion provide unique opportunities to explore design concepts, spatial relationships, and materiality in an interactive and engaging manner. Though VR has gained traction over the past decade, specifically over the course of the COVID pandemic, it is increasingly incumbent upon faculty to leverage the opportunities for in-person engagement in the post-pandemic era. For most students using these tools, VR is an isolated experience of static images. This paradigm unfortunately falls short of experiencing architecture, examining its accessible, iterative potential, and exploring feasible tectonic detail, all critical dimensions of architectural praxis.
This paper presents the use of novel expansions on VR via the use of a collaborative, immersion studio to increase engagement with emergent VR workflows. Using examples from Canada’s largest accredited architectural program, the authors contend that by embracing multiple modes of immersion with tools such as immersive labs, architectural pedagogy can cultivate greater creativity, critical thinking, and technical skills, preparing students for the complexities of architectural praxis.

Keywords:

Architectural pedagogy, mixed reality, virtual reality, digital design.