How Technology is Changing the Way You Can Envision Your New Home
See how architects and building designers are using software to immerse clients, near and far, in the design process
As architects and building designers adapt their work practices to navigate the challenges of coronavirus, building information modelling software and virtual reality (VR) will prove a vital tool to work with clients remotely. Enhancing clients’ user experience, these tools provide people with a better idea of how their new home will look and feel, long before it’s built. Imagine walking through the front door, down the hallway into the living area, seeing the view outside the windows, the placement of the furniture and how the space looks in the evening, even though it’s actually midday.
It can be difficult to visualise how a two-dimensional design and three-dimensional model will look in reality. Building information modelling and virtual reality offer people a greater sense of their new space, showing proportions, dimensions, materials, lighting, the view and natural and artificial light. Using immersive VR, architects and building designers can gauge clients’ reactions and feedback immediately and refine the design in real time. We spoke to three architects about the building modelling and VR tools they are using to immerse clients in the design process.
It can be difficult to visualise how a two-dimensional design and three-dimensional model will look in reality. Building information modelling and virtual reality offer people a greater sense of their new space, showing proportions, dimensions, materials, lighting, the view and natural and artificial light. Using immersive VR, architects and building designers can gauge clients’ reactions and feedback immediately and refine the design in real time. We spoke to three architects about the building modelling and VR tools they are using to immerse clients in the design process.
At the same time, the screen is being shared with Winter Architecture’s lead designer Claire White in Perth, WA, and the company’s James Embry in Melbourne.
Ready to see the possibilities for your own renovation? Find an architect on Houzz who can show you in person or online
Ready to see the possibilities for your own renovation? Find an architect on Houzz who can show you in person or online
Image by Tess Kelly Photography; Winter Architecture in collaboration with Karen Butler Interior Design
Using the software, the client’s viewpoint can be placed at a static location in the room, and swivelled to take in the 360-degree view around them. “Three-dimensional models give clients much more accessibility to their own design, and help them understand the nuances of a design,” says Jean Graham, director of Winter Architecture.
“We guide clients through the model to show what their house looks like with the view, the sun and at different times of day.” Clients can also give immediate feedback regarding the joinery details, such as the placement of the bench or kitchen cabinets based on how they like to cook.
Using the software, the client’s viewpoint can be placed at a static location in the room, and swivelled to take in the 360-degree view around them. “Three-dimensional models give clients much more accessibility to their own design, and help them understand the nuances of a design,” says Jean Graham, director of Winter Architecture.
“We guide clients through the model to show what their house looks like with the view, the sun and at different times of day.” Clients can also give immediate feedback regarding the joinery details, such as the placement of the bench or kitchen cabinets based on how they like to cook.
Image by Dave Kulesza Photography; Winter Architecture in collaboration with Field Office Architecture
Sharing a design in this way provides flexibility between architects and clients if they are unable to meet in person due to family, travel, work or other commitments. “I think we will find it becomes the new normal as it’s a much quicker and more efficient way to work,” says Graham.
Sharing a design in this way provides flexibility between architects and clients if they are unable to meet in person due to family, travel, work or other commitments. “I think we will find it becomes the new normal as it’s a much quicker and more efficient way to work,” says Graham.
Moloney Architects
Moloney Architects takes VR one step further, using a head-mounted display, such as an Oculus headset, to simulate the experience of being physically present in the room. Immersed in the virtual environment, clients are effectively closed off from the outside world.
Moloney Architects offers this experience in its studio (and now home office), and the affordability of headsets (some retail prices start at a few hundred dollars) means clients can also have the experience at home. Moloney Architects emails a link to the three-dimensional file that can be viewed on their own headset.
Moloney Architects takes VR one step further, using a head-mounted display, such as an Oculus headset, to simulate the experience of being physically present in the room. Immersed in the virtual environment, clients are effectively closed off from the outside world.
Moloney Architects offers this experience in its studio (and now home office), and the affordability of headsets (some retail prices start at a few hundred dollars) means clients can also have the experience at home. Moloney Architects emails a link to the three-dimensional file that can be viewed on their own headset.
The client can be virtually placed at any static point in the room to understand how the space will look in 360 degrees. “For a home office, we will seat the client at a desk in our office, and place them at their desk in the virtual environment so they experience the space at the right height,” explains Mick Moloney, co-founder and director of Moloney Architects.
The image the client sees in their headset is also streamed onto a computer in the studio, so the design team can ascertain exactly what the client is looking or pointing at.
The image the client sees in their headset is also streamed onto a computer in the studio, so the design team can ascertain exactly what the client is looking or pointing at.
People can experience the simulated space as it would appear at different times of the day and year, showing the shifts in sun and light penetration. VR can also incorporate environmental and other relevant data, such as the view from the site, which Moloney Architects did for the design of a home.
“We visited the site and took panoramic photographs of the view and stitched them together to create a ‘virtual view’ within the 3D model,” says Moloney. “We then placed the client at their desk to demonstrate the actual view that they would have.”
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“We visited the site and took panoramic photographs of the view and stitched them together to create a ‘virtual view’ within the 3D model,” says Moloney. “We then placed the client at their desk to demonstrate the actual view that they would have.”
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Image by Lucas Muro Photographer
Koda Design
Koda Design also uses Revit, layered with virtual reality and real-time rendering plug-in software. “They say a picture is worth one thousand words. VR is worth far more,” says Dane Power, director of Koda Design.
The building design team uses VR from the early stages of the design process, allowing the client to understand the design and concept from the beginning of the project. “It means we can pitch and discuss an idea in the equivalent of what would be a two-hour meeting,” says Power.
Koda Design
Koda Design also uses Revit, layered with virtual reality and real-time rendering plug-in software. “They say a picture is worth one thousand words. VR is worth far more,” says Dane Power, director of Koda Design.
The building design team uses VR from the early stages of the design process, allowing the client to understand the design and concept from the beginning of the project. “It means we can pitch and discuss an idea in the equivalent of what would be a two-hour meeting,” says Power.
Koda Design uses VR with a head-mounted display in two formats. The first is mobile, so clients can be immersed in the virtual environment, while based at home or on-site. They can view the interior or exterior of their house from a static point.
The second format provides a more immersive simulated experience. Koda has a VR zone in its Brisbane studio in Queensland where, using the headset and hand controllers, clients can effectively walk through their house to gain a more thorough understanding of the space. They can give immediate feedback and changes can be made in real time on request.
The second format provides a more immersive simulated experience. Koda has a VR zone in its Brisbane studio in Queensland where, using the headset and hand controllers, clients can effectively walk through their house to gain a more thorough understanding of the space. They can give immediate feedback and changes can be made in real time on request.
Koda Design also uses VR with other consultants and collaborators in the design, improving the efficiency and accuracy for everyone involved.
“We use it as a communication tool with builders and lighting consultants. We can send the lighting plan with a VR link to our lighting representatives so they get a complete feel for the space to help with lighting,” says Power. “We can also send the link to our builders for pricing. For example, they select a wall to understand its properties, such as length, height and square metreage, in order to price it.”
VR also allows greater multi-user collaboration, which is particularly useful on larger-scale commercial projects. Koda recently used VR for a Westfield project in Canberra, ACT. Multiple consultants located interstate met within the simulated model via a virtual avatar. There they could identify issues not visible on plans and resolve them in the design and documentation.
Your turn
What do you think about these advances in technology? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want an insight into how builders are navigating business? Read How Builders are Responding to These Corona Times
“We use it as a communication tool with builders and lighting consultants. We can send the lighting plan with a VR link to our lighting representatives so they get a complete feel for the space to help with lighting,” says Power. “We can also send the link to our builders for pricing. For example, they select a wall to understand its properties, such as length, height and square metreage, in order to price it.”
VR also allows greater multi-user collaboration, which is particularly useful on larger-scale commercial projects. Koda recently used VR for a Westfield project in Canberra, ACT. Multiple consultants located interstate met within the simulated model via a virtual avatar. There they could identify issues not visible on plans and resolve them in the design and documentation.
Your turn
What do you think about these advances in technology? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want an insight into how builders are navigating business? Read How Builders are Responding to These Corona Times
Winter Architecture combines traditional modes of hand sketching and drawing, physical models and design software Autodesk’s Revit to develop, demonstrate and refine its designs. Revit allows users to manipulate whole buildings, assemblies or components, creating a more realistic image of a two-dimensional drawing or three-dimensional model.
Winter Architecture produces drawings and perspectives of their designs in Revit, and shares them with clients either in person or online via Google Hangouts, where they can share screens so everyone views the same image. Pictured, are two clients in Winter Architecture’s Fitzroy studio, viewing the design of their new Melbourne house in Northcote, Victoria.