Mixed reality tools in architectural education: Exploring buildings from the inside out

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We seek to implement the use of first person virtual environments in the process of architectural design and to see to what extent this helps architectural students to better understand this process of design and to communicate their intentions. Specifically, we propose to incorporate the Hololens in the teaching of the D-ARCH Seminar “Experiments on the spatial perception and spatial cognition of architects”. The seminar is split between theory and hands-on exercises. If successful in gaining access to Hololens’ through LET, we propose to arrange for the hands-on exercises to involve the Hololens. During the semester, students would conceive of, and implement, a design alteration. The aim is that students gain a deeper understanding of how their design alteration might be experienced from the first-person perspective and to what extent such an alteration might change the experience of these buildings. Emphasis is placed on the design-analysis feedback loop, which is embedded in the evidence-based design approach to architectural design promoted at the Chair of Cognitive Science.

• Students gain a deeper understanding about the perception and cognition of space through the use of mixed reality tools (eg. Hololens).
• Students are exposed to user-centered architectural design by being able to experience spaces from the first-person perspective.
• Students experience a design-analysis feedback loop, whereby their design interventions are informed by the methods taught as part of the course.

The use of mixed reality tools (eg. Hololens) in an architecture seminar is innovative. Students will experience spaces from the first-person perspective, and will be able to re-design and view the modified space easily, thanks to the custom-built 3D modelling software. We also measure the development of the spatial abilities of students using the newly-developped Spatial Visualisation test.
The use of mixed reality tools (eg. Hololens) in an architecture seminar is innovative, allowing for interactions (between one or more students and/or course tutors) whilst experiencing a space as a user, from the inside out.

Technical limitations of the Hololens software meant it was not always possible to stream what the main presenter was viewing on the classroom beamer; syncing between multiple devices was also not trivial.

• Students were excited to get to use the Hololens devices, but the main novelty turned out to be to use the device as a visualisation tool.
• It was exciting to “be inside” the building.
• Limited scope to actually design in the device, and several technical difficulties when streaming the presenter view to the classroom beamer.

• Students needed max 4 hours to learn how to fully interact with the Hololens devices (gestures etc.)
• Students who took the time to learn how to use with devices faired better
• It was not possible in this 1st generation of Hololens for students to make modifications to a model directly in Hololens – they had to go back to their CAD software.