Insights Success The 10 Best Architecture Consultants in Nov 2017 | Page 37

V irtual reality has received a major makeover in recent years and has affected many businesses drastically. It has gradually evolved from being theoretical or notional to being omnipresent and a global phenomenon. Virtual reality (VR) is now being used by designers and architects to revolutionize the entire designing process. VR is thoroughly transforming architecture and is providing the option of virtually inspecting the properties so that the architects get a clear picture of the property before the construction begins. Constructing a building out of scratch and transforming it into a gorgeous home is not a matter of joke. It is a challenging task which requires tremendous hard work, brainstorming sessions and proper research to transform a high-cost dream into reality. One of the major challenges that an architect faces is communicating a design to investors, clients and developers. Bringing a large-scale architectural project to life requires numerous design and construction complexities, which makes things intricate. Therefore, VR can be used to simplify these intricacies. Traditional 2D and 3D models provide only limited visualizations. But the visualization level can be enhanced with VR intervention; it will help the viewer in experiencing the environment accurately. Conducting a Virtual Tour before Construction Clients can be asked to wear a VR headset to virtually inspect the property before the actual ground work begins. It will assist them in virtually stepping into the property and inspecting it, saving significant amount of time and money, and will provide the highest level of clarity to everyone involved in the designing process. With a VR-mounted head display, the viewers can experience a fully-interactive 3D environment, which virtually represents the building as a whole including each and every room, hallway, furniture, and so on. Some high- level VR applications also let the clients go through the property, turn on a light switch, open doors and many such experiences. VR models can also be used to represent the interior design aspect of architecture in order to provide an accurate replica of the finished blueprint. With proper guidance and collaboration from the lead interior designer of a project, VR can depict the virtual environment of the house, including furniture pieces, floor designs and other components that would bring the design to life. VR not only depicts the specific details of the property like, granite floors, wooden furniture, lighting and property planning, but also provides scale, depth and spatial awareness. Architects can use the VR tools to model the blueprint as per the client’s specifications. It is important for every architect to get a clear picture of the client's vision and present their own designs before stepping into the ground. | November 2017 | 35