The Drawing and Perception of Architectural Spaces through Immersive Virtual Reality

Hugo C. Gómez-Tone,Jorge Martin-Gutierrez,Paola Bustamante Escapa,John Bustamante Escapa

doi:10.3390/su13116223

Hugo C. Gómez-Tone, Jorge Martin-Gutierrez + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116223

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Abstract

The technologies that have sought to intervene in the architectural drawing process have focused on the sense of sight, leaving aside the use of the hands and the entire body that together achieve more sensory designs. Nowadays, to the benefit of the draftsman, that ideal scenery in which sight, hands and body work holistically is returning thanks to Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR). The purpose of this research is to analyze the perception of two-dimensionally drawn spaces, the drawing of such spaces through three-dimensional sketches in IVR, and both the perception of 3D sketched spaces and those which are also modeled realistically in IVR. First and fifth year architecture students went through the four phases of the experiment: (a) the perception of a space based on 2D sketches, (b) real-scale 3D space drawing in IVR, (c) the perception of a space drawn in 3D in IVR, and (d) the perception of the same space realistically modeled in 3D in IVR. Through three questionnaires and a grading sheet, the data was obtained. The perception of two-dimensionally drawn spaces was high (70.8%), while the precision of a space drawn in an IVR was even higher (83.9%). The real or natural scale in which the spaces can be experienced in an IVR is the characteristic that was most recognized by the students; however, this and the other qualities did not allow for a reliable conclusion for a homogeneous perception of sensations within the virtual spaces.

Highlights

Were assigned to those who chose the use of contemplation, four points to use for play, three points to use for rest, two for reading and a point for watching; as a result, the perception of the use of the space only based on 2D sketches was not very high
The perception of spaces, as a product of the observation of freehand drawings based on the indicators—domain, use and activity, measurements, construction materials and sensations—is high (70.8%), which confirms the importance of two-dimensional drawings for the perception and experimentation of architectural spaces, i.e., they allow the observer to imagine living in the represented space as if it were almost real
The precision of a space drawn three-dimensionally in the Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) is high (83.9%); this was assessed based on the indicators, i.e., the measurements, scale, proportion, accuracy and materials of the drawn models; this precision did not extend to the mimetic and realistic representation of the object, but to three aspects: to a schematic representation with measurements, scale and proportions that allow the understanding and perception of the architectural space; to a complete representation of the different walls, ceilings and floors that define the spaces; and to a representation that somehow expresses the materiality of the object

Summary

Introduction

Architecture students must learn to imagine and build in their minds the architectural spaces they are designing; the mind is not capable of sustaining such designs in their totality and complexity; it is here that rapid freehand drawings are used by architects and designers to hold designs in front of their eyes This inevitably frees the mind of such a burden and gives the sense of sight the ability to examine and evaluate the design. It may seem to some that these quick and ambiguous drawings do not contribute to the design process, some researchers have shown that ambiguity in design sketches is a source of creativity, rather than uncertainty or confusion [3]. This is because it allows us to reconsider and reinterpret what is designed, achieving new relationships and perceptual configurations in a sketch, which generate a creative productive cycle [4]

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