Abstract
The use of virtual reality (VR) is expanding within the AEC sectors, commonly in design and pre-construction decision-making, including as a tool to test and predict the behaviours of building occupants. The implicit assumption is the experience of an immersive Virtual Reality Environment is representative of the Real Environment, and understanding this prior to construction reduces the likelihood and significance of design errors. However, there are very few studies that have validated this basic assumption, and even fewer that have made a direct comparison between Virtual and Real building use. One behaviour that influences design is wayfinding, and the acknowledged effect of familiarity with the layout of a building, which is the subject of this study. We produced an accurate immersive VR model of part of an existing University building and asked participating students to complete a wayfinding task in both the Real and VR buildings. The results show a quantitative improvement in the route and time taken to complete the task, but highlight differences in behaviours in each environment, including subtleties of head movement, a tendency to experiment and seek amusement, and a range of responses to the technology from enjoyment to suspicion. Further research is required to explore in more detail the effect of VR technologies on participants’ behaviour, and the limitations and potentials of VR as a decision-making tool beyond the example of wayfinding that we use. In conclusion, we need to adopt a cautious approach when designing by VR and recognise that the results of experiments such as ours should complement design decisions, rather than act as their sole justification.
Highlights
It is widely reported that virtual reality (VR) holds potential in the architecture, engineering and construction sectors (AEC) for providing the experience of a building at various stages prior to construction (Whyte and Nikolić 2018; Portman et al 2015)
There is an implicit assumption in accepting these ideas that the representation produced and experienced in the virtual environment is in some way analogous to the real world environment that will be experienced at a corresponding point in space at some later date
By asking all participants to complete the wayfinding task twice, we are able to compare the results of routes and behaviours for participants completing the same task in the virtual and real environments, as well as examining changes with increased familiarity, and differences between learning in Virtual Reality Environment (VRE) or Real Environment (RE)
Summary
It is widely reported that virtual reality (VR) holds potential in the architecture, engineering and construction sectors (AEC) for providing the experience of a building at various stages prior to construction (Whyte and Nikolić 2018; Portman et al 2015) Most commonly this includes the design phase as a tool for collaboration and visualisation among AEC professionals and other stakeholders (Mastrolembo Ventura et al 2020; Maftei and Harty 2015), and the construction phase as a tool to increase efficiency and identify potential mistakes (Roupé et al 2016; Castronovo et al 2013). Much of the interest has been in presenting complex information to a range of stakeholders in ways that allow easier understanding of the design and construction processes This has centred around creating data-rich impressions of a building at future stages, aiming to provide a method of experiencing the completed building from a user’s perspective before the design is finalised or construction begun (Heydarian et al 2015). Beyond the inclusion of stakeholders outside AEC professionals, the wider difficulties of collaborative design processes even within AEC are well documented, issues such as confused communication, contested authority, and lack of responsibility (e.g. Luck 2013; Maftei and Harty 2015)
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