Using New VR Technology as a Program Management Tool for Architects

Virtual reality has been around for decades, with the first head-mounted system coming out in 1968. However, this technology was, for the most part, clunky and expensive. Not only was the cost of actual equipment high, but if an architect wanted an application, they needed to custom program it themselves . This remained essentially true until the past few years.

New VR technology trends

Headsets, like the Oculus Rift or HTC VIVE, are now available for less than $1,000, while Facebook alone is spending billions on its VR hardware, software and content. Developers are jumping aboard this trend to build all kinds of 3D programs and applications for every industry, including architecture.

Potential architecture applications

Now that VR technology is going more mainstream, there are a number of potential applications for your architecture firm. Popular architecture software programs, like Autodesk Revit and Trimble SketchUp, work with VR headsets, allowing architects to create their designs in a 3D environment. They can then share these VR designs with others who have headsets or publish them online as 360 images where people can view them with other devices.

These tools can also coordinate with project management software for architects, helping teams in different locations plan and work on a design at the same time. For example, an architect can talk with a structural engineer in a different city while they are both virtually on-site within the 3D simulation.

If your clients have their own headsets, you can take them on a 3D walkthrough of the property—opening doors, walking through hallways and getting a real-life sense of the dimensions—even before construction starts. The software could even add lifelike details to make the tour more realistic, such as birds chirping outside or sunshine beaming into a room.

Benefits for architects

New VR technology allows architects to simulate what they want to build in 3D, which is a massive improvement over previous methods. These extra spatial qualities give your team a true sense of what the building would look like, so they can improve the design and catch mistakes and clashes before construction. This avoids costly reworks after construction is already underway. The applications also allow architects to change up their designs instantly, giving them much more freedom to experiment and fine-tune.

Given that VR operates online, teams across multiple locations can coordinate easily and make changes together in real time. It's a more efficient process and means architecture can be spread throughout the world, versus having to work on the same model in the same office.

Besides helping in the design process, new VR technology can be a valuable sales and marketing tool. Clients unfamiliar with architecture could struggle to imagine what a building would look like just based on a blueprint. Through VR, they can really see it and better appreciate your suggestions.

Given how much more impressive these presentations are, architects that invest in VR could stand out against the competition and be in better shape to deal with the latest architecture business challenges. It's no wonder that firms like Stantec, Merriman Anderson Architects and HMC Architects have begun using VR for their work.

Ways to begin using VR

Getting started with VR doesn't have to be a huge investment. As noted, one headset costs less than $1,000. However, scaling up can begin to get more expensive, not only to offer multiple headsets for team members and clients but also to pay for all the different subscriptions needed to use this technology. If your firm would like to expand quickly into new VR technology, bank financing could help you cover the costs so you can immediately start using all the applications you want.

VR isn't part of everyday life just yet, but it's getting close. Architects who get on this trend now will find themselves well-positioned for our new virtual future.