Mixed Reality & Architecture | Photograph via Pexels In architecture, collaborating with other industries can help professionals expand beyond traditional thinking and find new and innovative solutions. For example, a previous post features a collaborative design project between the architectural firm Offhand Practice and the Shanghai-based fashion brand XiaoZhuo.By taking into account XiaoZhuos ethos of creativity, curiosity, and playful spirit, the architects not only created a retail store that perfectly showcases the brands clothing merchandise but also designed a space that blurs physical boundaries and lets customers immerse themselves in the interplay between rigidity and softness, coldness and warmth, and light and shadow.However, beyond incorporating industry-specific concepts and brand values into design language for a more nuanced project, architects can also work with and take inspiration from other creative industries to enhance digital transformation in their world of work. Among the emerging technologies in architecture, specifically in architectural design education, is mixed reality, which mainly comes in the form of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR).In addition to improving architecture students learning experience and academic outcomes, AR/VR technologies can boost real-world practice and enrich architects creativity, efficiency, and client interactions. Below, we look at the different ways creative industries like eyewear, fashion, and museums incorporate AR/VR solutions and how architects can draw lessons from their successful digital transformation.Providing AR-based previews for improved visualizationAugmented reality (AR) involves overlaying computer-generated elements onto the physical environment for a more interactive, three-dimensional experience. As such, the eyewear industry leverages AR-based virtual try-ons to help customers visualize their creative frame designs better, even when shopping online.The pioneering eyewear retailer Sunglass Hut has an AR feature that enables shoppers to browse its selection of brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Versace and try on glasses online. Without having to visit a physical store, customers can simply select their favorite style, click the Try them on option, and see how the frames fit their faces and suit their features via their devices camera. In the same vein, architects can utilize AR to provide clients with a more realistic preview of their designs and thus inform their expectations on aspects like scale, layout, and overall ambiance.Using mixed reality to enhance client interactionsMixed Reality | Patrick Schneider via UnsplashWhereas AR combines digital content with physical elements of the real world, virtual reality (VR) transports users into a fully computerized environment for a realistic and immersive experience, typically through the use of VR headsets. As the luxury fashion sector looks for ways to elevate brand-customer experiences, brands like Mytheresa and J.Crew are using VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro for a virtual store that displays 3D iterations of their latest collections.Mytheresas virtual experience transports consumers to destinations like Capri and Paris to better immerse them in the summer-inspired Dolce Vita collection, while J.Crew utilizes mixed reality to offer virtual clienteling sessions while customers shop. Drawing inspiration from these tailored experiences, architectural firms can create virtual environments that clients can visit to see designs on a full scale and receive virtual assistance and consultation throughout the design process.Leveraging AR/VR experiences for cost-effective storytellingLastly, architects can explore how museums use 3D visuals and fully immersive virtual environments to tell a richer story beyond textual information about objects, artifacts, exhibits, and collections. For example, the Loot: 10 Stories exhibition harnesses the power of VR through ultra-detailed digital twins of looted objects, such as a Rembrandt self-portrait and a traditional Balinese kris dagger.Once again, architects can be inspired by the same principle to develop digital prototypes and digital twins of their project designs and thus allow clients, designers, and other stakeholders to better understand the concepts and storytelling behind the models. Moreover, this technique optimizes costs in assessing both the aesthetic and structural aspects of a design.In summary, AR/VR solutions in architecture can create a more collaborative, iterative, nuanced, and cost-effective design process when architects draw lessons from other creative industries using these emerging technologies. Continue reading ArchEyes for more insightful features and design inspiration.technology Leave a comment