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WHAT IS HAPPENING TO VIRTUAL AND

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CONFERENCE PAPER MAY 2013

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R. Stouffs, P. Janssen, S. Roudavski, B. Tuner (eds.), Open Systems: Proceedings of the 18th International
Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA 2013), 110. 2013,
The Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA), Hong Kong, and
Center for Advanced Studies in Architecture (CASA), Department of Architecture-NUS, Singapore.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED

REALITY APPLIED TO ARCHITECTURE?
Mrcia Regina de FREITAS and Regina Coeli RUSCHEL
University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
marciarf, ruschel@fec.unicamp.br

Abstract. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive survey of

activities on research and development of Virtual and Augmented Reality
applied to architecture. 200 papers were reviewed, taken from annual conferences of the Association for Computer Aided Design In Architecture
(ACADIA) and its sibling organizations in Europe (ECAADE and CAAD
Futures), Asia (CAADRIA), the Middle East (ASCAAD) and South
America (SIGRADI). The papers were grouped in research areas (design
method, architectural theory and history, performance evaluation, human
interaction, representation and process & management), emphasis (education, application, collaboration, visualization, practice and theory) and
technology development stage (specification, development, application
demonstration and evaluation). The period of study comprises 11 years,
from 2000 to 2011. Findings for each category are described and key publications and authors are identified.
Keywords. Virtual Reality; Augmented Reality; study of activity.

1. Introduction
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are technologies that add
potential benefits from initial planning and conceptual construction design to
facility management and operation phases. Moreover, these technologies improve
the visualization and interaction of a building or infrastructure design and construction process and also the communication and innovation within projects.
VR is known as a technology that adds the dimensions of immersion and interactivity to three-dimensional computer generated models and offers an exploration
that is not viable with the traditional form of representation (Burdea and Coiffet,
2003, p. 2). For the designer in Architecture, Engineering and Construction
(AEC), one example of advantage in VR use is when applying virtual reality systems as CAVEs that offer the opportunity for direct perception of the forms and
1

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spaces through immersion inside an imaginary, computer-generated virtual

world, large enough to walk through (Okeil, 2010).
AR can be summarized as a technology that uses VR to add virtual objects to
real environments in real-time, using technological devices for the overlapping of
images (Azuma, 1997; Hhl, 2009; Kirner et al., 2004). In architecture and construction this technology can assist in the design and visualization of architectural
forms, results of simulation and analysis of energy issues as well as in the manufacturing of structural components or directly in the construction, for example, at
the construction site or during Post-Occupancy Evaluation (Amin, 2007).
Despite VR and AR potentials there are still difficulties which withhold their
use in AEC. According to Kalisperis et al. (2002), even though VR application has
increased in general, in architecture professors are not using its potential. If this
technology was applied in the early years of undergraduate courses, the status of
the student from observer to a real participant in the learning process could be
changed. In architecture and engineering practice, difficulties such as costs and
need of training for familiarization with unconventional devices (trackers, gloves,
glasses) can be adoption limiting aspects. As for AR, the drawback is the fact that
most research is still in computer science and there is lack of motivation and funds
for applied research (Wang et al., 2008).
Both technologies are now almost 45 years old, what motivates a comprehensive
survey of activities on research and development of Virtual and Augmented Reality
applied to architecture. In order to understand this context, a study of activity was
carried out for the period from 2000 to 2011. 200 papers were reviewed, taken from
annual conferences of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture
(ACADIA) and its sibling organizations in Europe (ECAADE and CAAD Futures),
Asia (CAADRIA), the Middle East (ASCAAD) and South America (SIGRADI).
Important, previous research effort have applied data mining techniques to find
research patterns in Computer Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) (Chiu et al.,
2002) or have developed machine-assisted infrastructure and metrics to explore
CAAD corpus (Bhatt and Martens, 2009). Therefore, this study being another comprehensive study on CAAD, considering ACADIA articles, may appear to commit
one of the seven deadly sins of CAAD (Maver, 1995), the sin of Dj vu. However,
this study is intended allow knowledge discovery specific to virtual and augmented
reality applied to architecture considering specific aspects as: Brazilian architectural
graduate program research areas, technology development and research emphasis.
2. Comprehensive Survey of Activity
The survey of activity was developed in the following stages: theme definition,
preliminary review, problem formulation, reference source identification, search

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plan, reference collection, material booking, reading and filtering, material classification and analysis. The theme definition stage limited the scope of the study
where the research question and period of review was posed. The preliminary
research involved unstructured search in citation and scientific databases. This
first experimental search was driven by the terms Virtual Reality and Augmented
Reality, in fields such as abstract, title and keywords; limited to the subject of
social science and arts & humanities. The problem formulation stage was dedicated to specifying parameters that would allow a comprehensive survey.
Therefore, three aspects were defined: graduate program research areas, research
emphasis and technology stage development. Since the study may indicate
research trends and voids, Brazilian architectural graduate program research areas
were selected so that findings may guide research directions. The Brazilian agency
for Coordination of Improvement for Higher Education (CAPES) which is a government organization that plays a key role in the expansion and consolidation of
graduate studies in the country was selected for areas of research definition.
Therefore, the areas of research in architecture were defined as: design method,
architectural theory and history, performance evaluation, human interaction, representation and process & management. Still in the problem formulation stage,
considering results from the preliminary research, it was observed that studies in
VR/AR applied in architecture presented specific emphasis. The emphasis
observed were in: education, application, collaboration, visualization, practice and
theoretical discussion. Finally, since VR and AR are intrinsically related to technology: software, hardware and communication, the stages of maturation as
specification, development, implementation, demonstration and evaluation were
also defined for observation.
In the stage of reference source identification the journals International Journal
of Architectural Computing, Virtual Reality, Automation in Construction and the
Cumulative Index of Computer Aided Architectural Design (CUMINCAD) were
selected in order to represent sources where peer review articles related to architecture, computer science and engineering could be found. Since initial article
samples were not homogenous in time and size, the digital library (CUMINCAD)
was chosen in order to drive sample study to proceeding papers, with architectural
emphasis.
The survey sample resulted from searching works with the phrase virtual reality and/or augmented reality in articles title or abstract. References were exported
to the online bibliographic database ENDNOTE WEB in order to organize, treat
and manipulate. The abstracts of collected papers were read and classified considering the comprehensive parameters defined. This process resulted in the
material classification. Once classified the analysis took place by developing publication distribution in function of time, quantification of publication in

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comprehensive parameters and extraction of findings examples from full paper.

The period of survey comprised 11 years, from 2000 to 2011.
3. Comprehensive Parameters
3.1. RESEARCH AREAS

It was observed that the research areas interested in VR and AR applied to architecture are design methods, architectural theory and history and performance
evaluation (Figure 1). Research on VR and AR alone in Human interaction, representation and process & management was observed in smaller percentage.
However, there is an integration of these last three areas with design method.
Design Method was addressed by 46% of the articles. Methods present the use
of these technologies taking place in different phases of the design in addition to
being applied in different ways during the process. An example is the method of
exchanging ideas between members of multidisciplinary teams in early design
development assisted by VR/AR. Analysis of cities, in digital models, are supported by these technologies in order to promote the development of standards and
guidelines during creation of city models (Boudakis, 2001).
Theory, history and architectural critique are cited in 23% of articles. Ahmad
Rafi and Karboulonis (2000) theorize on the dichotomy between art and science
related to design creativity throughout time and point out that improvements in
design solutions are necessary when adopting new technologies to provide effective visualization and communication of ideas and concepts.
20% of researched articles focused on human interaction with the space and
artefacts (considering ergonomics and perception). This subject is shown in

Figure 1. Distribution of publications according to the research areas of: (1) Design method,
(2) Architectural theory and history, (3) Performance evaluation, (4) Human interaction
with space and artefacts, (5) Representation, (6) Process & management.

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Guimares (2007) where user perception of Information and Orientation Systems

using different VR technologies was compared with traditional in loco system.
3.2. EMPHASES

The most observed studies emphases were on how to apply VR and AR, with focus
on how to use them for visualization and how to use in practice (Figure 2). Other
highlights consist in studies that emphasize VR and AR applied to education.
18% of the reviewed articles emphasize VR/AR associations applied for visualization purposes. Fukuda et al. (2006) describe VR applied to simulation
visualization, where real-time simulation based on virtual reality technology is
developed for environmental design evaluation. Portillo, Amen and Flores (2010)
present the development of an AR application for Smartphone to reformulate the
vision of the society on urban and archaeological heritage in relation with new
technologies.
17% of the articles address applications of VR and AR in architecture.
Balakrishnan, Kalisperis and Sundar (2006) apply immersive VR associated with
psycho-physiological measures in order to capture the affective component of the
digital architectural experience. Seichter (2003) applies AR to support a collaborative sketching application.
13% of papers presented a theoretical discussion about VR and AR technologies. In this classification falls Seichter (2005) which analyzes perception and
collaborative work using tangible interfaces with AR in a design studio, discussing
the concept of usability evaluation with a focus on fundamental theories.
Visualization with VR and AR is mentioned in 10% of the total sample. Wu
(2009) examines VR being widely used to present architectural design in space

Figure 2. Distribution of publications according to emphasis in: (1) Education, (2) Application,
(3) Collaboration, (4) Visualization, (5) Practice, (6) Theoretical discussion.

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without the users knowledge on the subject, facilitating the understanding of the
built environment through realistic visualization.
9% of the read articles deal with technology in education. Navarro, Fonseca
and Puig (2011) define and evaluate a method for using AR applied in disciplines
of graphical representation. It was observed that the use of new technologies promotes students motivation in the learning process in a practical and intuitive way.
However, the accuracy of the result is variable. Nevertheless, faster visualization
increases interest in improving errors.
3.3. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

The reviewed studies, when look through the lenses of technology development,
demonstrate focus on evaluating VR and AR systems, followed by system or tool
implementation effort and its demonstration and finally presenting the specification of a wished VR or AR system (Figure 3).
Technology evaluation was described in 26% of the analysed articles. Huang
et al. (2001) addressed a discussion about technology assessment by investigating
the similarities and variations between computational techniques, principles of
interaction and its application in order to understand the process and allow designers to adopt different means of communication during the design phases.
21% of read articles described system or tool implementation effort and its
demonstration. Ucelli, Conti and De Amiccis (2005) argue that design environments based on VR should be connected to repositories to facilitate the access and
reuse of information. These authors describe the development of a framework for
incorporating a VR based design environment and a knowledge management system for multimedia content. The main objective of the research was to propose an

Figure 3. Distribution of publications according to stage of technology development as:

(1) Specification, (2) Development, (3) Implementation & Development, (4) Evaluation.

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original and innovative approach to assist the design process through the use of
new media and technology solution.
System or tool specification was addressed in 15% of the sample read articles.
As an example of paper with focus on technology specification Hirschberg et al.
(2006) explain the technical aspects of tracking technology with VR/AR and give
an overview of possible use in architectural design.
14% of the articles address the development phase to VR/AR. Wang (2007)
presents a systematic framework that proposes the concept of mutual increase, i.e.,
the co-existence of entities of AR and AV (Augmented Virtuality), creating a new
integrated and shared space.
4. Featured Authors
Figure 4 presents the top five positions in number of publications featuring 12
main authors in VR and AR in annual conferences of the ACADIA and its sibling
organizations over the period from 2000 to 2011. By searching for the institution
where these authors were at the time of publication or are now, the related knowledge silos on VR and AR can be drawn to be at: University of Strathclyde (UK),
Osaka University (Japan), University Weimar (Germany), Graz University of
Technology (Germany), Technische Universitat Muchen (Germany), University of
Thessaly (Greece) and University of Sydney (Australia).

Figure 4. Top ten positions of authors that published in last 11years in ACADIA events.

5. Publication Distribution in Time

Despite the extension of the analytical period (11 years) and the number of articles found addressing VR/AR in this survey, it was observed that the rhythm of
VR/AR articles published in annual conferences of the ACADIA and its sibling

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Figure 5. Curves of publications in ACADIA and Avery, average, standard deviation and
statistical correlation of published articles in the period of study in ACADIA conferences.

organizations was irregular. It is possible to infer a pattern of decrease or maintenance of publications in the subject. However, caution must be taken in
transforming this result in a tendency, for the statistical correlation between articles published in function of time is weak. However, a similar pattern in decrease
of publication of articles related to VR/AR was encountered in Avery Index to
Architectural Periodicals (Figure 5).
Analyzing the events separately, also with caution, it was observed that publishing patterns differ among conferences. While ACADIA, CAADRIA and
ECAADE show decrease of interest in VR and AR, CAAD Futures, SIGRADI and
ASCAAD slightly point in the direction of maintenance or increase.
6. Conclusions
Surprisingly, it was observed that the rhythm of VR and AR articles published in
annual conferences of the ACADIA and its sibling organizations was irregular
over the period of study and that there is a slight pattern of decrease or maintenance of publication. Since central concepts in CAAD change with time (Bhatt
and Kishore, 2008), a closer look must be taken in order to understand if the
decrease in VR/AR publications denotes a decrease of research interest or a more
precise delimitation of the topic.
In terms of research study areas, most articles address transformation in design
process with the incorporation of VR and AR. In these studies there is emphasis
on tool appliance and its use for visualization followed by theoretical discussion
over technology, application in education, application in collaboration and practice. The technology is in most cases evaluated, but also implementation efforts
are presented; which indicates the constant need for innovation follow-up.

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The survey of activity demonstrates that possible benefits of these technologies, when applied in design process to understand and communicate ideas, are
noticeable. However, VR and AR have not been yet fully incorporated in architectural practice, despite its almost half century existence and evolution in other
technical areas. Education is an important driving forces promoting technology
appropriation in practice.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to FAPESP Fundao de Amparo Pesquisa do Estado de So Paulo by funding this
research.

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