THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY AS CONCEPTUAL MODELING METHOD IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

• Main Author: Alfi Agirachman, Fauzan
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/44483
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Visualization has become an important stage in architectural design as a way architect as a designer communicates their ideas that are still abstract or have No. physical form visually or graphically. Thus, the counterpart can properly digest the ideas especially on how the space and its composition are formed. Over time, architectural modeling media has evolved from clay to the emergence of Computer- Aided Design (CAD) technology which is now commonly used. However, CAD system have some limitation when used at conseptual phase. One of them is prototyping ability or ability to manipulate objects directly (direct manipulation) that allows architect to interact directly with 3D objects in a virtual environment, just like doing point and click manipulation using a cursor. By the 21st century, architetural modeling methods have begun to be influenced by computer graphics (CG) technology, especially when virtual reality (VR) is more accessible to consumers in early 2011. Thus, this situation can encourage the use of VR as architectural design modeling method. However, the utilization of virtual reality technology in architecture is still limited to converting current 3D models into an immersive visualization. Such situations provide exploration opportunities for the utilization of VR to address the limitation of existing CAD system, particularly on prototyping ability or direct manipulation. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality technology as conceptual modeling method in architectural design by taking into account the factors that forms the VR experience, such as immersion as sensation of being in a different environment and interaction as the situation where user feels involved inside the environment and free to explore and act inside it. This study focuses on the direct manipulation action as the core experience of conceptual modeling. The existence of sensory action-reaction on user when experiencing VR creates a loop between user’s perception and simulated scene inside virtual environment. Looking at phenomenon above, it was formulated that the study aims to know the tendency of users to feel immerse inside the virtual environment and find significant factors that affect the tendency; to know how far the presence perceived by users in the VR simulation for conceptual modeling and find main factors affecting user experience; and to know the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality simulation for conceptual modeling seen from the correlation between immersion tendency and presence factor triggered during simulation. This study uses quantitative research strategy with simulation research, especially simulation on conceptual phase of architectural design process. The simulation that’s used in the study is to build a simple building in form of shelter using headmounted based VR system and gamepad controller. The application itself was developed sing Unity3D game engine and Visual Studio IDE with C# programming language. Development of VR simulation application is focused on basic interactions and controls. Type of sampling used in this study is non-random sampling with purposive sampling technique. Data collection is done by asking respondents to experience VR simulation application for conceptual modeling, using Immersive Tendency Questionnaire for pre-simulation quesionnaire and Presence Questionnaire for post-simulation questionnaire. Data analysis is done by using multivariate correlation analysis method for pre-simulation phase, visual data analysis at simulation phase, and principal component analysis & factor analysis at post-simulation phase. At the end, it is concluded that the use of VR technology for conceptual modeling was almost effective but tended not to be as effective as current conventional modeling tools. However, this doesn’t mean that VR technology cannot be used at all in architectural design. The development of VR technology for architectural design needs to be focused on factors affecting user experiece, such as user adaptibility and self-control being immersed in virtual environment; user interaction ability to design in virtual environment; user sensory capabilities in measuring spatial and object scales; user focus on interacting inside virtual environment; effectiveness of user interaction in achieving design goals; and the presence of mechanical and visual disturbance in virtual environment. Moreover, the findings of user’s tendency to immerse dan present themselves inside virtual environment still provide an opportunity to utilize VR in architectural design process.