Digital Immersion − case studies in virtual reality

Kennesaw State University, Department of Architecture, Atlanta, Georgia

Abstract

Digital tools have transformed the ways we generate designs, pushing the boundaries in formal explorations, as well as the ways we represent them. In this vein, the impacts of the digital revolution affect both design practice and design education. We would like to investigate these impacts on our teaching of design studios, focusing on the virtual reality. Our premise is that the use of first-person immersion in a virtual environment is a means for experiencing space. We are interested in ways in which the abilities of virtual reality to simulate ranges of sensorial information could inform design processes. This paper will report in our research in our teaching that speculated about the values and application of these techniques. This paper aims to discuss our learning processes and experiences as well as to reflect on possibilities of digital means effective design pedagogy.