Human Computer Interacting Through a Game Engine: Qualifying Inclusive Design in Architecture

Abstract

This paper will discuss quality in interacting in architectural projects through the use of virtual reality and a game engine to achieve better quality of architecture and inclusiveness with universal design. Interacting on architectural projects through digital means has been the focus of the research project Virtual Scenario Responder (VSR) during the last five years. The paper will recapitulate the steps of the studies within the research project in order to elucidate the progress and expose the impact of the findings on a practical level manifested in reports generated using the VSR system as a dialogue tool to extract user feedback for improving the architectural quality. The VSR system is an interface that allows the use of computational digital 3D models in virtual reality to become part of the long tradition of representational models in architectural design. The use of virtual reality can generate a sensation of immersion into the yet unbuild architectural space that cannot be conveyed to future users in the same way through more traditional means of representation. The automatic logging of user behavior and feedback from verbal comments are captured by the VSR and act as the foundation for the feedback reports on actual architectural projects.