Abstract
Virtual reality is increasingly being used in the fields of architecture and interior design to help clients better visualize spaces. Likewise, academic programs affiliated with these disciplines are incorporating online reality into their curricula in an effort to prepare students for this emerging mode of design communication. The use of this new visualization technique is thought to facilitate better spatial understanding. However, when considering students’ perceptions of object sizes and spatial relationships, how does this new online reality viewing experience compare to other modes of design communication? The purpose of this study was to analyze students’ ability to judge dimensions and distances in a online hotel lobby. Students viewed a computer-generated model of a hotel lobby in one of three popular modes of design communication—printed on paper, on computer screen, or through a online reality headset. In all three modes, students exhibited a greater ability to determine height dimensions, compared to length or width dimensions. This difference was statistically significant for computer screen and online reality modes. Students were able to accurately judge heights best via the computer screen mode, followed by online reality then paper mode. Format also proved to have a significant impact on the students’ ability to provide accurate responses, with students scoring better on questions soliciting responses in feet, rather than inches. Overall, these findings provide valuable insight into how students perceive space and have the potential to inform how design educators shape future instruction, especially when implementing emerging modes of technology.
Presenters
Tonya D MillerAssistant Professor, Department of Interior Architecture and Design, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States Catherine Kendall
Professor, Interior Architecture & Design, Dept 4204, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States Eun Young Kim
Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Virtual Reality, Spatial Perception, Technology
