Reality Check: How 3D Building Walk-Throughs Took Over A’18
Emily Pollock posted on June 28, 2018 | | 72 views
Microdesk’s Peter Marchese demonstrates the company’s approach to VR. (Image courtesy of author.)
While virtual reality (VR) is still commonly associated with science fiction, its uses are quickly becoming science fact. At the American Institute of Architects Conference on Architecture 2018, VR goggles were almost as ubiquitous as smartphones, with multiple vendors showing off their tech to help translate building models into VR experiences.
Microdesk and IrisVR collaborated for their well-publicized Bring Your Own BIM setup, where attendees could bring in their own BIM models and do a 3D walk-through of them. ARCHICAD debuted its connection with stand-alone partner Twinmotion, allowing users to import their ARCHICAD models into Twin motion and view them in VR.
SketchUp offered a slightly different solution. Its AR program, which the company developed in tandem with Microsoft HoloLens, is meant for on-site use. Customers can use their app to load a SketchUp model into HoloLens, which they can then view on-site without any need for a computer. Indeed, HoloLens comes in a version that’s attached to a construction helmet, allowing workers to wear it at building sites that are in progress.
“I think it really started about three or four years ago when you saw a lot of innovators playing around with it, but I don’t think it hit the mass market…