Hereby we present the first results of a Financed Research Project that focuses on the use of (Serious games) SG for training future architects and urban planner in the urban design context. After the first viability studies and tests in the creation of urban scenarios at intermediate scale, virtual simulation, vegetative environment and lighting, as well as basic gamification, the complete development of the teacher's methodology proposal of the research project is outlined. First five urban scenarios have been selected in which the students of Máster y Grado de Arquitectura of the ETSABarcelona-UPC of landscape and urban design have developed of urban intervention projects from the local administration and neighborhood associations. These projects have been completed subsequently in different optional courses ICT, in which 3-D virtual scenarios have been created and rehearsed under a first basic gamification. Following with the project it has continued with other courses of Architectonic Representation degree, where final settings and designs have been created, according to the students´interest in using Virtual Reality Technology. Afterwards the virtual models and scenarios were transferred to La Salle-Barcelona URL Architecture students in different courses of Representation tools, in order to continue with advanced gamification, HMD and analysis of its usage and their motivation. The results of these instructed processes have reached the administration, neighbors, professionals and general public.
Audio representation is critical for immersive virtual environments. This article presents a quasi-experiment based on architecture students evaluating the immersive impact of 3D audio in the representation of urban environments. In the framework of acoustic urban heritage preservation, a set of city squares with varying acoustic features were used as case studies in a two-step process: an objective analysis of the acoustic properties of these spaces; and the users' subjective perceptions of the virtual environment of the squares. The study shows that we can gain a better understanding of the objective parameters through the subjective views of users. Acoustic heritage can be assessed subjectively using an immersive system such as virtual reality, in which audio representation is a key factor.
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