Exploring Immersive Co-Design: Comparing Human Interaction in Real and Virtual Elevated Urban Spaces in London

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) technology has the potential to revolutionize public engagement in the design of urban projects, leading to more sustainable and inclusive environments. This research scrutinizes this potential through a study of elevated urban spaces, specifically the Sky Garden and Crossrail Place in London. Comparing real and virtual interactions, the aim is to highlight their differences and similarities while underscoring the importance of design decision-making for sustainable public places. Through walk-along interviews with 33 visitors in each space and a VR experiment with a separate group of 33 participants, the study analyses the effectiveness of VR as a co-design tool. The outcomes demonstrate that VR positively influences user involvement and allows for the production and real-time testing of design alternatives. Significantly, the majority of participants, who had not physically visited the spaces, could identify design concerns and propose potential activities and features through the VR experiment. These findings were consistent with those expressed by actual users of the spaces. By comparing human activities, circulation, and design concerns in both physical and virtual environments, the research underscores the potential and limitations of VR as a co-design tool for creating sustainable public spaces.

Urban virtual environment landscape design and system based on PSO-BP neural network

“…White M and other scholars use virtual reality technology to design street scenes to provide safe and comfortable walking conditions for pedestrians 15 . Ehab A and other scholars used immersive design to compare human interaction in the real and virtual elevated urban spaces of London Sky Garden, and explored the geographical virtual language landscape of Dublin urban area, providing an important reference for urban design 16 , 17 . Scholars such as Saorin J L explored the experience of VR environment users through landscape design in indoor and outdoor environments.…”

Reviewing and Integrating AEC Practices into Industry 6.0: Strategies for Smart and Sustainable Future-Built Environments

“…Instead of replacing humans, the objective is to augment human capabilities, enabling them to participate in advanced decision-making, creativity, and problem-solving. This industry also champions digital access equity, aiming to equip underserved communities with modern tools and training, thus reducing biases and promoting inclusivity [105]. The potential of the metaverse, which blends physical and digital interactions, is likened to past innovations such as the internet and e-commerce, offering tools to effectively manage the transition to AEC Industry 5.0 [126].…”