Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First

Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study

Salih Ceylan

Department of Architecture, Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey

Keywords: Virtual Reality, Design Education, Visual Media in Architecture.

Abstract: The use of virtual reality (VR) technologies is getting widespread throughout the world in the last years.

Architecture as a prominent discipline in using digital technologies has a lot to promise about the use of VR

in different areas of the profession. It can be used as a design or a representation instrument, as well as a tool

in the construction processes. Accordingly, as architectural education needs to keep itself up-to-date about

new technologies, the implementation of VR technologies into the architecture curriculum is supposed to be

a subject to be studied by researchers working in the educational domain of architecture. This paper presents

a comparative study on the use of VR technologies in the first year of architectural education to improve the

visual and spatial recognition skills of students. The findings of the study indicate that VR technologies can

be beneficial in various aspects like the perception of certain physical characteristics of a model, and students’

enthusiasm to participate in the design studio courses.

1 INTRODUCTION

The strong relationship between technology and

society is an undeniable truth nowadays. Technology

has become a major force that transforms and adds

new dimensions to people's lives (Dugger Jr., 1993).

century has been the era of digitalization where

the knowledge of humanity was transferred to digital

devices and the 21

century is being the era of digital

communication as every entity is connected to others

through a global web of networks. Digital technology

has entered most things in everyday life and it

increasingly determines the activity of people

(Rückriem, 2009). Computers, phones, other smart

devices, even household tools that are connected to

the internet transform society into a massive organism

that depends on technology for its improvement.

Children of the last decade who are born into such a

society are significantly talented in using those

technological devices, and in that way, they

contribute to the broader and further development of

digital technologies throughout the whole world.

However, the reflections of technological

improvements in society are not emphasized enough

in the fields of education and teaching. Technology

has had very little effect on our conceptions of

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3808-7773

teaching and learning (Schank, 2007). The reasons for

this situation may be varying from the conservative

approach of the educators to the phlegmatic structure

of education policies, but its results are mostly seen

in struggling curricula that try to keep up with the

emerging needs of the society but are bound to

conventional approaches in education. Bates and

Poole (2003) argue that it does not make sense to use

technology unless it makes a difference in learning

and teaching.

In higher education, especially in disciplines

where the connection between the practice and

academy is strong, the mechanism for the

digitalization of educational content works slightly

faster. Emerging developments in technology briskly

become a part of vocational education through some

exercises and implementations. In architectural

education, emerging technologies like automation in

construction, building information modelling (BIM)

and artificial intelligence have already started to

become a part of the curriculum. Various researchers

and educators have begun to address the need to

integrate digital design in architectural design

education (Oxman, 2008). Among the different ways

to integrate digital technologies into architectural

education are computer augmented design studio,

Ceylan, S.

Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study.

DOI: 10.5220/0009346800540063

In Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2020) - Volume 2, pages 54-63

ISBN: 978-989-758-417-6

CAD-plus studio, virtual and web design studio,

cyberspace design studio, intelligent building studio,

and toys and tools studio (Do & Gross, 1999). Virtual

reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are other

emerging technologies that are started to be employed

in architectural design and representation processes

and they already started to find a place in education

as well. However, they mostly serve as

representational tools rather than design instruments,

and they are utilized in the advanced phases of the

education instead of first years. This paper presents a

case study that questions the use of virtual reality

technologies in the first year of architectural

education as a supportive tool to improve students’

visual and spatial recognition skills.

1.1 Aim of the Study

This study aims to examine the benefits of the use of

VR technologies in the first year of architectural

education by comparing them with different

representational techniques in architecture such as

physical and digital models. It is assumed that VR

technologies’ use in education is beneficial from

various aspects such as visual recognition and student

motivation. The first year of architectural education

is the period when the spatial and visual recognition

skills of students start to develop. Any tool that can

be useful to support this development needs to be

integrated into the education process to get better

outcomes. VR as an emerging technology can easily

be adapted to the first year of architectural education

by forming several exercises for students.

Another aim of the study is to examine several

representational methods to find out the advantages

and disadvantages they provide for the students with

their spatial and visual recognition processes.

Physical scaled models, digital models and virtual

models have their unique characters and features,

enabling certain perception skills to be activated in

the human brain. The case study aims to reveal those

features to formulate a structure for future exercises

in the first years of architectural education.

1.2 Research Questions

Through this research, it can be determined if and

how the use of VR technologies contribute to primary

levels of architectural education. To find out in what

extents it contributes and how it performs compared

to other methods of representation, the following

research questions are asked:

RQ1: How are different representational methods in

architecture compared with each other in terms of

spatial and visual recognition of first-year students?

RQ2: To what extent and how does the use of VR

technologies contribute to the spatial recognition of

first-year architecture students?

RQ3: Is the use of computer-aided tools necessary

and beneficial for first architecture students?

1.3 Methodology

The methodology used in this study is based on an

exercise and a survey of first-year architecture

students. Following a literature review on

architectural education, VR technologies and their

use in architectural education; the exercise and survey

in the scope of the paper reveal the interrelationship

between different representational techniques from

certain aspects. The outcomes of the survey are

analysed and the results are interpreted according to

the needs of architecture education for first-year

students. The findings of the case study are used to

formulate statements in the concluding remarks and

how the outcomes of the paper can be used for further

studies.

2 ARCHITECTURAL

EDUCATION AND DIGITAL

TECHNOLOGIES

Architecture is a practice that has strong connections

with other disciplines. Its vocational nature makes it

also strongly related to developments in society and

technology. Especially in the 21

century, technology

is influencing architecture more than ever. In this era,

the use of computers and other technologies in design

is inevitable (Özgen et al., 2019). Thanks to

technology, design became a prescriptive activity, in

which models and drawings are used to foresee

reality, and in which everything must be resolved

before the construction process (Celani, 2012). The

reflections of technology can be seen in various

phases of the architecture practice such as design,

representation, construction, and education.

Education is a powerful agent of social change for

it raises awareness of new developments and provides

training for professionals and researchers who will

develop the next generation of systems and devices

(Taleghani et al., 2011). Architectural education as

the foundation of the profession is responsible for

equipping young architects with proper tools to tackle

emerging problems of society. Therefore, it needs to

Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study

keep itself up-to-date and ready for upcoming

challenges.

The architectural curriculum is composed of

fundamental courses that develop design knowledge;

courses that develop the scientific formation of

architecture; courses for strengthening architectural

representation; and design courses, a combination of

the others and constitute the most crucial part of

design education (Demirbaş & Demirkan, 2003).In

the first year of the curriculum, the foundation for all

the domains of knowledge is laid. In this phase, visual

perception and visual language are introduced as the

roots of design education (Wong, 1993). In that

period, digital technologies in architecture can be

potentially seen in the design and representation

domains of the curriculum. However, in the current

understanding of architectural education, the use of

digital technologies is either completely restricted or

very limited in the first year. The following chapters

are about the current and potential use of digital

technologies in two different domains of architectural

education.

2.1 Design Domain

The design domain of first-year architectural

education mostly consists of basic design or similar

introductory courses. The roots of basic design course

reach out to Bauhaus school where elements of

design, fine arts, technology, and craftsmanship were

brought together. Basic design education aims to raise

awareness and provide visual sensitivity in

transferring an image onto the design field (Akbulut,

2010). Design education itself has not kept up with

the changes in technology and many cases do not

enhance students’ learning and knowledge-building

skills beyond predetermined, standardized

boundaries (Demirkan, 2016). Currently, in basic

design courses, the use of digital technologies is

mostly limited to the layout and poster presentation

tools. The use of computer-aided design tools in basic

design courses is only seen in a small portion of the

architectural institutions.

Emerging digital technologies make it possible

that digital tools can be used to support the design

process in first-year architectural education by

providing additional media for design activities.

Important issues of design like visual perception,

spatial recognition and problem-solving can be

strengthened with the use of digital technologies.

Current hardware and software provide solutions to

easily implement digital tools into the first phases of

architectural education.

2.2 Representation Domain

The representation domain of architectural education

goes hand in hand with the design domain all through

the course of the curriculum. Spatial information is

represented in many ways, ranging from traditional

methods, such as printed plans and physical models,

to modern methods, such as digitally printed plans

and tri-dimensional models, which allow a greater

level of detail and the ability to navigate and actualize

potential changes instantaneously (Fonseca et al.,

2014). In the first year of education, it is more about

forming a visual language to communicate with the

viewer graphically. For first-year students, exercises

on representation like parallel projection and different

types of perspectives are quite challenging as they

have no experience with the problem. Additionally,

transforming a three-dimensional entity into a two-

dimensional drawing on the paper is a novel form of

abstraction for novice designers. New media and its

forms of representation are challenging traditional

skills of communication and representation (Reffat,

2007).

In their first year of training, architecture students

search for concrete elements rather than abstract

things around themselves. Digital technologies can

aid students with the understanding of space and mass

by providing a clear dynamic and interactive medium

for recognition of the given subjects. While the forms

of representing architectural designs (i.e. plans and

sections) are remaining the same, the possible means

towards these ends are increasing (Ivarsson, 2010).

Computer-aided design and drafting technologies are

at a very advanced level so that they can be used for

alternative methods for training architecture students

about ways of understanding the space and objects

around them. 3D Modellers, 3D Scanners, immersive

Virtual Environment, and Rapid Prototyping are used

to assist both students and teachers to explore and

study architectural creativity in a new way that

enables a deeper involvement into design-issues

(Mark et al., 2001). Consequently, emerging digital

technologies in design hold great potential for the

contribution to the representation domain of

architectural education for first-year students.

3 VIRTUAL REALITY

TECHNOLOGIES

Technological developments are equipping the world

with new and useful instruments. One of the most

recent instruments digital technologies provide for

CSEDU 2020 - 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

the use of humankind is the understanding of

alternative realities. Different types of alternative

realities such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality

or Mixed Reality are changing the way people

understand their environment. Portman et al. (2015)

define virtual reality as the component of

communication, which takes place in a computer-

generated synthetic space and embeds humans as an

integral part of the system. It is being used in

architecture among many other fields like

engineering, medicine, and gaming. The following

chapters summarize the history of VR technologies,

followed by their use in architecture and architectural

education.

3.1 History of VR Technologies

Even though virtual reality is considered a recent

technology, its roots can be followed back to the first

half of the 20

century. Since the book Pygmalion’s

Spectacles by Stanley Weinbaum (1935), attempts to

bring virtual reality together with daily life and

different fields of studies continued. Virtual reality

technologies were tried to be implemented into the

daily life through devices like CAVEs (Cave

Automatic Virtual Environment) and HMDs (Head-

mounted Display) like the “Sword of Damocles”,

“Sensorama”, “Sega VR”, etc. (Maghool et al., 2018).

Nowadays, the most widespread use of virtual reality

is seen in the gaming and entertainment industries.

Nevertheless, the technology of VR is developing in

many domains, and architecture is one of those.

3.2 VR in Architecture

Thanks to the rapid growth of software and hardware

in the field, the use of VR in architecture is getting

more common every day. Its immersive technology

aids the user to experience the designed product in an

interactive virtual environment on 1:1 scale.

Information technology is developing powerful

capabilities for creating virtual contexts to be used in

the field of architecture (Dede, 2000). Accordingly,

numerous academic studies in the last decades

address virtual reality technologies and their

relationship with architecture (Witmer & Singer,

1998; Jackson & Fagan, 2000; Schnabel & Kwan,

2003; Seichter, 2007; Angulo, 2013; Häkkila et al.,

2018). These and other similar studies indicate the

strong influence of VR technologies on architecture.

The use of VR in architecture may vary between

different phases like drafting, representation or even

construction. Although it is most useful with

representational purposes nowadays, the future holds

great potential in terms of using VR technology in the

beginning phases of design. Setting the users free

from conventional architectural communication

techniques like plans, sections or physical scaled

models, VR technology’s area of use is getting wider

in architecture and connected professions, e.g. real

estate where the customer can experience a property

in a distant location in the VR environment before

making a decision. VR in architecture has many

benefits that are described as:

- The visualization of building model;

- Representation of multi-dimension design space

- Providing real-time interactions

- Providing multi-user real-time collaboration for

problem solutions (Ding et al.,2003).

These kinds of benefits potentially provide a great

contribution to architecture so that VR needs to be

successfully integrated into the professional, as well

as to the educational environment of the discipline.

Educational benefits of the use of VR can touch upon

many points in different phases of the curriculum.

3.3 VR in Architectural Education

The process of architectural education has always

been directly influenced by the technological

advancements in computer-aided drafting and design

tools, enabling young architects to easily control,

manage, study, visualize and evaluate their designs

(Hosny & Kader, 2004). Utilization of technological

tools like artificial intelligence, rapid prototyping,

additive manufacturing, automation in construction

and virtual reality are some of the most predominant

teaching approaches in the contemporary world of

education.

Virtual reality provides a suitable medium for

architectural education with its immersive

environment. Kalisperis et al. (2002) argue that using

VR in design studios would boost architectural design

education for students because of its contribution to

spatial recognition and the 3-dimensional way of

thinking. This contribution is especially valuable for

students in their first year of architectural education

to develop their design and understanding skills. The

strong relationship between architectural education

and the use of VR technologies are indicated by

recent studies. Abu Alatta and Freewan (2017)

studied the effect of employing immersive virtual

environment on enhancing spatial perception within

design process. Lin and Hsu (2017) developed

strategies for integrating procedural modelling

process and immersive VR environment for

Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study

architectural design education. Other researchers also

worked on the connection between VR technologies

and architectural education (Camba et al., 2017; Tsou

et al., 2017; Valls et al., 2016). De Vasconselos et al.

(2018) state that the implications and applications of

the possibilities of VR use for architecture education

are obvious but still require quite an investigation.

Accordingly, educators and researchers in the field of

architecture must study the potentials of using VR

technologies in architectural education, especially in

its first year.

4 THE CASE STUDY

The use of VR technologies in architectural education

is getting widespread, but it is usually seen in

advanced phases of the curriculum. The use of digital

tools including VR technologies is generally

restricted in the first years. The reasons for that are

mostly based on the intention to develop students’

hand-drawing skills and improve their imagination

without limits caused by any setback. It is a fact that

the relationship between the brain and the hand,

consequently the relationship between the

imaginative and physical world is very strong and

needs to be set free. However, it is also true that any

contribution from external resources that support the

development of students’ design skills is valuable.

According to Zelanski and Fisher (1996), recognition

of visual sophistication is the elementary aim of basic

design education. Therefore, a case study was

conducted to find out whether virtual reality as an

emerging technology and a potential supportive tool

for design education can contribute to the

improvement of visual and spatial recognition skills

of first-year architecture students.

4.1 The Design of the Case Study

The study aims to find out what kind of contribution

virtual reality technologies can make to the first year

of architectural education. For that purpose, a

comparative case study is prepared. 36 first-year

architecture students are split randomly into three

groups and they were expected to participate in an

exercise through different representational

techniques:

A- Physical scaled model

B- Digital model

C- Virtual model

All three models have similar characters: Surfaces

and spaces consisting of square-based units with

different colours. The reason to select square as the

base unit derives from the fact that first-year students

are already familiar with the shape and they have

conducted some exercises with similar approaches at

the beginning of the semester.

Figure 1: Sample picture of the physical model that the

students worked with (source: author).

The first group of the students was given a 1/50 scaled

model to inspect and evaluate (see fig. 1), as the

second group was shown a digital model prepared in

a 3d modelling software (see fig. 2), and the third

group was invited to inspect another model in virtual

reality environment (see fig. 3). Since the first-year

students were not familiar with digital tools used in

design and representation processes, the second and

third groups of students were given short instructions

about the digital and virtual software used to prepare

the models before using them.

Figure 2: Rendering of the digital model that the students

worked with (source: author).

The survey was categorized into 4 parts:

1- The dimensions: Length, width, height, total used

area

2- Physical appearance: Solid or transparent

surfaces, light and dark areas, and colours of the

model.

3- Open-ended questions: Describing the model

CSEDU 2020 - 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

4- Opinion question: The use of digital and virtual

technologies in first-year architectural education.

Figure 3: Screenshot from the virtual model that the

students worked with (source: author).

4 categories had a total of 9 questions and all students

answered them to provide input data for the study.

The following data came up as the answers of the

students who attended the survey.

4.2 Ethical Concerns

All students participating in the research were

informed about its contents before the process started.

They were asked to sign an information sheet that

explains the purposes of the study and explained

participants’ involvement, risks they take and

emergency procedures. Participants were also

informed that the process was confidential and their

names were not going to be revealed in the research

process. Additionally, they were told that they had the

right to quit participating in the research at any time.

4.3 Data Analysis

The assessment for the first and second categories of

the survey is based on the percentile proximity of the

students’ answers to the correct values for the given

questions. In the third category, a qualitative analysis

has been made according to the statements of the

students. Finally, the fourth category remarks

students’ preferences on the usefulness of various

representation techniques in the first year of

architectural education.

The first part of the survey was about the students’

perception of dimensions in the given models. In this

part, their prediction about the length, width, and

height of the models, as well as their total area was

requested. In the physical scaled model, students’

percentile proximity rate for length was 84%, width

77% and height 78%. The proximity for the total area

of the model the result was 81%. For the digital

model, the results were; length 77%, width 69% and

height 74%. The result of the total area was 74%. For

the virtual model, the results were 71%, 66%, 70%

for dimensions and 75% for the total area (see fig. 4).

Figure 4: The results for the four questions in the first part

of the survey (source: author).

The second part of the survey was about the visual

and spatial recognition of the students. The first

question in this part was about the solid/void balance

of the given models. The result for the physical model

in this question was 68%, for the digital model it was

59% and for virtual model 78%. The second question

in this part was about the balance between the light

and dark volumes in the models where the result for

the physical model was 71%. The digital model result

for the question was 61% and the virtual model result

was 84%. The third question in this part was about the

colours used in the models and the results for

physical, digital and virtual models were as follows

in order of appearance: 86%, 73% and 81% (see fig.

5).

Figure 5: The results for the three questions in the second

part of the survey (source: author).

The third part of the survey consisted of open-ended

questions and data was analysed according to the

detail level and type of written communication in the

answers of the students. The first question in this part

was to describe the given model and the students who

Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study

described the physical model used an average of 8.6

words for the answer, mostly using keywords instead

of complete sentences. The students who described

the digital model used 6.4 words on average and they

also used keywords to describe the model they have

seen. The results of the virtual model were 16.6 words

per student on average and most students, 8 out of 12,

preferred to use complete sentences instead of

keywords.

The fourth part of the survey was an opinion

question regarding the priorities of the use of different

representational techniques in the first year of

architectural education. 17 students stated that the

most important technique was physical model, as 11

out of 17 saw virtual models as a secondary technique

to be useful. 10 students define virtual models as prior

technique and 9 out of those 10 place physical models

into the second position. 8 students see digital models

as the primary method to be used in the first year of

architectural education where 5 of them put virtual

models after the digital models in terms of usefulness

(see fig. 6).

Figure 6: The results for the opinion questions in the fourth

part of the survey (source: author).

4.4 Outcomes of the Study

Data gathered from the survey provides important

information about students’ perception of space and

how virtual and digital models contribute to their

visual recognition.

The first part of the survey revealed that the

dimensions in space are best perceived through a

physical scaled model. Digital and virtual models

appear to be less useful in terms of the perception of

dimensions of a space. The most evident reason for it

is that first-year students started to work with physical

models since the first day of their education as digital

and virtual models are something recent for them.

Results of the virtual model were the lowest in the

first part, as students observed the model only from

the human eye level and from within the space instead

of a higher level and distant view to perceive it as a

whole mass.

In the second part of the survey, results about the

virtual model came into prominence with the best

scores about the recognition of solid/void surfaces

and light/dark spaces. Being in the human eye level

and perceiving the space from within served the

purpose of sensing the space this time. The immersive

feeling of being in the space was probably another

reason for these high scores. In the physical model,

students received the second-best average, as in the

digital model the results were lowest in the second

part of the survey. In terms of colour recognition, the

results for all three representational techniques were

quite high so that it was not possible to form a

statement as a comparison between them. In response

to research question 2, it is possible to claim that VR

technologies contribute to the spatial visual

recognition of students in terms of the physical

appearance of the space.

Figure 7: A participating student working in the virtual

reality environment (source: author).

The most significant part of the survey was the third

part, the open-ended questions, where the students

were asked to write about their impressions about

what they see in the models. In physical and digital

models, students used fewer words for the description

and keywords rather than complete sentences,

exemplified by statements such as open/closed space,

no columns, colourful, and two-floor high. However,

the students who have experienced the virtual reality

environment used more words on average and

described their experience with more details about the

space and their perception about it. One student

CSEDU 2020 - 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

quoted: “When you enter the space, you become

curious about what you will see around the corner.”

Another student mentioned her excitement about

being a part of the space in full scale, as one other said

“You can easily understand the difference between

being in a closed or open space, having a plane or the

sky over your head.” This is a sign that shows the use

of new technologies can be used to increase the

interest level and enthusiasm of the students about a

given subject. The excitement of experiencing

something novel has potentially a positive effect on

the students’ attitude against the subject.

In the fourth part of the survey, the opinion

question, students remarked their preference about

the priority of the given representational techniques.

Most of them stuck to their habits and chose physical

models as the primary representation technique to be

used in education. However, virtual reality

technologies also had significant attention from many

students to reveal it as a beneficial medium for their

training. Digital technologies did receive the least

attention even though it is going to be the medium

they will consult most frequently in the following

years of their education.

Summarizing the outcomes of the case study, one

can assert that every different representational

method in architecture contributes to the training of

first-year students in terms of spatial and visual

recognition from different aspects (RQ1). VR

technologies contribute to spatial recognition,

especially in terms of physical appearance (RQ2).

Moreover, it can be stated that the use of computer-

aided tools is beneficial for first architecture students,

however, the primary instrument for the

representation of ideas is still the physical model for

first-year students because of its ease of use and

economic and practical feasibility (RQ3).

5 CONCLUSIONS

The primary purpose of this study was to determine

whether the use of virtual reality technologies in

visualizing models contribute to the visual

recognition of first-year architecture students. The

results are in line with the assumptions in the

beginning that they do contribute in various aspects,

but they also showed some weaknesses of VR

models, especially in terms of recognizing the model

as a whole object. The level of interaction between

the students and the model in the 1:1 scale provided

several advantages in spatial and visual recognition,

reflected on the perception of solid and void surfaces,

as well as light and dark spaces of the model.

Another positive aspect of using VR technologies

in the first year of architectural education is based on

the students’ motivation. Students embrace new

technologies like VR because they find it interesting,

fun, pleasing and engaging in comparison to

conventional methods. Enthusiasm and openness to

innovations are important factors in learning, and its

reflections are possible to be seen in the academic

success of the students. The relationship between the

academic successes of first-year students and the use

of virtual reality in architectural education is another

potential subject for further studies.

Digital technologies have been promoted as the

almost magical agent of change for nearly all

educational settings, including university schools for

professionals such as architects (Wang, 2009).

Accordingly, prospects provided by virtual reality

technologies are quite a lot. As an improving

technology, it can aid architects and architectural

students in many different ways in terms of design,

representation, and construction. However, an

important fact about the use of VR technologies in the

training of novice architects nowadays is that they

should be utilized as an alternative tool and one of the

different options rather than the only instrument. It is

evident that VR models have setbacks and physical

scaled models are still one of the most beneficial tools

in terms of representing ideas.

Design studios, especially in the first year of

architectural education require collaboration between

the students, as well as the interaction of the students

with their instructors. Regarding this, the most

prominent setback of the VR technologies today

appears to be the economic challenge. Although it is

obvious that VR tools, just like other digital

technologies are developing rapidly and are going to

be economically much more accessible in the future,

the current situation appears to be a challenge for

them to spread out throughout the world. Physical

scaled models are, and probably shortly will still be,

the main representational tool in architectural

education.

Speaking of the use of VR technologies getting

widespread, it is also important to consider the

training of the trainers. Academic institutions are the

places where any innovation in technology finds its

field of utilization for further development. Members

of the academic institutions in architecture are

supposed to show interest in the field of VR

technologies to improve its use in terms of

technologic advancement and knowledge transfer to

young professionals who are going to be the future

users of these technologies.

Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study

Consequently, the use of VR technologies in first-

year architecture education proves itself beneficial.

They provide undeniable benefits in terms of visual

and spatial recognition, as well as student motivation

and enthusiasm. However, conventional methods like

sketching and physical scaled models should not be

abandoned as they are still the main medium of

representation in architecture. Further studies need to

be conducted to come up with strategies about the

implementation of VR technologies into different

phases of architectural education.

REFERENCES

Abu Alatta, R., Freewan, A., 2017. Investigating the Effect

of Employing Immersive Virtual Environment on

Enhancing Spatial Perception Within Design Process.

Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural

Research, 11(2): 219-238.

Akbulut, D., 2010. The effects of different student

backgrounds in basic design education. Procedia

Behavioral and Social Sciences, 2, 5331–5338.

Angulo, A., 2013. On the design of architectural spatial

experiences using immersive simulation. In

Envisioning Architecture: Design, Evaluation,

Communication - Proceedings of the 11th conference of

the European Architectural Envisioning Association,

Morello, E., Piga, B. (Eds), 151-158, Politecnico di

Milano: Italy.

Bates, A.W., Poole, G., 2003. Effective Teaching with

Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for

Success, Jossy Bass, San Francisco.

Camba, J.D., Soler, J.L., Contero, M., 2017. Immersive

Visualization Technologies to Facilitate

Multidisciplinary Design Education. Proceedings of

HCI International 2017, Learning and Collaboration

Technologies: Novel Learning Ecosystems, pp. 3-12.

Celani, G., 2012. Digital Fabrication Laboratories:

Pedagogy and Impacts on Architectural Education.

Nexus Network Journal, 14(3): 469–482.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00004-012-0119-3.

Dede, C., 2000. Emerging influences of information

technology on school curriculum. Journal of

Curriculum Studies, 32(2): 281–303, http://dx.doi.org/

10.1080/002202700182763.

De Vasconcelos, G.N., Van Stralen, M.S., Menezes, A.,

Ramos, F.M.G., 2018. Perceive to learn to perceive: an

experience with virtual reality devices for architecture

design learning. 22nd Conference of the Iberoamerican

Society of Digital Graphics, Sao Carlos, Brasil.

Demirbaş, O. O., & Demirkan, H., 2003. Focus on

architectural design process through learning styles.

Design Studies, 24(5), 437-456. http://dx.doi.org/

10.1016/S0142-694X(03)00013-9.

Demirkan, H., 2016. An inquiry into the learning-style and

knowledge-building preferences of interior architecture

students. Design Studies, 44(2016): 28–51.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2015.12.009.

Do, E., Gross, M., 1999. Integrating Digital Media in

Design Studio: Six Paradigms, 144-148, ACSA

National Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

Dugger Jr., W.E., 1993. The relationship between

technology, science, engineering and mathematics.

American Vocational Association Conference,

Nashville, Tn.

Fonseca, D., Marti, N., Redondo, E., Navarro, I., Sanchez,

A., 2014. Relationship between student profile, tool

use, participation, and academic performance with the

use of Augmented Reality technology for visualized

architecture models. Computers in Human Behavior, 31

(2014): 434–445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/

j.chb.2013.03.006.

Häkkilä, J., Colley, A., Väyrynen, J., Yliharju, A., 2018.

Introducing virtual reality technologies to design

education, International Journal of Media, Technology

and Lifelong Learning, 14(1), 1–12.

Hosny, S.S., Kader, S.M.A., 2004. Integrating intelligent

mixed reality in architectural education: a theoretical

model. Al Azhar University Engineering Journal, 7(3):

1–15.

Ivarsson, J., 2010. Developing the construction sight:

Architectural education and technological change.

Visual Communication 9(2): 171-191. http://dx.doi.org/

10.1177/1470357210369883.

Jackson, R., Fagan, E., 2000. Collaboration and learning

within tele-immersive virtual environments, Ph.D.

Dissertation, College of Education, University of

Washington, Seattle, WA.

Kalisperis, L., Otto, G., Muramoto, K., Gundurum, J.,

Masters, R., & Orland, B. 2002. An Affordable

Immersive Environment in Beginning Design Studio

Education, Proceedings of the 2002 Annual Conference

of the Association for Computer Aided Design in

Architecture, 49–56.

Lin, C., Hsu, P., 2017. Integrating Procedural Modelling

Process and Immersive VR Environment for

Architectural Design Education, MATEC Web of

Conferences 104, http://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/

201710403007.

Maghool, S.A.H., Moeini, S.H., Arefazar, Y., 2018. An

educational application based on virtual reality

technology for learning architectural details:

Challenges and benefits. Archnet IJAR: International

Journal of Architectural Research, 12(3): 246–272.

http://dx.doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v12i3.1719.

Mark, E., Martens, B., Oxman, R.E., 2001. The Ideal

Computer Curriculum. Proceedings of eCAADe 19,

168-175, Helsinki, Finland.

Portman, M., Natapov, A., Fisher-Gewirtzman, D. 2015. To

go where no man has gone before: Virtual reality in

architecture, landscape architecture and environmental

planning. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems,

54, 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurb.

sys. 2015.05.001.

Rückriem, G., 2009. Digital technology and mediation: A

challenge to activity theory. In Learning and

CSEDU 2020 - 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

Expanding with Activity Theory, A. Sannino, H.

Daniels, K.D. Gutierrez (eds.), Cambridge University

Press: New York.

Oxman, R., 2008. Digital architecture as a challenge for

design pedagogy: theory, knowledge, models and

medium. Design Studies, 29(2): 99–120.

Özgen, D.S., Afacan, Y., Sürer, E., 2019. Usability of

virtual reality for basic design education: A

comparative study with paperbased design.

International Journal of Technology and Design

Education, 1–29 (published online first)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-019-09554-0.

Reffat, R., 2007. Revitalizing architectural design studio

teaching using ICT: Reflections on practical

implementations. International Journal of Education

and Development using Information and

Communication Technology, 3(1): 39-53.

Schank, R., 2007. Teaching in the New Era. In Proceedings

of Society for Information Technology and Teacher

Education International Conference 2007, C.

Crawford, R. Carlsen, K. McFerrin, J. Price, & R.

Weber (Eds.), Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Schnabel, M.A., Kvan, T., 2003. Spatial understanding in

immersive virtual environments, International Journal

of Architectural Computation (1): 4, 435–448.

Seichter, H., 2007. Augmented reality and tangible

interfaces in collaborative urban design. Proceedings of

the 12th International Conference on Computer Aided

Architectural Design Futures, pp.3–16.

Taleghani, M., Ansari, H.R., Jennings, P., 2011.

Sustainability in architectural education: A comparison

of Iran and Australia. Renewable Energy, 36(2100):

2021–2025. https://doi:10.1016/j.renene.2010.11.024.

Tsou, C.H., et al., 2017. Immersive VR Environment for

Architectural Design Education. SA’17 SIGGRAPH

Asia 2017, Article 55, pp.1–2.

Valls, F., Redondo, E., Fonseca, D., Garcia-Almirall, P.,

Subiros, J., 2016. Videogame Technology in

Architecture Education. Human-Computer Interaction:

Novel User Experiences, Proceedings of 18th HCI

International Conference, pp. 436–447.

Weinbaum, S., 1935. Pygmalion’s Spectacles, Kessinger

Publishing: Exeter, UK.

Witmer, B.G., Singer, M.J., 1998. Measuring Presence in

Virtual Environments: A Presence Questionnaire.

Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments,

(7):3, 225-240.

Wang, T., 2009. Rethinking teaching with information and

communication technologies (ICTs) in architectural

education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(2009):

1132–1140.

Wong, W., 1993. Principles of form and design. Van

Nostrand Reinhold: New York.

Zelanski, P., Fisher, M. P., 1996. Design Principles and

Problems. Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York

Using Virtual Reality to Improve Visual Recognition Skills of First Year Architecture Students: A Comparative Study