A Framework for Incorporating Virtual Reality into the Early Stages of the Design Process and Massing Studies

This dissertation studies the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into the early stages of the architectural design process, particularly during massing studies. The research proposes a framework identifying the necessary knowledge domains and technologies to facilitate this integration. Traditional design tools often restrict architects' ability to fully explore spatial qualities and contextualize their ideas within the project site, limiting their understanding of spatial relationships, scale, and proportions. By merging VR technologies into the early design stages, architects can better visualize their proposals within the site context, iterate more rapidly among massing design alternatives, and enhance decision-making.

The research, based on a literature review, class observations, user studies, immersive case studies, and the Delphi method, examines how VR can support the exploration of design alternatives at a 1:1 scale, enabling real-time feedback and iterative processes. The findings highlight the opportunities and challenges within the design workflow, demonstrating that VR can significantly improve design feedback, expand the thinking space and user engagement, and enrich spatial understanding. The proposed framework identifies key decision nodes and knowledge domains essential for effective VR integration in architectural practice. Additionally, the study suggests a suitable interface for VR-integrated tools and proposes a communication model between architects and VR developers.