1 Research

In our Research, we have looked into the use of AR and VR Applications in participartory Projects and the question in what way and how effective they can be implemented as a design strategy. VR and AR technologies are increasingly being used in urban planning projects as they provide immersive and interactive experiences that allow stakeholders to collaborate and explore potential design solutions in a more effective way. They can create realistic simulations of proposed developments, allowing precise feedback on potential designs, or give the possibility to identify potential issues and areas for improvement before physical construction takes place. AR can also be used to enhance the user experience of a space or building, by overlaying digital information onto the physical environment and thereby allowing deeper interaction in the participation project. This quickly leeds to more playful applications, reffered to as gamification. Easy access and simple to use applications allow a large variety of participants to have valuable impact in the participatory design process.

In the researched projects, such as: Block by Block by UN-Habitat or Urban-AR or even Apps like Pokemon-Go, we found, that especially AR-Application and Gamification with less technical boundaries can play a crucial role to enhance the needed interaction between stakeholders, citizens and planners in the participation process. Also visual limitations can help to focus discussions on specific topics of the project. The technical boundaries and limited interaction possibilities in VR-Applications more often led to less discussion or participants that were able to bring thoughts to the table.