The Use of Spherical Images in Architecture

Spherical Images

June 2017, 50/50 tntn Bach-Mühle-Fuchs

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Holiday house, Conventional floor plan Print scale 1:200

Spherical camera, Ricoh Theta S Print scale 1:1

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Intro Space is what surrounds the viewer. It is best represented by a spherical image. Such an image can be created by combining several (conventional) photos into one.

Thanks to recently launched 360° cameras equipped with two fish-eye lenses, the spherical view can now be captured in one single shot.

These affordable cameras open up new possibilities for architects.

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Possible tools, technologies and media for spatial representation in architecture

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Virtual Reality Use

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It is impressive to experience spherical images through VR glasses. A convincing way to use this technology is to build a model of an architectural space (e.g. 1:20), then put a spherical camera inside the model and use your smartphone for remote shooting.

Next display the image in VR stereoscopic view mode on the smartphone, put the smartphone in VR glasses and experience the space of the model as virtual reality at 1:1 scale.

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Holiday house, Model 1:20 with camera Print scale 1:5

Holiday house, Virtual reality 1:1 experience Print scale 1:100

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Distorted Print Use

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Spherical images are usually displayed on screens. Their content is experienced on the computer by moving the mouse or on the smartphone by moving the entire device with its gyro-sensors. Printouts of spherical images are always distorted. The globe is the most familiar example of a distorted representation of reality. In the past we learned to read distorted panoramas.

Some day we may also be able to read distorted interiors as spatial architecture.

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Gerardus Mercator, World map, 1569, The original isn’t black and white https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercator_1569.png

Holiday house, Equirectangular projection Not to scale

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Ludwig Pfyffer von Wyher, Rigi Kulm Panorama,1818, The original isn’t black and white www.zb.uzh.ch/ausstellungen/mam/ausstellung_6452/abb2_10_signatur_a_pa_154.jpeg

Holiday house, Stereographic projections Not to scale

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