Designing Tomorrow: How Augmented Reality Shapes the Future of Architecture and Design

Step into a visionary world where architecture and design transcend traditional boundaries. Founder, Sahar Fikouhi explores how augmented reality is poised to revolutionise the way we conceive, create, and experience built environments. ​

​This month at AWE 2023, Sahar revealed her creative process and the challenges and opportunities of developing for the next generation of AR devices. In her talk, Sahar Fikouhi discussed her journey as a former architect and her dedication to utilizing augmented reality to offer designers a more intuitive means of exploring their concepts. She emphasized the importance of critical thinking in design and highlighted how enhanced visualization can lead to the creation of more thoughtful and user-responsive spaces.
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​Fikouhi highlighted AR's potential as a design communication tool, emphasizing the need to transition from image tracking to fully embrace AR as a spatial medium. However, she also pointed out the challenges of achieving accurate architectural visualizations in AR, particularly for large buildings in dynamic environments.

The talk then delved into several case studies showcasing ARki's applications:

​The NexGen Railway Catalogue

ARki was used to visualize future footbridges across various UK stations, allowing project sponsors to interact with and evaluate different proposals.

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Digital Narratives

​Students at Parsons School of Design employed ARki to experiment with 3D models superimposed throughout New York City, gaining insights into how their ideas could impact the urban environment in real-time.

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​Paddington Wayfinding

A prototype was created at Paddington station to visualize new wayfinding signage, demonstrating how AR could help station managers position signage intuitively.

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HubStation

ARki was used to facilitate the creation of modular architecture for Network Rail's new station design, allowing users to collaboratively design and share station layouts based on kit-of-parts models.

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Vision Pro ​

Fikouhi looked ahead to the future of spatial computing, highlighting the potential of hand and eye tracking to provide users with greater design freedom and more intuitive experiences, ultimately enhancing project iteration and evolution. The future of spatial computing blurs the lines between the physical and digital realms, enhancing the creative process and enabling architects and designers to dream bigger and bolder.

Overall, the talk showcased the journey of ARki's development and its various applications in design and architecture, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges associated with augmented reality in these fields.

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Inspired to create your own AR experience? ​

ARki app is helping the next generation of designers set their work apart! If you would like to learn more about how you can be stepping into the future of Architecture + design, download ARki on iOS and get started with a 7 day free trial! 

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