A Digitally Windy City

This thesis focuses on the use of augmented reality (AR) to enhance the urban dweller’s perception of architecture. The fields of AR and architecture have been increasingly connected in recent years, with the use of AR technology on construction sites and in early design stages, using software such as VisualLive which allows the user to see a design in AR before and during construction (VisualLive, 2022). Rather than further developing these two professionally oriented use cases, this thesis focuses on enhancing architecture to allow for enriched experiences through creative methods of displaying information. This thesis is based on the premise that one day soon, AR will be as readily accessible as the smartphone is today, and as lightweight as a pair of sunglasses or contact lenses. The specific hardware, however, is not key to this thesis: the focus is rather on how virtual elements can be integrated into real and digital architecture through different designs and experiences. The built environment in the real and digital world has an untapped potential to extend the experience of space further through AR, as the necessary hardware becomes more available. A dynamic design that can add a new layer to the world could add more interest and more meaning to the space around us and our interactions with it.

The research question for this thesis is: How can our lived experience of physical and digital architecture be enhanced by conveying information in a captivating and creative way? Other researchers have shown that there are credible implementations of augmented additions to architecture as “AR enriches the physical world and opens new forms of user affordance” (Lee et al., 2021, p. 2). This thesis contributes to a fairly new field, exploring possibilities that are at this stage only theoretical. As technology is improving at a fast pace, however, these possibilities could soon be realised. Many companies are working on AR technology development and its market revenue continues to increase (Statista, n.d.). As such, it is important that we consider the different possibilities that these hardware advancements can bring in the near future and how we can use them to progress the field of architecture, both in the physical and digital world. The main methodology used in this thesis is ‘research through design’ (Soegaard & Friis-Dam, 2017). Several ‘near future’ design outcomes are explored, experienced, analysed, reflected on, and improved upon. Specific methods used include evidence-based research, simulation or modelling research, and experimental research.

This thesis documents how AR can be implemented to enhance the use of space, physically and digitally, with some specific designs, methods, and ideas that can be either implemented right away or built upon in future research. The research presented here is significant as it provides a foundation for further developments in the field of AR in relation to architecture. The insight that this thesis gives into potential design opportunities in a digitally augmented future widens our understanding of how augmentation can enhance our lives in the built environment.