Assessing the potential of mixed reality for landscape architecture

Virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and augmented reality (AR) technology has improved over the last decade, and multiple industries have begun to utilize the technology. Some researchers claim that a collective term for virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality should be “extended reality (XR).” In this paper, virtual reality and augmented reality are defined as mixed reality, and the term extended reality is not applied in the paper. The landscape architecture professional practitioners have also utilized mixed reality for specific processes, such as expressing the design idea to project participants through virtual reality. However, whether mixed reality could be applied to the design process as a designing tool, such as Rhino, is questionable. For exploring the potential functions that mixed reality could contribute to professional practice, this thesis mainly focuses on how mixed reality could be utilized in a landscape project and whether mixed reality could facilitate creativity. In the beginning, the literature review was done for collecting information about mixed reality and the general processes of a landscape architecture project. Next, the collected mixed reality tools potentially supportive of professional practice could be classified into seven categories. Some of the categories are tested out and evaluated in the paper. Afterward, a survey was distributed to practitioners to support the listed mixed reality potential contribution to landscape projects. After experiencing a mixed reality design process, the thesis summarizes findings and defined a summary of mixed reality’s potential. Mixed reality can somewhat be utilized in landscape projects. Future works should focus on spreading knowledge about mixed reality, developing more functions in mixed reality software specifically for landscape architecture, and exploring more strategies to improve augmented reality’s contributions in the construction stage.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.L.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Landscape Architecture

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2021

Author dc:creator

• Chen, Chung-Chiang

Contributors dc:contributor

• O'Shea, Conor
• Lindgren, Robb
• Wu, Chia-Ching

• Virtual Reality
• Augmented Reality
• Mixed Reality
• Professional Practice
• Landscape Architecture

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2020 Chung-Chiang Chen

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/109457

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/109457