The advancement of digital technology has never been so rapid. It significantly affects our culture both economically and socially. How will this affect the interior design industry?
The interior design industry has completely changed in the last decade due to technology. Hand-drafting moved to CAD and hand-drawn renderings moved to interior visualization. This happened within the last 30 years – so what can we expect in the future? Virtual reality (VR) has been slowly emerging in the world of technology. With its roots in the video game world, VR is starting to make an appearance in the interior design and architecture industry. Competitors are finding new ways to attract clients and provide them with unique experiences through this new technology. Virtual reality in interior design is simply a 360 VR experience in which the user can be immersed into a totally new environment. Imagine walking into your home and putting on virtual reality glasses to see your space absolutely transformed into something you’ve always dreamed of. This experience is being achieved through the latest technology of Oculus Rift or VR head-mounted displays (HMD), such as Google Cardboard. The technology is so effective because your client is not just looking at your design rendering – they are fully immersed in the reality of your design concept.
Check out this amazing video by oneiros to get an idea of the VR experience in design:
Not only is VR being used as a 3D experience for clients, but it is also being used to replace physical showrooms. Instead of going to a store to check out furniture you can now turn on your VR headset and see the furniture in 3-dimensions in the comfort of your home. This lets the user see the products true scale – something that is not possible with an online photo. This new technology also minimizes the space needed for a brick and mortar store to display items and could potentially eliminate the need for a store all-together.
Italian furniture brand Natuzzi is one of the first to implement this concept into their collection. This innovative brand allows customers to move products around and customize furniture all with the VR. Customers can even experience VR with a rendering of their space and add Natuzzi pieces.
Virtual reality in design and architecture is now providing a whole new world of possibilities for planning and renovation. The VR benefits in the design process are so impactful it could even become a required part of the process in the future. Time will only tell where this technology is headed – I guess we will have to wait and see.
- Michelle.B
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