To celebrate the achievements of the RIBA Stirling Prize shortlist, , as the Exclusive Technology Partner of the RIBA Awards, teamed up with Trimble SketchUp, to bring each of the six shortlisted buildings, to mixed reality.
Rather than place users in a fully computer-generated world, as virtual reality does, allowed the architects of the Stirling Prize shortlisted buildings, to see their buildings come to life in the world鈥檚 first self-contained, holographic computer. This enabled them to engage with the digital model and interact with holograms in the real world around them. This experience enables tremendous opportunities within the AEC space to immediately get value from their existing 3D models by being able to see 1:1 scale models, collaborating with a 鈥渨e-see鈥� viewing session that enables viewers to experience, understand or resolve complex spatial dynamics, and coordinate by choosing from the list of scenes created in SketchUp, then focusing the toggling on-and-off model layers.
鈥淭his demonstrates the value of mixed reality for architects,鈥� said Aviad Almagor, Director of the Mixed Reality Program at Trimble. 鈥淢icrosoft HoloLens transforms the way architects interact, and communicate their designs. Using this technology to explore complex projects shortens design cycles and improve communication.鈥�
John Ross, from 6a Architects said: 鈥淢y impression of seeing Juergen's building in HoloLens for the first time was quite an extraordinary experience. The ability to move around it and through it, and to see with a level of detail was very powerful. I can see how that can become part of a workflow.鈥�
John McElgunn, from Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, agreed. 鈥淚t's very easy to show lines of perspective but it's quite hard to get the sense of scale, and [HoloLens] was brilliant for that,鈥� he said.
Talking at a RIBA event earlier this year, Dale Sinclair, Director of Technical Practice at architecture, engineering and construction company Aecom, emphasised the importance of technology in creating modern buildings that reflect the needs of a modern public.
鈥淕ood data will help with future designs. At the moment, plans are based on one person鈥檚 ideas in their head, which in turn is based on memory and experience. With robotics, AI and machine learning, we can use data from a much bigger pool of history and use better judgment. Architects don鈥檛 need 2D, they need 3D.鈥�
To celebrate Microsoft鈥檚 sponsorship of the RIBA Awards, the company has teamed up with Trimble to offer a Microsoft HoloLens commercial edition with a SketchUp Viewer license for 拢4,529 鈥� a saving of 拢1,266. Call the Microsoft Store on 0800 026 0061 and cite Stirling Prize Offer by 5 January 2018.
