Assessing the potential of mixed reality for landscape architecture

Chen, Chung-Chiang

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/109457 Copy

Description

Title

Assessing the potential of mixed reality for landscape architecture

Author(s)

Chen, Chung-Chiang

Issue Date

2020-12-11

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

O'Shea, Conor

Committee Member(s)

• Lindgren, Robb
• Wu, Chia-Ching

Department of Study

Landscape Architecture

Discipline

Landscape Architecture

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.L.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

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

Abstract

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.

Graduation Semester

2020-12

Type of Resource

Thesis

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

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2020 Chung-Chiang Chen

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