From: rwzobel@unity.ncsu.edu (Rick Zobel)
Subject: Immersive Environments and Architecture
Organization: North Carolina State University Computing Center
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 14:42:48 GMT

This is a compilation of several postings and messages from:

ccav38@ccsun.strath.ac.uk ("I.Ballouz"), 
thomat@vccsouth17.its.rpi.edu (Todd Michael Thomas) and
David Fung <89U5162@csdvax.csd.unsw.edu.au>

(T.Thomas)
>In the extended demo, some
>classes actually got to design in VR (in combination with Auto Cad) 
>and present this to the school, as well as the whole school of 
>architecture got to tour some VR models to see how it works 
>(VR) and how the experience is.

Was it interactive design INSIDE an immersive environment, or 
did you create the models in a screen based editor and then
put on the equipment to look at it? If it was the former, what
software company was it that did the demo? What were the
creation tools like?

(T.Thomas)
>The equipment is not hand fabricated, it consists of off the 
>shelf technology and parts.  Advances in the VR field will 
>surely improve the tech and equipment but there does exist 
>VR equipment usable at the small level today.

Yes, this is a very important point for the field of architecture.
For the major points that need consideration (Scale, movement,
complexity/abstraction, design tools, design methods, spatial
experience, information systems, design agents/assistants, and
hundreds more) you don't need a multi-million dollar system for
faster, more poly's/sec., higher resolution immersive systems.
As architects, we live with abstraction as a way of life. For
the short term perhaps, creativity and thoughtful insight is
more important.

(I.Ballouz)
>However, I think that the only possible way for developing 
>these technologies is to spread their use in the field of 
>architecture and enhance the systems as the time passes.
>This is because we don't know much about design and we don't 
>know much about our own needs. We can't make a definitive 
>path beforehand, we need some time to experience with these 
>systems to develop them.

I will grant you that we don't know much about how architects in
general design, however, we know infinitely more than 
programmers and businessmen about design and the design process.
I am not advocating that we teach computers how to design, or
try to instill in them the processes of design. I am looking
toward the use of immersive environments as a MEDIUM for design.
We know how to use pencils, watercolors, pens, markers, paint, clay,
cardboard, paper, charcoal, wire, wood, plastics, and thousands
of other media to assist us in the design process. We are now
looking at a medium that can allow us full use of three dimensional
creation, deletion, editing and visualization, with the only
(long term) limitation being our creativity at devising new tools
to allow us to manipulate points, lines, planes and volumes,
either separately or collectively. As I said before, I think it 
is the wrong attitude to take to believe that we should wait 
until the systems are out there in the public domain and then 
try to change what is existing. Currently, next to nothing exists
on the boards. We have a clean slate to start with...

(D.Fung) (From an e-mail message)
>Sorry that my system can't post article to newsgroup yet.

>I agree to your point on imposing directions to the VR development, 
>but do you have any idea of how you can achieve this?  Though 
>what means can you express your idea to the manufacturers?

Well, unfortunately, architects are not the most connected of
folks when it comes to communications and long range interaction
digitally. I believe that a newsgroup such as this can go a
long way toward providing thoughtful discussion toward the
issues confronting design and VR. As the readership grows, 
professionals will begin to be seen in the background, reading
what is going on. On another news-group, Sci.virtual-worlds,
professionals from nearly all of the major CAD vendors have
presented themselves on various topics. The moderator of
Sci.V-W, who also is starting up a business which may potentially
deal with these issues has already made several comments to 
alt.architecture. They are out there, and if we provide good
insight, they will listen and hopefully join in. In addition,
those of us who want to get into the field of VR and Design can
try out ideas here, and have them critiqued informally while
sharing information with everyone.

Beyond the internet, there are conferences and publications
such as ACADIA, eCAADe, CAAD Futures, AEC, and the AIA to 
present research, or write articles for educating the
public as to the issues and directions. In ACADIA, we have
members that have joined from almost all of the major
CAD and CAAD businesses, and (they say) they are all listening
very closely to what the group is saying...

I feel like I am a spin-off of the movie Field of Dreams: 
"If you say it, they will hear."

Well, I will step down off of the soap-box now... 

Rick Zobel
NCSU School of Design
Architecture Dept.