Visualizing Design Analytics in VR with FormIt

Understanding building data and its application to design thinking requires seeing beyond analytical information. Placing simulation data—the analytics—requires placing the data within a context capable of informing designers, building collaboration with the design team, and educating project stakeholders. Capitalizing on virtual reality (VR) to visualize energy use, daylighting, solar radiation, wind, and relevant design options lets decisions be made with context and an understanding of cause and effect. This class will establish a strategic and replicable workflow methodology to build relevant building simulations (energy, sun, wind) in the design discovery phase, and visualize that data in a VR space with respect to multiple design strategies. Once in VR, the simulation data can then be used to educate the design team, clients, or students to help build an understanding of the role that analytics can play in forming design strategies.