A Real Time 3D Environment for Collaborative Design

By setting up collaborative design processes in architecture it is possible to considerably improve the integration of customer needs and ideas into the programming phase of a building project. Our design process includes active collaboration between customers, users and other stakeholders as well as the use of virtual environments in conceptual design. The output from the process is treated as visualised input to the architectural programming. The work presented focuses on developing digital tools to support this collaborative design dialogue. We have developed an extremely “easy to use” digital modelling tool called “ForeSite Designer”. The tool enables the users to build layouts of prefabricated components on a building site in 2D. This 2D layout can then instantly be exported to a lit-up real time 3D environment in the computer game “Half-Life.” ForeSite Designer has been used in a several design events with different settings. This paper presents the tool and one project where it was utilized. The results show that ForeSite Designer can promote dialogue and collaborative design work among the participants. We have also found that it is important how the virtual environment and its components are visually designed in order to support the dialogue and collaborative design work