An agenda for implementing semi-immersive virtual reality in design meetings involving clients and end-users

An increasing adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) is occurring in the construction industry and it is closely linked to the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM). While research in the application of immersive VR in the industry is still growing, a prescriptive procedure for implementing it with various purposes has not been developed yet, especially in the design review process. The paper proposes a standardized agenda for the effective use of semi-immersive multi-user virtual reality when public clients, end-users and designers collaborate in the analysis and communication of a design proposal. A case study was developed to explore VR implementation for a new public building. A qualitative data collection strategy has been applied, collecting data from seven meetings involving twenty-four prospective stakeholders. The steps to follow during the meetings, the media to include in an interactive workspace and the technological aspects and measures to consider are discussed, as well as benefits of VR in user engagement.