Sydney-based architect Rana Abboud has published research on the potential uses of augmented reality technology in the architecture.
The paper, made possible through the NAWIC International Women's Day Scholarship 2013 and support from Architectus, explores the Opportunities and Obstacles for Mobile Augmented Reality across the Design, Construction, and Post-Completion phases of architectural practice.
According to Abboud, it identifies high-level uses for Mobile AR (MAR) across these phases, and explains the challenges currently preventing MAR’s uptake by Australian architectural industry.
Written primarily as an introduction to Mobile Augmented Reality for practicing architects in Australia, the paper may also interest professionals within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries globally, as well as AR developers producing applications for Architectural uses.
In Design, Abboud explains, MAR may be used to augment a real site with proposed virtual models at full scale, and overlay physical presentation media with 4D content.
“Applications may inform the design process by bringing greater contextual awareness during design review, and may communicate architectural narrative.” Abboud explains.
“In Construction, MAR applications may geo-locate BIM data directly on the construction site to aid in site set-out. Task support applications may guide users through complex assembly procedures; and MAR applications for real-time field reporting can allow the direct geo-tagging of elements while on site.
Uses may also extend to site navigation and way-finding, in post-completion for facilities management, and maintenance tasks.
The research also notes obstacles preventing the uptake of MAR by architectural industry, such as technological, human, and financial factors.
Abboud’s paper is available on her firm’s website, Codessi Architecture.
