Augmented Reality Techniques for Design and Revitalisation in Existing Built Environments

Possible application areas of AR/VR techniques in therevitalisation of buildings from the point of view of the user are discussed and are based on the real project “Cooling factory Gera”.

Abstract

Building activity in Germany is moving increasingly toward combined newbuild and renovation projects. Essential for effective computer-aided planning within an existing context is not only the use of on-site computer-aided measurement tools but also an integrative cooperation between the different disciplines involved via an information and communication system. Interdisciplinary cooperation needs to be tailored to the integrative aspects in renovation and revitalisation work. Economic factors determine the viability of an architectural project, and reliable costing information is vital. Existing IT-approaches to this problem are not yet sufficiently exploited. In ongoing research at our university (collaborative research center ”Materials and Structure in the Revitalisation of Buildings”) methods and techniques of revitalisation are being investigated. A special branch of the collaborative research center is investigating possibilities of computer-aided building measurement and communication platforms for professional disciplines (www.uni-weimar.de/sfb). The aim is to develop a general approach to the revitalisation of buildings. This paper discusses possible application areas of AR/VR techniques in the revitalisation of buildings from the point of view of the user and are based on the real project “Cooling factory Gera”. Based on the necessities of revitalisation projects, technical requirements are developed. The project is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft (DFG).