PRODUCT MANAGER & UX DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT * AR & MOBILE
Virtual Bauer Wurster
: A VR Environment for Architecture Students’ Exhibitions and Classes
OVERVIEW
ROLE
AR/VR Developer
ADVISORS
Prof. Luisa Caldas
SKILLS
Prof. Luisa Caldas
TOOLS
Prof. Luisa Caldas
TIMELINE
Prof. Luisa Caldas
TEAM
Daniel He
Rachel Zhang
Yunting Zhao
Ryugwang(Josh) Jang
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Architecture students often rely on showcasing and sharing their model buildings and environments to facilitate learning and exchange feedback. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person classes and interactions were not possible, this project aimed to overcome such limitations by creating a VR-based environment for remote exhibitions.
The project involves creating a 3D virtual model of the Bauer Wurster Hall, the home of UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design, and making it accessible in VR. This virtual environment allows students to exhibit, share, and interact with their work seamlessly, even in a remote setting.
Challenges &
기존 3D 화면상의 인터렉션을 VR 가상환경으로 옮기면서 많은 변화가 발생했습니다.
How to recreate social interactions and collaboration in a VR architecture space?
How to make students feel like they are truly interacting in a shared exhibition?
LATEST DESIGN
Cross-Device Experiences
LATEST DESIGN
How to play?
First, Sign up & Login
Then, Create your avatar
You can interact with others through emoji & laser
Now you are in the world!
LATEST DESIGN
Understanding the Problem (Context & Research Section)
📌 Content to Include:
• User Research & Insights:
• How do architecture students currently showcase and discuss their work?
• What were the biggest pain points during remote learning? (e.g., lack of physical presence, no real-time feedback, difficulty navigating large 3D models on Zoom)
• Competitor & Reference Analysis:
• Did you look at existing VR exhibition spaces (e.g., Mozilla Hubs, FrameVR, Spatial)?
• What were their strengths & weaknesses in facilitating interaction?
🔹 Visuals:
• Quotes or feedback from architecture students on remote exhibitions.
• Comparative analysis of existing platforms vs. your VR environment.
LATEST DESIGN
Designing Social Interaction in VR (Interaction & UX Design Section)
📌 Content to Include:
• How did you design for presence and engagement in VR?
• Spatial Audio: Does voice chat simulate real-life distance-based conversations?
• Avatar Gestures & Reactions: Can students use hand gestures, pointing, or emoji reactions?
• Comment & Feedback System:
• Can students leave voice or text comments near exhibited models?
• Is there a way to highlight or annotate specific parts of a model?
• Guided & Free Exploration Modes:
• Is there an event-style guided tour mode?
• Or can students explore freely at their own pace?
🔹 Visuals:
• User flow diagram showing how a student enters, navigates, and interacts inside the VR space.
• Screenshots/GIFs of different interaction features (chat, voice, comments).
• Wireframes or UI mockups of in-VR menus & interaction elements.
LATEST DESIGN
Prototyping & Development (Building the Experience Section)
📌 Content to Include:
• Tools & Technologies Used:
• Unity, WebXR, Mozilla Hubs, Spatial.io?
• Development Process:
• How did you prototype interactions (e.g., paper sketches → Unity prototype → user testing)?
• What iterations did you go through to improve interaction?
• Challenges & Solutions:
• Issue: Low engagement in early testing?
• Solution: Added emoji reactions & comment system for more student participation.
🔹 Visuals:
• Screenshots of different stages (early wireframes → VR prototype → final UI).
• Before & After comparison showing improved engagement features.
LATEST DESIGN
Testing & Feedback (User Experience & Iteration Section)
📌 Content to Include:
• How did students actually use the VR exhibition?
• Did they interact naturally or feel disconnected?
• What parts of the experience did they enjoy the most? (e.g., voice chat, guided navigation, free movement)
• Key Takeaways:
• What worked? (e.g., students loved leaving spatial comments)
• What needed improvement? (e.g., some found VR navigation difficult)
🔹 Visuals:
• User testing photos or videos (students wearing headsets, feedback session screenshots).
• Heatmap or interaction data (where did users spend the most time?).
LATEST DESIGN
Conclusion & Future Vision (Final Thoughts Section)
📌 Content to Include:
• What did this project teach you?
• Designing for social interaction in VR is different from traditional UI/UX.
• Presence & immersion matter more than just high-quality 3D models.
• Future Possibilities:
• Can this expand to more interactive classroom settings?
• Could AI assistants or NPC guides enhance the experience further?
🔹 Visuals:
• Mockups or concept sketches for future improvements.
• A final showcase video demonstrating the full user experience.