This talk explores a recent project which integrated XR media into an architectural course. The project offered valuable insights into the current applications of XR within educational design processes, as well as both the benefits and challenges experienced by teaching staff and students.

Spatial design disciplines such as architecture, design, and scenography in theatre and live performances create spaces where we live and work, as well as imaginative virtual worlds for performance-based storytelling. Transferring spatial concepts and plans into physical model building aids understanding by materialising visions that can be shared and collaboratively examined within a team. This process enhances sensory engagement with architectural designs.

Sensory engagement and the creation of spatial concepts are crucial for comprehending the temporality, lighting, scale, and proportions of space. However, building physical models is time-consuming and incurs material costs. While no digital method has yet fully replicated the tactile and spatial qualities of physical models, the advent of Extended Reality (XR) technologies is transforming architectural design processes towards more immersive, human-centred approaches.XR media, including Augmented Reality (AR) accessible via wearables such as head-mounted displays (HMDs) or mobile devices, along with XR software applications like Arkio, facilitates the enhancement of spatial models through digital visualisations featuring supplementary graphic layers, real-time modifications, and collaborative co-creation. This technological progress enables teams to work remotely and accelerate prototyping processes.

In conclusion, the XR project demonstrates the transformative potential of XR technologies in architectural education and practice, highlighting their role as essential components in the design network.

Speaker:

Carolin Schabbing is an Experience Designer for spatial installation and brand experiences. She is a scientific associate and researcher at the University of Bonn, currently engaged in the DFG-funded SPP project “The Digital Images – From Theory to Praxis. Her doctoral research at the University of Potsdam focuses on XR media in cultural production, with a particular emphasis on 4D imaging in theatre and live performances. She investigates the shifting agency of spectators, spatial interrelationships, and co-authorship enabled by personalised smart immersive technologies, evolving XR, and AI-driven interfaces. Carolin is committed to advancing knowledge in XR and spatial design disciplines and actively engages with diverse audiences through talks, collaborations, and academic teaching.