Human-Computer Interaction and Human-Building Interaction

From Mixed Reality to BIM: A Workflow for the Integration of Immersive Technologies at Architectural Design Process

Juan Sardi-Barzallo, Volker Coors

Published 2025

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📄 Paper
In the Architectural Design Process (ADP), the communication of design ideas between professionals and stakeholders is a complex task that currently still uses outdated methods. Despite advances in the use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, products are still presented in 2D on flat screens or paper, leaving too much information for the end user to interpret. The use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR), which allow the overlay and direct interaction of digital objects with the real environment, has been shown to be one of the key factors for the next technological breakthrough in the development of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. This research uses the concept of serious gaming to propose a workflow for the development of an AR/MR prototype application for the Microsoft HoloLens2 head-mounted device (HMD) capable of capturing the interactions made in an architectural design project and transferring them for execution in BIM software. The prototype application has been tested on indoor and outdoor case scenarios of office layout design and urban furniture implementation showing feasibility of use, though further possible improvements are considered. The results of a preliminary user experience survey conducted, suggest that the proposed approach can facilitate the communication of design ideas between the architect and the end user, offering a more accessible interpretation of design proposals in comparison to conventional methods. Furthermore, it demonstrates its potential for use at AEC.

Abstract

In the Architectural Design Process (ADP), the communication of design ideas between professionals and stakeholders is a complex task that currently still uses outdated methods. Despite advances in the use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, products are still presented in 2D on flat screens or paper, leaving too much information for the end user to interpret. The use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR), which allow the overlay and direct interaction of digital objects with the real environment, has been shown to be one of the key factors for the next technological breakthrough in the development of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. This research uses the concept of serious gaming to propose a workflow for the development of an AR/MR prototype application for the Microsoft HoloLens2 head-mounted device (HMD) capable of capturing the interactions made in an architectural design project and transferring them for execution in BIM software. The prototype application has been tested on indoor and outdoor case scenarios of office layout design and urban furniture implementation showing feasibility of use, though further possible improvements are considered. The results of a preliminary user experience survey conducted, suggest that the proposed approach can facilitate the communication of design ideas between the architect and the end user, offering a more accessible interpretation of design proposals in comparison to conventional methods. Furthermore, it demonstrates its potential for use at AEC.

Topics

AR/VR interfacesAR/VR/XR visualizationHCI-HBIInteractive VisualizationXR design reviewXRAI automated accessibilityXRAI for AECXRAI inclusive designcollaborative VR co-designimmersive designmetaverse for AEC

Cite this paper

@inproceedings{7a7612a8,
author = {Sardi-Barzallo, Juan and Coors, Volker},
title = {From Mixed Reality to BIM: A Workflow for the Integration of Immersive Technologies at Architectural Design Process},
year = {2025},
isbn = {9798400720383},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {New York, NY, USA},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3746237.3746309},
doi = {10.1145/3746237.3746309},
abstract = {In the Architectural Design Process (ADP), the communication of design ideas between professionals and stakeholders is a complex task that currently still uses outdated methods. Despite advances in the use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, products are still presented in 2D on flat screens or paper, leaving too much information for the end user to interpret. The use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR), which allow the overlay and direct interaction of digital objects with the real environment, has been shown to be one of the key factors for the next technological breakthrough in the development of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. This research uses the concept of serious gaming to propose a workflow for the development of an AR/MR prototype application for the Microsoft HoloLens2 head-mounted device (HMD) capable of capturing the interactions made in an architectural design project and transferring them for execution in BIM software. The prototype application has been tested on indoor and outdoor case scenarios of office layout design and urban furniture implementation showing feasibility of use, though further possible improvements are considered. The results of a preliminary user experience survey conducted, suggest that the proposed approach can facilitate the communication of design ideas between the architect and the end user, offering a more accessible interpretation of design proposals in comparison to conventional methods. Furthermore, it demonstrates its potential for use at AEC.},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 30th International Conference on 3D Web Technology},
pages = {1–9},
numpages = {9},
keywords = {AEC, Mixed Reality, BIM, HoloLens 2, Unity, Serious Game},
location = {
},
series = {Web3D '25}
}