A Virtual Future for London
The impact of virtual reality technology on the daily life of people, and the urban fabric
A. Broeders (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Stefan van der Van der Spek – Mentor
SA Read – Mentor
Roberto Cavallo – Graduation committee member
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Abstract
Virtual reality technology has captured the human imagination since before the first ceiling mounted glasses were invented in the 1960’s. Curiosity towards seeing what we can’t see and experiencing what we can’t experience, is one of the drivers behind societal and scientific progress.
In 2012, the technology saw a new phase of development start. Now, professions like architecture and urban design, professions that try to communicate ideas, have started to implement the technology. The entertainment industry is running with it. The first commercial sets have been a success. This time, it seems that VR is here to stay.
What happens then with the environment that we can see? This question becomes relevant now. Cyberpunk - a submovement of science fiction - always shows us the dystopian image. The metropole becomes neglected as people leave behind the physical world and loose themselves in the digital.
These works of fiction have functioned as a red flag and have inspired this thesis. Within, the discussion is not whether or when VR is going to feature in the daily lives of people - the question is what the effect will be.
Through the lense of VR development, current developments in the urban public space are scrutinized. The objective: to make sure that neglecting the city is not the path humanity will end upon.