Blocks Explorer

^{Tags: Virtual Reality, Lego, Building Block Game, Spatial Design, VR architectural experience, Material Menu
Time: two weeks (2023)}

Architects have always used physical model-making to explore materials, forms and to iterate through design ideas. Combining this process with LEGO games, this application empowers designers and users alike to unleash their creativity in spatial design with AR and VR technologies. Users begin by playing premade building blocks in their physical environment using passthrough mode and then go explore their design at a full scale in VR. With a simple toggle, this app switches smoothly between the top-down world-maker perspective and the immersive first-person viewpoint, allowing users to unify the overall design language and refine the material details.

Core features:

• Switch modes (passthrough and VR)
• Object Interactions (snapping, rotating, material changing)
• Hand interactions (grabbing, poking, hand teleporting)
• Sound Interactions

 
^{In collaboration with Malin, Mike, and Crimson
My contributions:}

• ^{Objects and environment design}
• ^{VR interactions design & prototyping}
• ^Animations
• ^{Recording & video editing}

^{Softwares: Unity, Jetbrains Rider (C#), Rhino
Tech Specification:}

• ^{Unity Engine [2021.3.23f1]}
  
• ^{Oculus Integration [53.1]}
• ^{DOTween [Version 1.2.705]}
  
• ^{Oculus XR Plugin [3.3.0]}
• ^{Universal Render Pipeline [12.1.11]}
  
• ^{XR Plugin Management [4.3.3]}
  

<sub>Choose block types and materials; toggle site model in AR; switch between AR and VR views

Apply materials to structure in VR</sub>

Prototype [Full Video]

^{Music credit: Emanuel, Prins. “Aquarius.” Arbete/Fritid}