What are the top virtual reality (VR) visualization tools for architects and designers?

Twin Motion, Unreal, or Unity seem to be the current top-of-the-line solution for creating content for client consumption. And I imagine Quest or Vision Pro for top-of-the-line hardware. For most designers actually using VR to preview designs, I imagine them using a Quest to view a model in an arch vis software like Modelo, Gravity Sketch, or Shapes. This is not based on a wider understanding of the whole industry of architects and designers, just from what I have seen and experienced as accessible.

If you're reading these answers, you likely don't have a good enough understanding of CGI, film or gaming to create a "good" VR experience. Therefore, you must expand your knowledge in these areas by learning how games and films are made. People who work in these fields use similar yet equally or more complex tools than architects. You're going to need to understand most of those tools and how everything works together even to create a remotely "good" VR experience. Unreal Engine and Blender basics would be a good starting place.

My top VR visualization software for architecture & design: Unity3D: Versatile platform for creating realistic VR environments with advanced rendering capabilities. Unreal Engine: Known for photorealistic graphics and dynamic VR experiences. SketchUp with Enscape: Combines user-friendly 3D modeling with real-time rendering for quick VR visualizations. Twinmotion: Specialized software for architectural visualization with easy-to-use tools and high-quality rendering. IrisVR Prospect: VR platform for architectural collaboration and visualization, supporting various 3D file formats. Fuzor: Integrates BIM models into VR for design visualization and project management.

The data pipeline to VR visualization tools, should be one of your top priorities when looking at this. most design tools create 3d models which are suitable for rendering or engineering purposes and thus have too many draw calls, polygons and maybe have textures that have very high resolution. All of these can affect visualization performance in VR. Some platforms offer an integrated data pipeline that do the conversion to a more simplified file. Some platforms can read native CAD formats in their graphics pipeline. Both have pros and cons. NVIDIA Omniverse is a evolving frame work that supports a hub and spoke approach to file conversion, and may bring big benefits in this kind of situation.

AEC significantly benefits from immersive tech by allowing professionals, clients, and collaborators who may not be trained in interpreting space through 2D mediums (like plans, sections, or perspectives) to fully experience the composition of space. The integration of models into immersive tech should be seamless within the design process. When it's not, the effort required to use immersive tech will overshadow the actual design work. Tools such as Arkio and Enscape, which were specifically developed for AEC, offer a 1 click workflow to import models into their software. I would steer AEC professionals away from game engines as those platforms have a huge learning curve and require time that is typically not available in AEC projects.

Architects and designers have a number of great VR visualization tools at their disposal. Here are some of the top contenders: For 3D Modeling: Gravity Sketch: This VR-based tool lets architects design directly in a virtual environment, allowing for a more intuitive and immersive design process. Unreal Engine: While originally a game development engine, Unreal Engine offers a powerful and highly customizable toolset for creating VR experiences. It requires more technical expertise but allows for unparalleled control over the virtual environment. Unity: Similar to Unreal Engine, Unity is another game engine that can be used to create VR experiences. It offers a good balance between power and ease of use.

In my opinion, there’s currently no solid tool for interacting with designs in VR. The best prospect of a potentially helpful workflow was proposed recently by Daniel Beauchamp from Shopify. Search for it on X. It involves wearing a Vision Pro (or any mixed reality could work) while modelling on your computer using Blender or whatever 3D modelling program, but augmenting a live preview of that object into your physical space through the Vision Pro. Your room becomes the “Look Dev” environment. The next iteration might be that we can edit the augmented model with our hands, which will be reflected on our computer. This workflow has much more potential than anything I’ve read here, but it's only recently become possible.

Arkio stands out as the only AEC-dedicated tool that enables intuitive spatial modeling. Although I'm part of the Arkio team and might seem biased, I was a fan even while working at a design firm because it mirrors physical drawing and model-building practices, rather than mimicking the complex ribbons and windows typical of 2D screen-based design software. For AEC professionals, another key aspect is interoperability. AEC projects often require multiple modeling tools that overlap throughout the project's timeline. It’s crucial that your software can seamlessly import and export with standard platforms like Rhino, Revit, and SketchUp. Fortunately, Arkio excels in this area??

In Blender, high-poly assets boast intricate details for superior visual quality, demanding substantial storage and computing resources. Conversely, low-poly assets sacrifice detail for smaller sizes, optimizing performance in VR applications.

Unreal Engine 5 has developed to a point where photorealistic images can be rendered in realtime. The new features include realtime raytracing using the new "Lumen" engine, highpoly mesh rendering without significant slowdowns using "Nanite" and an intricate new shading workflow called "Substrate". If you utilize these strengths, you can prepare AAA-level imagery for your own products. Consider also the game features of Unreal Engine 5, making it a lot easier to convert your scenes into walkable levels. Combined together, these new features and tools allow you to create an immersive, realistic experience in VR.

The key to client presentations is ensuring the technology complements rather than overshadows the design. Aim for a process that makes it simple and effortless for any client or collaborator. The last thing you want is a client saying "no, I don't want to wear a headset. I prefer to watch" In my experience, having a team member guide the user(s) through a virtual tour of the project proves successful. Highlighting key views that illustrate circulation and orientation can subtly educate users about the design through immersive tech. Once you're comfortable with virtual tours, you can progress to more advanced presentations that resemble simple simulations. These help verify user navigation and highlight visual focal points within a space

There are a few tools that can help you collaborate remotely with other people for design and architecture. NVIDIA Omniverse is a complete solution to connect professionals together and let them enter a simulation of a certain environment. Previously NVIDIA had a product called Holodeck for that purpose. If you want to design in VR, you can use collaborative 3D tools like Gravity Sketch or Masterpiece VR. If you want something more "artistic", you can use Multibrush VR. If you want instead more professional tools for AEC, you can use Resolve, Sentio VR, or The Wild.

There are a few outstanding apps in this category. Arkio is still in a relatively early stage of development but has excellent collaboration modes on ipad, PC or VR. There are plenty of collaboration tools like sketch markup, post it notes etc. It has its own native modeling tools too, which are not for detailed design but very good for advanced mock ups. Resolve is probably the most robust for mobile VR app for design review and has easy multiplayer collaboration too. Gravity sketch is an excellent collaboration platform with a great 2d mode for managers, and while it's not really intended for architects the basic sketching tools are an excellent way to communicate design intent.

Unreal's TwinMotion, Autodesk's Workshop XR, Enscape as well as the Unity family of products, collaboration has been a key feature for a while now

Depending on your usecase Hololight SPACE is a great tool for collaborative engineering sessions utilising CAD data without preparing it.

Material representation remains a complex issue in the AEC sector, transcending even the immersive tech sphere. Typically, larger firms employ specialists to create and manage virtual materials for their projects. Let's not even talk about uv's... A growing trend with Arkio is the use of mixed reality to visualize models at a 1:1 scale alongside physical material samples, creating a tangible link between digital and physical realms. This approach reduces the need to craft virtual materials that mimic real-life appearances accurately. For those still focused on crafting virtual materials, I recommend using software designed for photorealistic rendering, such as Enscape, Vray, Twinmotion, or Lumion

High-poly assets showcase intricate textures, vibrant colors, and sophisticated lighting effects, enhancing visual fidelity but requiring substantial storage and computing resources. In contrast, low-poly assets sacrifice some detail but maintain efficiency, making them ideal for optimized VR experiences without compromising aesthetic appeal.

- Explore Autodesk Revit and Autodesk VRED for VR architectural visualization. These tools are widely respected in the architecture and design community for their robust features and integration capabilities with VR ???. - SketchUp with its VR plugin offers a user-friendly interface that makes it simple for designers to quickly model and view their creations in a virtual environment.???. - Use Enscape for real-time rendering and virtual reality??. - Twinmotion by Unreal Engine offers architects and designers a powerful platform to create high-quality visualizations with dynamic weather, seasonal impacts, and detailed environments. ??

According to me Blender is one of the best tool to visualize VR architectures as you can create the architecture within the application and visualize it directly in your headset using quest link if you are using Meta Quest.