Foster + Partners Designs VARID: A VR/AR Toolkit for Inclusive Design
Foster + Partners Applied Research + Development team has created VARID (Virtual and Augmented Reality for Inclusive Design). Designed in collaboration with City, University of London (City) and UCL’s PEARL Lab, VARID is a design toolkit that uses virtual and augmented reality technologies. Its objective is to support academics, designers, and architects in better understanding how people with vision impairments perceive their environment.
According to the Applied Research + Development team, numerous visual impairments, including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, impact a significant portion of the world’s population. Projections suggest that, as societies age, the number of cases of these impairments may double over the next three decades. The focus is on how important it is for architects to design inclusive spaces that make living, working, and visiting locations comfortable for everyone.
Using real-time image processing techniques, VARID simulates various symptoms of vision loss, such as warping, blurring, or loss of peripheral vision. This utility, created as a plugin for a game engine, works in unity with several virtual and augmented reality headgear that are sold commercially. Furthermore, VARID uses data-driven concepts to enable customized simulations depending on clinical test outcomes.
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In addition to helping with several design phases, such as massing, material, and color choosing, researchers at UCL and City have tested, expanded, and validated the capabilities of VARID. Through improved knowledge of human behavior and spatial experiences, this technique helps designers create more inclusive environments. VARID is currently available for download and use through Github.
Foster + Partners has recently unveiled the new plans for a Mayo Clinic healthcare vision in Rochester, Minnesota. Named “Bold. Forward. Unbound.” This initiative presents a multiyear strategic endeavor aligned with Mayo Clinic’s strategy to “cure, connect, and transform healthcare globally.” Additionally, the studio unveiled the plans for a new multi-purpose design in the heart of Miami Beach. “The Aalton” is a six-story building encompassing ground-level retail, offices, and residential spaces. Finally, F+P has been chosen by the Türkiye Design Council to contribute to revitalizing the historic province of Hatay, an area severely damaged by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in February this year.
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