Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism

Tactical urbanism (TU) and Virtual Reality (VR) both aim to reimagine physical spaces, with TU utilizing rapid, temporary, scalable, and cost-effective physical interventions to test and refine urban design, while VR offers immersive virtual environments for exploration and analysis. This article in...

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Main Authors: Italo Seghetto, Ricardo Lopes, Fernando Lima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Architecture
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8945/5/2/26
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author Italo Seghetto
Ricardo Lopes
Fernando Lima
author_facet Italo Seghetto
Ricardo Lopes
Fernando Lima
author_sort Italo Seghetto
collection DOAJ
description Tactical urbanism (TU) and Virtual Reality (VR) both aim to reimagine physical spaces, with TU utilizing rapid, temporary, scalable, and cost-effective physical interventions to test and refine urban design, while VR offers immersive virtual environments for exploration and analysis. This article investigates the integration of VR with TU to address challenges in effectively communicating and evaluating temporary urban interventions. This study is grounded in a literature review on spatial perception, TU, and VR, followed by an empirical experiment involving Brazilian college students. Participants interacted with a parklet installation in both physical and virtual environments, with their spatial perception and emotional responses evaluated using the AR4CUP (Augmented Reality for Collaborative Urban Planning) protocol. The results demonstrated that VR positively impacts the perception, usability, and social dynamics of urban spaces. Participants emphasized the importance of social interaction and recreational activities, reinforcing VR’s potential to simulate and refine urban interventions. A crucial avenue for future research is identifying best practices for using VR as a platform for collaborative design and decision-making. This step could enhance VR’s effectiveness in creating public spaces that align with community needs, fostering participatory planning and promoting inclusive, functional, and enriching environments.
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spelling doaj-art-9406e90556a5437aadc18e43a9152fb72025-08-20T03:26:17ZengMDPI AGArchitecture2673-89452025-04-01522610.3390/architecture5020026Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical UrbanismItalo Seghetto0Ricardo Lopes1Fernando Lima2College of Engineering, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36038-330, MG, BrazilCollege of Architecture and Urban Design, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36038-330, MG, BrazilO’More College of Architecture and Design, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USATactical urbanism (TU) and Virtual Reality (VR) both aim to reimagine physical spaces, with TU utilizing rapid, temporary, scalable, and cost-effective physical interventions to test and refine urban design, while VR offers immersive virtual environments for exploration and analysis. This article investigates the integration of VR with TU to address challenges in effectively communicating and evaluating temporary urban interventions. This study is grounded in a literature review on spatial perception, TU, and VR, followed by an empirical experiment involving Brazilian college students. Participants interacted with a parklet installation in both physical and virtual environments, with their spatial perception and emotional responses evaluated using the AR4CUP (Augmented Reality for Collaborative Urban Planning) protocol. The results demonstrated that VR positively impacts the perception, usability, and social dynamics of urban spaces. Participants emphasized the importance of social interaction and recreational activities, reinforcing VR’s potential to simulate and refine urban interventions. A crucial avenue for future research is identifying best practices for using VR as a platform for collaborative design and decision-making. This step could enhance VR’s effectiveness in creating public spaces that align with community needs, fostering participatory planning and promoting inclusive, functional, and enriching environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8945/5/2/26virtual realitytactical urbanismspatial perceptionpublic spacessocial interactions
spellingShingle Italo Seghetto
Ricardo Lopes
Fernando Lima
Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism
Architecture
virtual reality
tactical urbanism
spatial perception
public spaces
social interactions
title Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism
title_full Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism
title_fullStr Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism
title_full_unstemmed Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism
title_short Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Understanding of Tactical Urbanism
title_sort virtual reality as a tool for enhancing understanding of tactical urbanism
topic virtual reality
tactical urbanism
spatial perception
public spaces
social interactions
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8945/5/2/26
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