Architectural visualization in the age of 5g: A mixed method pipeline for architectural design communication

Abstract

This research is a case study of a bigger scientific project (as part of a 4-year loan from the Ministry of Economic Development led by Vodafone) that involves a large number of academic and industrial partners working on the pre-industrial tests on the 5G connectivity ongoing in Milan urban area. The use case we analyze here is the only one related to the built environment design process with a focus on the innovation in architectural representation and communication made possible by the 5G as enabling technology. Starting from the construction site of new Politecnico di Milano architecture campus, designed by Ottavio di Blasi – ODB from an idea by Renzo Piano, the research deals with new possibilities for translating the project’s BIM data in a dynamic visualization tool through a mobile AR device at a building scale. The AR designing and engineering process has allowed to test strengths and weaknesses associated with the adaptation of complex digital architectural models to the required geometrical simplification for gaming rendering engines, evaluating different possible and most fitting graphic pipelines.