MR sculpting of voxelized building models

A Hands-On Approach to Virtual Architecture

An innovative application created for prototyping and sculpting voxelized housing models using the Hololens 2, a head-mounted mixed reality device. Built with Unity and the Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK), this application allows users to engage in hands-on sculpting of virtual building models, closely resembling traditional sculpting techniques. Users manipulate the models with their hands, adding or removing parts while the Marching Cubes algorithm dynamically updates the 3D meshes in real time.

The application enables users to move, scale, and place their virtual creations within their actual environments, providing a unique perspective on architectural design. With various interaction modes, it supports multiple workflows tailored to different sculpting styles. A user study demonstrates the application’s usability, yielding positive feedback from participants with varying levels of AR experience. While the application is fully functional, there is significant potential for enhancements, such as adding an export feature for seamless integration into cross-application design processes.

Screenshots

Example of the interactions with the hand and the model in Mixed Reality, where the user uses both hands to rotate and move the model.

The model is divided into voxels, which can be individually toggled on or off, which in turn will change the shape of the whole model.