Reflecting on my Early AR Vision
Back in 2011, I presented a paper at the CONVR 2011 conference at Bauhaus University, focusing on a topic that, at the time, felt incredibly futuristic — the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) to optimize educational environments. Looking back, it’s exciting to see how these early ideas have evolved into mainstream applications today, but it’s also a reminder of how the seeds of innovation are often planted years before they fully bloom.
My paper explored how AR could address the limitations of traditional educational spaces, transforming them from mono-functional (single-purpose) rooms into adaptive, multi-functional environments. This approach aimed to make learning spaces more flexible and efficient, effectively breaking the physical constraints that can limit the potential of conventional classrooms.
The study included a review of AR’s potential to expand the functionality of physical spaces through immersive technologies, ultimately suggesting that classrooms could become more responsive to the diverse needs of modern learners. This was a time when the concept of spatial flexibility in architecture was gaining momentum, and AR seemed like a promising tool to push this idea further.
In the paper, I analyzed two case studies to assess the practical requirements and challenges of implementing AR in educational settings. This early work aimed to bridge the gap between emerging AR technologies and real-world applications in architecture and interior design, contributing to the ongoing conversation about how we shape our learning environments.
Looking back, it’s fascinating to see how these early concepts have continued to develop, becoming a foundational part of how we think about space design today. It’s a powerful reminder that the ideas we explore today can set the stage for the innovations of tomorrow. Link to the full paper
