1. Using virtual worlds
as collaborative environments
for innovation and design
Lessons learned and observations
from case studies in architectural projects
Ehsan Ehsani Scott Chase
Accenture University of Strathclyde Aalborg University
Madrid United Kingdom Denmark

2. Distributed & collaborative
approaches to design/creation
Open source
 Wikipedia
 ‘Open Source’ software
 Mechanical Turk (Amazon)
 Crowdspirit/InnoCentive
Business world (innovation & product development)
 Proctor & Gamble
 Mass customisation: Adidas, Benetton
 Threadless.com
How can these be approaches be harnessed for architectural
projects?

3. Virtual worlds as platforms for
collaboration and design
 Enhanced testing and feedback processes can
replace physical prototyping
 Immersive environments with good
communication/collaboration possibilities
 Voice/video/application sharing

4. Architectural collaboration
in virtual worlds
 Internal: design team
 External: clients, consultants, suppliers
 Concept generation and evaluation
 Design development
 Testing and refinement

5. Four case studies
 Secondary data
 Participant observation in the virtual world
 Semi-structured interviews
 Nature and type of project
 Management of interdependencies
 Organisational issues

6. Implenia

7. aloft hotels

8. PARC building experiments

9. Wikitecture 3.0

10. Wikitecture 3.0: Wiki-tree

11. Wikitecture 3.0: External interface

12. Introduction • Idea generation • Design • Manufacture • Discussion
Wikitecture: Contribution assessment

13. Studio Wikitecture
OAN competition entry

14. Wikitecture 4.0
Virtual classroom
University of Alabama

15. Wikitecture+
Display pavilion
SLB6

16. Project collaboration modes
A 3D architectural model is Open
shared through a platform A network where designers
(e.g. Second life) with a openly choose the leadership,
community. Solver/Feedback Pure open design
collaborate with each other,
Feedbacks/improvements Network Community propose designs and decide
are received and the ones which ones are more valuable
Participation
considered adequate will be aloft Wikitecture
selected
A selected group of the partners
chosen by the company. The VIP Network Consortium A private group of participants
company defines the objective jointly select focus areas and
of the project, defines the rules design solutions.
of collaboration and monitors PARC Implenia
the whole activity.
Closed
Hierarchical Flat
Governance Model

17. Conclusions
 No ‘one size fits all’ approach to virtual
collaboration
 Dynamic governance models
 Combination of virtual worlds with
‘traditional’ forms of collaboration

18. Acknowledgements
 Oliver Goh (Open Shaspa)
 Greg Wadley (PARC)
 Jon Brouchoud and Ryan Schultz
(Studio Wikitecture)
 Erica Driver (Think Balm)