Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024
E-ISSN: 2723 - 6692
P-ISSN: 2723 - 6595
http://jiss.publikasiindonesia.id/
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 11, November 2024 2876
Virtual Reality Trends as a New Approach in Architecture
Presentation in Indonesia: A Literature Review
Harry Wibowo, Denny Meisandy Hutauruk
Universitas Negeri Medan, Indonesia
Email: harry_ft@unimed.ac.id
Correspondence: harry_ft@unimed.ac.id
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Virtual Reality; Interactive;
Architecture; Visualization;
Garuda
Virtual Reality (VR) is now a new trend in architectural
presentations in Indonesia, offering an interactive experience that
allows for a more detailed visualization of the space before
construction. This study aims to explore the trend of VR adoption in
Indonesia through a literature review sourced from architectural
journals registered in Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA). The findings
show that VR significantly improves spatial understanding,
communication, and collaboration between architects and clients
while facilitating faster decision-making. However, factors such as
implementation costs and a lack of experts still hinder the
widespread use of VR. The study recommends increased investment
in VR training and infrastructure and encouraging closer
cooperation between academia and the architecture industry to
accelerate the adoption of this technology in Indonesia.
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Introduction
Digital technology is growing very fast in the current era of information technology. It is applied
in many fields of human life, such as education, health, transportation, and others. Digital technology
in education also affects architectural design. How architects and aspiring architects work changed
from the initial tools used, pencils, paper, and drawing machines, to computers and drawings. This
makes product presentation and design visualization easier (Syafril, 2019).
Architects now use Virtual Reality (VR) to offer innovative design, planning, and visualization
solutions. VR allows clients and stakeholders to fully experience and interact with their designs before
construction is implemented. In the learning process in schools and universities, virtual reality
technology has also been widely applied to architecture to help students visualize and understand
complex spatial concepts. (Rauf et al., 2021), Furthermore, virtual reality has the potential to improve
design and environmental understanding in architectural practices (Shih, 2000).
Virtual reality technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of architecture by
providing immersive experiences, improving design outcomes, improving communication with
clients, aiding in architecture education, and simulating spaces more realistically and engagingly (Jin
& Zhang, 2023). Virtual reality in architecture presents a new and innovative way to display designs,
allowing clients and users to fully immerse themselves in the proposed space and experience it
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firsthand (Alsabban & Fatani, 2018). This approach can help overcome the limitations of traditional
two-dimensional drawings and improve communication and understanding between designers,
clients, and other stakeholders involved in architectural projects.
In addition, virtual reality can also be used in the construction phase to aid in the visualization
and coordination of complex building processes. Virtual reality is a new technology that can
potentially revolutionize the field of architecture. By creating immersive and interactive experiences,
virtual reality allows architects to showcase their designs more realistically and engagingly. Virtual
reality technology provides architects with new and innovative ways to present their designs,
allowing clients and users to immerse themselves fully in the proposed space (Panya et al., 2020).
In Indonesia, VR in architecture is gaining attention, especially in presenting designs to clients
and stakeholders. According to the latest research (Amri & Taurusta, 2021). Despite its great
potential, VR adoption in Indonesia is still relatively limited compared to developed countries. The
main obstacles include the high cost of implementing the technology, the lack of training and technical
knowledge among architectural professionals, and inadequate infrastructure. Nevertheless, the
literature shows that integrating VR in architectural presentations significantly impacts the
effectiveness of communication between architects and clients and allows for early identification of
design issues.
This research contributes to the field by providing a detailed analysis of the trends and
obstacles related to VR adoption in Indonesian architecture, an area that has not been extensively
explored. Unlike previous studies that have focused primarily on VR in developed countries, this
study offers insights into the specific challenges faced in Indonesia, including cost barriers and lack
of expertise. The novelty lies in the regional focus on Indonesia and the specific investigation of
factors that hinder the widespread adoption of VR, providing a foundation for further research and
development in this area. Moreover, the study emphasizes the need for investment in VR training and
infrastructure, which could significantly impact the pace of technological adoption in the Indonesian
architecture industry.
By using content analysis on the application of virtual reality in literature reviews registered in
Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) from 2016 to 2023, the purpose of this study is to collect
information about several studies that have examined the use of virtual reality in the architecture
industry. In detail, this study aims to answer the following questions: (1) How has the number of
research on the use of virtual reality in architecture developed from year to year in Indonesia? (2)
What are the various types of research designs used to utilize virtual reality in the field of architecture
in Indonesia? (3) What are the obstacles faced in applying virtual reality in the field of architecture in
Indonesia?
Research Methods
This research uses a literature review. Literature review is the process of reviewing, collecting,
analyzing, and evaluating literature related to the subject being studied, according to Manzilati (2017)
because it covers all types of quantitative and qualitative research, literature review is the most
important first step in any research project. This study did not conduct direct field research but only
analyzed data from previous studies. In the world of research, this literature review study can help
researchers understand the scope of the problem to be studied, the techniques used by other
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researchers to solve similar problems, the current state of research in the field, and the latest
techniques proposed by the researcher.
Research Design
This study uses a content analysis approach, which focuses on research results published in
scientific journals in Indonesia. The research method applied is similar to that used by (Fauzi &
Pradipta, 2018).
Data Source
Data was obtained from the analysis of the content of Architecture articles. All content in the
article comes from the Architecture journal registered in Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA), which will
be updated until September 2024. GARUDA (https://garuda.kemdikbud.go.id) is a portal to find
academic references in Indonesia that serves as a gateway to scientific works produced by Indonesian
academics and researchers. Garuda includes domestic e-journals, conferences, and research reports.
In total, ten articles were entered into the GARUDA database. This study will investigate all articles
discussing virtual reality (VR) in architecture.
Data is collected from the results of content analysis in Architecture articles. All articles are
taken from Architecture journals registered with Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) until September
2024. GARUDA (https://garuda.kemdikbud.go.id) is an Indonesian scientific reference discovery
portal that accesses scientific works produced by Indonesian academics and researchers. Garuda
includes domestic e-journals, conferences, and research reports, among others. In total, ten articles
are included in the GARUDA database. Furthermore, all articles reviewing virtual reality (VR) in
architecture were analyzed in this study.
Research Instruments
The content analysis guidelines are instruments used in this study that include the aspects
observed. In this study, four main elements are considered in content analysis. These factors include
(1) the frequency of publication each year, (2) types of research, (3) Research objects, and (4) Virtual
Reality topics related to Classroom Learning.
The instrument used for this study is a content analysis guideline that contains related aspects
observed. There are four main aspects reviewed in the content analysis of this study. These aspects
include (1) the number of publications per year, (2) type of research, (3) Research object, and (4)
Virtual Reality topics related to Learning in the Classroom.
Data Analysis
Each article is classified into a specific category based on certain aspects that meet a
predetermined category. The author contains this information in the abstract, method, and discussion
sections. Furthermore, the collected data is presented as a bar chart.
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Results and Discussion
Findings
Number of Publications
The number of articles published reflects how often research is conducted in the same period.
According to the graph in Figure 1, articles on the use of virtual reality in architecture have been
around since 2014. There is no particular change trend in the number of publications from one year
to another. Referring to Figure 1, the number of publications since 2014 did not increase much in the
following year. In 2020 and 2022, it is the most publications about virtual reality in architecture with
three publications, and in 2023, there is one publication about VR in architecture.
Figure 1. The Trend of Increasing the Number of Virtual Reality Technology Research in
Architecture in Indonesia (GARUDA) in the Last 10 Years
Source: Data collected from content analysis of articles in Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) from 2014 to 2024
The increasing number of research on virtual reality (VR) technology in the field of architecture
in Indonesia has attracted attention. Over the past few years, VR has become increasingly vital in
architecture, allowing experts to plan, develop, and visualize their projects more effectively and
thoroughly. This increase is largely due to the sophistication of increasingly affordable and accessible
technology and the understanding of the great benefits it can offer in designing and realizing
architectural projects.
This increase is also supported by an increasing number of educational institutions and
industries that are starting to integrate VR technology into their curricula and ongoing architectural
projects. However, challenges include the cost of implementing this technology, the availability of
adequate infrastructure, and the education and training required for professionals. This development
promises to bring about a major change in how the architecture industry operates in Indonesia,
potentially improving efficiency, creativity, and user experience in designing spaces.
0
0,5
1
1,5
2
2,5
3
3,5
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Tahun
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Type of Research
The research type and model lead to the research's focus. According to Figure 2, qualitative
research is the most commonly used design by researchers to explore virtual reality technologies in
architecture. Based on some previous studies, many researchers choose qualitative research design
for exploration in architecture rather than quantitative research and development research.
Figure 2. Distribution of Types of Virtual Reality Research in Architecture in Indonesia (GARUDA) in
the Last 10 Years
Source: Data collected from content analysis of articles in Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) from 2014 to 2024
R and D research is second in the research trend of virtual reality architecture, focusing on
producing products through a systematic and objective data collection, processing, analysis, and
presentation process. In one research in this field, a virtual reality-based desktop-based learning
media for Hindu-Buddhist heritage building architecture has been created for class X of SMAN 1 Social
Sciences Department, which can increase students' interest in learning (Mahendra et al., 2022).
Virtual reality desktop learning media is very flexible because it can be accessed anywhere and
anytime, both face-to-face and online learning in the classroom (Podkosova et al., 2022).
Quantitative research ranks third in architectural virtual reality research; quantitative research
on virtual reality (VR) involves collecting numerical data and statistical analysis to understand and
measure VR-related phenomena specifically. In this field, quantitative research aims to provide a solid
understanding of various aspects of VR, such as user experience, design effectiveness, psychological
impact, and more. This is an opportunity for architectural researchers.
Research Object
In architecture, research on virtual reality (VR) can include a wide range of objects relevant to
VR applications in the industry. Based on Figure 4, the research objectives are very varied; the most
discussed is about learning (Afwan, 2023; Rahmadianto et al., 2023; Syafril, 2019) and cultural
heritage buildings (Bahar, 2014; Mahendra et al., 2022) as for the object of study about the house
(Amri & Taurusta, 2021), Tour (Chan & Faza, 2021), general public (Hidayat & Prijotomo, 2017) and
building a virtual expo (Paturusi et al., 2022), carried out 1 time (Pratowo, 2022).
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Kualitatif Kuantitatif R&D
Jenis Penelitian
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Figure 3. Distribution of Virtual Reality Research Objects in Architecture in Indonesia (GARUDA)
in the Last 10 Years
Source: Data collected from content analysis of articles in Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) from 2014 to 2024
Virtual Reality Topics Related to Learning in the Classroom
Of the nine articles related to virtual reality architecture, about three were related to classroom
learning, and six were related to classroom learning. Among some research articles that are not
related to classroom learning are
Figure 4. Distribution of Research Topics Related to Learning in Virtual Reality Classrooms in
Architecture in Indonesia (GARUDA) in the Last 10 Years
0
0,5
1
1,5
2
2,5
3
3,5
4
4,5
Objek Penelitian
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Source: Data collected from content analysis of articles in Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) from 2014 to 2024
The data presented in Figure 4 shows that a significant portion of virtual reality research in
architecture is not directly related to classroom learning, indicating that VR is being explored more
for general architectural design and presentation purposes rather than educational use. Specifically,
only about one-third of the research focuses on virtual reality in the classroom setting. This disparity
highlights the untapped potential of VR as an educational tool in the architecture field, suggesting a
need for increased emphasis on research that explores its use in education. As virtual reality has been
shown to enhance learning by providing immersive experiences, future studies could benefit from
focusing on how VR can be better integrated into architectural education to support students'
understanding of complex spatial concepts.
Conclusion
This research reviewed virtual reality and architecture articles published in Garba Rujukan
Digital (GARUDA) from 2014 to 2024. There is a trend of increasing the number of publications that
discuss VR Architecture learning, mostly quantitative research and R&D. Next is the most discussed
research object about VR Architecture, which is the use of VR in learning media for students. In
contrast, the overall topic that is most discussed is activities that are not related to the classroom (as
a whole). Based on the findings, several suggestions have been prepared for further research because
few studies, especially in Indonesia, examine the use of virtual reality for architects; this can be seen
as only nine articles published from the 2014-2024 time range. Meanwhile, there are a lot of foreign
articles; this is an opportunity and challenge for researchers and professional architects to use this
tool in virtually presenting works to the public. Furthermore, it is recommended that other
researchers conduct further research on residential objects and other commercial fungi because, in
previous research, there was very little discussion about this topic. Even though for the needs of
architect services Most of the projects handled by architects are private houses and commercial
functions, this is important to provide new knowledge and education to the community, especially in
Indonesia, regarding the use of VR in the presentation of architectural works.
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