The first two events of the Interactive Visualization Workshop series, supported by EELISA, brought together students, educators, and professionals to explore extended reality (XR) solutions for the built environment. The series kicked off with an engaging online webinar and continued with a dynamic two-day on-site workshop at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). Next, the journey will continue with an on-site event in Pisa in 2025, where participants will build upon what they’ve learned to explore even more innovative possibilities.
Online Webinar: A Deep Dive into Extended Reality Concepts
We initiated this three-part workshop series with an online session that dove into the ever-expanding world of extended reality. The session was led by Gaia Sasso, Silvia Villafranca, and Eleonora Lanfranco from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA). The online session served as an excellent introduction, covering key concepts of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR). Real-world examples such as AR-enhanced art exhibitions and immersive VR training simulations sparked participants’ imaginations.
Participants were also introduced to various types of VR hardware, from head-mounted displays like the Oculus Quest—which was later used during the on-site event in Budapest—to more advanced immersive systems. The session covered interaction models in VR, highlighting gesture-based control, voice commands, and other interaction techniques.
We also explored the intersection of XR with Building Information Modeling (BIM), focusing particularly on urban planning and construction safety. Attendees saw how VR can be a powerful tool for reducing risks and promoting safer work environments by visualizing potential hazards in a construction setting.
On-Site Event at BME: Exploring XR Solutions Hands-On
The follow-up event took place at BME, where participants finally got the chance to get hands-on with the latest XR tools and applications. The two-day workshop included a mixture of keynote presentations, technical demonstrations, and collaborative group projects. We kicked off with an overview of VR applications in architecture, safety, and urban planning, setting the stage for in-depth workshops and collaborative projects. In addition to local students from Budapest (BME), participants arrived from Pisa (SSSA), Istanbul (ITÜ) and Erlangen (FAU).
Dalux, an industrial partner gave a presentation about their work in the AEC industry, and provided an AR demo in the workshop room to show-case how their process.
One of the highlights of the workshop was the opportunity for participants to work directly with Unity and Blender. Day one began with creating immersive experiences, where attendees gained practical skills in Unity, including importing and optimizing 3D models, applying textures, and using photogrammetry to turn real-world images into virtual assets. By the end of the session, participants successfully created a functioning 3D visualization application.
In addition to software training, participants got a taste of what it’s like to be immersed in a virtual environment—literally. A VR experience in a simulated real-life scenario gave attendees the opportunity to experience the true potential of immersive technologies for the built environment. During the event, participants had a chance to try out Meta Quest Pro glasses, experiencing how it feels to be and operate in such an environment.
Roundtable Discussions and Group Projects
The on-site event also featured a roundtable discussion led by mentors and experts from different EELISA institutes, engaging directly with students and attendees. The discussion focused on how VR and MR can be applied across various fields, what participants found most insightful during the different sessions, and the key takeaways they would carry forward from the event.
In the final phase of the workshop, attendees split into small groups to work on XR projects centered around reimagining Budapest’s iconic bridges using VR, MR, and XR. Each group developed an immersive experience that explored different facets of the bridges, from historical and aesthetic to structural elements, thereby blending storytelling with engineering expertise. At the end of the day, each group presented their projects, sharing unique insights and demonstrating their newly acquired XR skills.
We would like to thank the colleagues from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA), Istanbul Technical University (ITU), and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) for their contributions to the event. Special thanks to the Department of Mechatronics, Optics, and Mechanical Engineering Informatics of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and the Department of Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at BME for their dedicated support.
Looking Ahead: Pisa 2025
The next stop on this journey is Pisa, Italy, in 2025, where we will expand on the ideas born in Budapest. This upcoming on-site event will allow participants to further refine their skills, continue interdisciplinary collaboration, and push the boundaries of XR for the built environment. The Pisa event will not just build on these experiences but also include new technologies and more opportunities for students and professionals to explore and innovate.
Stay tuned for more updates, and join us in Pisa to be part of this exciting exploration into the future of immersive technologies for the built environment!
Written by Dr. Kristóf Kapitány, Associate professor at Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics