EVL PhD candidate Arthur Nishimoto has developed a virtual reality representation of the proposed new College of Engineering (COE) building for display in the CAVE2. Participants can navigate through and explore the virtual COE building and surrounding UIC campus. This rendition consists of models converted to Unity3D from the AutoDesk Revit model provided by the architecture firm Lothan Van Hook DeStefano Architecture LLC (LVDA). Additional Chicago city buildings were added to show how the downtown Chicago and other areas around UIC would look from the perspective of the new building.

Using EVL’s CAVE2 Unity simulator and Mechdyne’s getReal3D plugin, the Unity scene was exported for use in the CAVE2 Hybrid-Reality Environment. Within the virtual COE building users can explore rooms within the proposed building including collaborative classrooms, the winter garden, and laboratories. Other 2D elements and renderings provided by LVDA are integrated into the virtual walk-thru.

Model Credits:
Chicago city model by Andrew Lock
UIC Science and Engineering Offices by Arthur Nishimoto