VR IN THE DAILY WORKFLOW | From Tethered to Transformative
In this month’s Design Brief we take a look at our ongoing experience with VR here at MV+A. A lot has changed since we got our first VR headset in 2017, including Meta’s release of the QUEST 3S headset which is proving to be a genuine gamechanger in our day to day project workflows. Generally speaking, VR has not only gotten better and more affordable, it’s functionality now lends itself to a much broader swath of the design and development process.
From Novelty to Necessity
VR has grown up—and it’s finally ready for daily design work.
For many design firms, VR began as a compelling but cumbersome technology. Our first in-house experience was with the HTC VIVE, at the time a leading-edge system for spatial immersion and 3D walkthroughs . It delivered strong visuals and intuitive tracking—but came with major drawbacks. The headset required a high-powered PC, external sensors, a belt-mounted power bank, and a tangled nest of cables. It was heavy, hot, and awkward to pass between users, particularly during group design reviews.
Despite these issues, the potential of immersive design was obvious. The challenge was making the technology approachable and practical enough to use consistently. That threshold has finally been crossed.
Fast forward to today, and the ecosystem has changed. A new generation of all-in-one headsets is making VR more approachable for architecture studios of all sizes. These lightweight, wireless devices remove the need for external sensors or defined movement zones. They power up in seconds and operate in any setting—from a dedicated studio to a job site trailer. This shift from high-maintenance setup to on-demand usability marks a turning point: VR has finally become a tool for real-time collaboration, not just polished presentations.
VR experience from our Lulah Hills project
The New Hardware Advantage
New form factors reduce friction—literally and figuratively.
The latest devices aren’t just easier to set up—they’re far more comfortable to use. Lighter headsets with integrated batteries and breathable facial liners mean less heat, less fatigue, and more willingness to stay immersed. For design teams, that opens up longer, more productive working sessions. For clients and community stakeholders, it reduces the intimidation factor that once came with bulky, sweat-soaked hardware.
Importantly, many modern headsets now include passthrough view features, allowing users to remain aware of their surroundings when not fully immersed. That safety-conscious design is especially helpful in studio environments or during collaborative demos where people may be moving in and out of VR frequently. Simplified controllers, improved hand tracking, and intuitive navigation further shorten the learning curve for first-time users—making it easier to bring clients and non-specialists into the fold.
Bringing VR Into the Design Process
Immersive tools are shaping workflows, not just outcomes.
As hardware has improved, so has the way we use it. VR is no longer confined to final-phase client walk-throughs. Today, immersive modeling is making its way into earlier stages of the design process—from schematic layout testing and interior proportion studies to massing previews and spatial pin-ups.
In some cases, headset-based reviews now supplement or even replace static screens during internal critiques. Designers can preview options in 1:1 scale, test daylight impacts in real time, or flag circulation issues before a single rendering is created. And because these systems are mobile, the same model can be reviewed on-site, in a meeting room, or in a community engagement setting—where participants can step into the design rather than imagining it from a plan view.
Some platforms are also exploring mixed reality capabilities that overlay digital content into physical space, allowing users to blend design models with existing site conditions or architectural context. While still early in adoption, these tools hint at a future where digital/physical hybrid experiences become part of the everyday design process.
Above: ‘Old School’ viewing—screen recording of the Enscape mobile app. Below: Use QR code to access model via Enscape URL—no app required.
Scalable Technology for Scalable Practice
Lower cost, simplified deployment, and easier hygiene protocols enable firm-wide use.
Cost and complexity once limited VR to firms with dedicated R&D budgets. But recent hardware advancements—particularly in self-contained, under-$400 headsets—have opened the door to more widespread adoption. Teams no longer need powerful desktop towers or a dedicated VR room. And swappable face pads, mobile device management tools, and cloud-based app libraries are making it easier for IT leads to support larger deployments across offices and studios.
Many newer systems are also designed to integrate with existing visualization platforms. Whether using real-time rendering engines like Enscape or Unreal, or exporting simplified models for direct headset loading, design teams can choose the level of fidelity and interactivity that best fits their project needs. The result: VR becomes part of a flexible workflow rather than a one-off deliverable.
The ‘New School’ | Meta Quest 3S: 2600 Block Columbia Pike | Arlington, VA. Click on image to view screen capture of project VR sequence / session.
Conclusion: Designing Forward
Virtual reality isn’t just an immersive gimmick—it’s an enabling technology.
We’re no longer asking whether VR has value in architecture—we’re seeing where and how it creates the most value. As headsets become lighter, cheaper, and more intuitive, their role is shifting from novelty to infrastructure. Immersive modeling is helping design teams work faster, visualize more clearly, and communicate more effectively with clients and collaborators.
While individual products will continue to evolve, the trend is clear: spatial visualization is becoming a natural, everyday layer of architectural practice. And as the tools get easier to use, the real challenge becomes creative—how can we use them to design better?
