Space Renovation in Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) space renovation considers designing co-located virtual spaces while accounting for constraints imposed by the physical space. Such design presents distinctive challenges and differs from designing for a physical space, as physical items may manifest in various forms in the virtual realm. Furthermore, designers may seek to incorporate unrealistic elements to optimize specific objectives, such as efficiency or comfort, considering the activities involved in the space. This research explores a framework for VR space renovation to offer a systematic guide to such designs. The framework examines physical and virtual spaces across various dimensions regarding space layouts and boundaries, activities and interactions, characters, and other dynamics. Furthermore, we implement a design example of renovating a Nordic studio apartment in VR and discuss insights that could inform and inspire future research. For instance, we illustrate how architecture and physical building components may convey different meanings in VR.