Is Virtual Urbanism a Boon or Hindrance?

In the real world, today every second person visualizes the future of cities to be technologically advanced and accomplished. Visualize the world to transform into a place without any difficulties, a place that is superior in every aspect, mainly with the aim of solving every new problem, which the people living in it come across. It is difficult to imagine such a place, but what if this fantasy turns out to become a reality? Further down this paper will look in the possibilities of such kind of a virtual world, and will also discuss the effects that will most likely take place after or during this change. From the time of evolution of human to the present day, every bit of change in the living has been based on an information highway. The information highway as it is called by Robins. K (1999) is a term used for the technological developments of the cities through every period. We humans are social creatures and our social and personal life depends upon different types of cultures and traditions, creating various communities causing urbanization. Currently the urban world has reached such heights of development in technology due to the information acquired because of the information highway, that the people living in it are easily getting used to the techno world and are adapting the cyber culture. Thus in the text ‘Foreclosing on the City’, (Robins, K. 1999) identifies this term as ‘virtual urbanism’. Thus, according to Bell, D (2000) urbanization is formed of the globalization process. Globalization as defined by Malcolm Waters (1995) is a “social process in which the constraints of geography on social and cultural arrangements recede and in which people become increasingly aware that they are receding.” As we are familiar that everything around us has become fast and moves rapidly, in a complex manner. Experience is all that counts, experience of different people, ideas, technologies, economy and possessions. “An important aspect of globalization is our experience of this reshaping and shrinking of the world.” (Waters). Globalization, unlocks the world as one community, where the virtual world i.e. internet acts as a key to this. The internet gives us numerous choices of communities to join, the communities that we cannot have or create in the real world. Internet is considered to be a platform to create ones identity, as it has no restrictions and also allows one to chance according to the latest trends. At present the cities have developed on a very large scale and are also distorted into various informative sectors. Every person is not cutout for such types of cities. He feels more comfortable in the virtual world, where he can create his own identity; join different communities according to his likes and dislikes. He feels more safe and famous in the virtual world, by following the cyber culture. “It does seem clear that people make use of this technology to combat the symptoms that are characteristic of . . . the ‘postmodern condition.’ The technologies themselves are highly characteristic of the post modern by virtue of their fluidity and malleability. Ironically however, it is their fluid and malleable nature which leads them to be used to combat that ‘condition’ “. (Bromberg 1996)

Cyber culture is a combination of wires, machine, programs, screens, linking to information and then to communication, through websites, emails, chat rooms and socializing communities. ‘It is a culture that is lived by people with the help of machines and different stories of daily life’, (Bell, D. 2000). The cyber culture is carried out in the cyber space i.e. internet. The cyber space seems very attractive and is easily addictive, and if people get addicted to it they find it very difficult to get out of it. The cyber space also houses plenty of people in various communities. The communities to discuss common interests, share information meet new people in the cyber space and many more similar things. Many communities are vast, for example facebook. But there are many people who debate on it, as they argue that face to face communication is any time better than to just text chat or share pictures, as people can easily hide their original identities. Whereas the supporters of the cyber space believe that the online communities are more original, lively and interactive. They also believe that communities like Skype and hangouts fill the crack of distance from the people in those communities. According t the writings of Howard Rheingold (1999), ‘in cyber space we communicate with each other in both happiness and anger, opt for online courses, make money with some business online, exchange knowledge, support each other emotionally, make plans, gossip, fall in an argument, fall in love, make new friends and lose few, play games, flirt, create little high art and a lot of idle talk. We do almost everything that people do when they meet in the real world; the only difference is that, we do it from our computer through words, images and videos. Millions of us have already built communities where our identities commingle and work together automatically, without depending on time or location.’ So we can say that the virtual or cyber communities grow in an organic manner, when people with similar likes or dislikes meet each other. But the argument still continues, as according to Robins, K (2000) that the culture and communities that we have in the real world is the maintenance through inspiration of the continuity of the culture since the ancient times. And he also states that, the cyber space is an alternative to society, where as we are looking for an alternative society. But then again, Slevin (2000) adds, “While internet use may hold out the possibility of emancipation, we must at the same time be aware of how it might create new mechanism of suppression.” In the virtual world, cyber space is surrounded by the cultural, economic, social and political processes. Few people support the fact that the online communities are the solutions to the problems, of socializing in the real world, whereas on the other hand, few people have a completely opposite view. Yet the fact cannot be declined, that there is no compromise for experience. The Paper will further try to explore the experience of several practitioners and will also discuss the benefits and barriers of the use of virtual reality. On the bases of an argument of few researchers, it is said that the virtual reality can be accessed by almost everyone. It is a common technology that is used for final stages of designs by few famous architects and interior designers. The positive part of virtual reality is that there are several different ways of using it. But then the question arises that what is meant by virtual reality? How is it used? And how are the models created? The word virtual reality was used for the first time in 1980, and its description was found in the oxford dictionary. It stated that, ‘virtual reality is a technology that uses, computerized clothing to synthesize a shared reality. (Oxford Dictionary, 1989)

The basic examples of virtual reality can be found in the 3 dimensional video games, of which the graphical displays and sound systems are controlled by the person playing the game. The high end versions of virtual reality are used for pilot and astronaut training, and the games in which the operator is connected with the computer through headset or visual sets such as glasses or huge projection screens, displaying 3 dimensional images and sounds, and also the treadmills that allows the person using it to walk all the way through the virtual reality (NRC, 1999). The virtual reality has become a term that is used to illustrate the programs, in which one can interact with the spatial information in the real world/ real time. The virtual reality is divided into 2 different parts, a) Virtual reality medium and b) Virtual reality system. Both the VR medium and VR system is explained by McLuhan in 1964, that, “the ‘message’ of any medium or technology is the change of scale or pace or pattern that it introduces into human affairs.” He continues by taking virtual reality as a medium into consideration, their main focus is on the representations on the inside of the medium and the implications. The virtual reality medium is further broken down into three defining characteristics: 1. Interactive- In this characteristic the user can easily interact with the model on the computer. 2. Spatial- In this characteristic the model is represented in 3dimensions. 3. Real-time- An immediate feedback is provided. People using the virtual reality medium can go through their models easily. The virtual reality systems are interactive, spatial and are based on real time medium. These systems are classified as immersive, non-immersive or augmented reality: 1. Immersive systems, surrounds the user in all possible way, with a result of an unmediated experience. This is carried out with the help of specialist hardware such as head-mounted and large wall mounted displays. This requires a high-end computing power to provide a high quality realistic environment. 2. Non-immersive systems usually use more generic hardware, with the same software techniques as the immersive systems, but the system does not completely engage the viewer. This system allows the viewer to see the virtual reality through a screen or a display. 3. Augmented reality systems overlay the virtual and real world, allowing the viewer to interact with both the virtual and real world. “The immersion and presence that they provide may be important for some built environment applications. Some people argue that they are necessary for true virtual reality.” (Gigante, 1993) The components of the virtual reality system are the computer hardware and software, the input and output devices, the data and the users. As shown in the figure below.

Input devices Computer Hardware and Software

Data input

Virtual environment Containing Model

User

Output devices

Once we understand the virtual reality, then it can be easily interacted with the virtual model in the real time. “In the 1960s, a pioneer of virtual reality technologies, Sutherland, described his aim as to present the user with a perspective image which changes as he moves’ (1968). So the real time interface with a 3D model is achieved by updating static perspective images at a finite rate.” (Edgar and Bex, 1995). As we discussed in the above paragraphs, various types of illustrations are obtainable in the virtual reality. But there are differences in the virtual reality and real time; one cannot consider virtual reality for real time. The uniqueness that divides the experience of virtual reality from the experience of reality is both intended and unintended. ‘Through the categorization of particular contentious errors, they can be divided into implementation errors, limitations of current technology and intrinsic qualities. ‘(Drascic and Milgram, 1996) they also state that, ‘people can easily adapt to miscalibrate systems and problems raised are more acute for mixed reality, where virtual images are overlaid on the real world.’ The architects and engineers will have to consider these terms; they attempt to use the virtual reality. “As a spatial and temporal medium, virtual reality is one of a range of representations that can be used for problem solving.” (Whyte, J, 2002) It is suggested that, the virtual reality and other similar computer based visualization techniques must be used carefully with the local planning authorities, as the virtual views might differ from the real views. “A greater ability to conceive and imagine design can lead to greater ability to misrepresent that design in the adversarial arena of planning approvals.”(Bosselmann, 1999). We cannot totally depend on the virtual reality. The virtual reality and physical reality will have to walk hand in hand, to get some astonishing results. The virtual reality should be considered as a master tool, from designer’s tool kit. Hence the question is answered here, that virtual urbanism would be a boon if used carefully.

Bibliography

Bell, D. (2001) an Introduction to Cyber Cultures. 1st ed. London: Rout ledge, pp. 1-5, 92-207. Bosselmann, P. (1999) Representation of Places: Reality and Realism in City Design. University of California Press. Drascic, D. and Milgram, P. (1996). Perceptual issues in augmented reality. SPIE Volume 2655: Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems III, San Jose California, pp. 34-123. Edgar, G.K. and Bex, P.J. (1995) Vision and Displays. In K. Carr and R. England (ed), Simulated and Virtual Realities: Elements of perception. Taylor and Francis, pp 85-101. Rheingold, H. (1993) Virtual Community: homesteading on the electronic frontier, Reading MA: Addison Wesley. Robins, K. J and McGuian, J (eds). (1999) Foreclosing on the city? The Bad Idea of Virtual Urbanism in Downey. Technocities. London: Sage Publications. Robins, K. (1995) Cyberspace and the World We Live in. 1st ed. London: Sage Publications, pp. 77-95. Harcourt, W. (ed) (1999) WOMEN@Internet:creating new cultures in cyberspace, London: Zed Books Whyte, J. (2002) Virtual Reality and the Built Environment. 1’st ed. Oxford: Linacre House, pp. 1-3, 4153, 73-78, 101-120.