AR and VR Are Evolving the Entire Learning Process in Architecture —Principal, VES College of Architecture

 In an exclusive conversation with Shiksha, Dr. Prof. Anand Achari, Principal of VESCOA, shares how the college is integrating cutting-edge tools, interdisciplinary learning, and industry partnerships to shape tomorrow's architects.

With architectural education rapidly transforming in the face of technological innovation, institutions are rethinking how future architects learn, design, and think. At the forefront of this evolution is the VES College of Architecture (VESCOA), Mumbai, which has embraced immersive technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to bridge the gap between imagination and practice. In an exclusive conversation with Shiksha, Dr. Prof. Anand Achari, Principal of VESCOA, shares how the college is integrating cutting-edge tools, interdisciplinary learning, and industry partnerships to shape tomorrow's architects.

Q: How do you see Artificial Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) transforming architectural education, especially in helping students grasp complex design and spatial concepts?

Prof. Anand Achari: AR and VR are truly reshaping how we teach architecture today. If you think back to traditional methods, students had to work mainly with 2D drawings, blueprints, or physical models. While those tools are fundamental, they can be quite limiting, especially when trying to fully understand how a space feels or functions. With VR, students can literally step inside their designs, walk around, and experience the scale, volumes, and spatial relationships firsthand. It's one thing to sketch or build a model, but quite another to immerse yourself in a virtual environment that mimics real-world conditions.

This immersive experience helps students move beyond just visualising on paper to actually feeling the space, which leads to better design empathy. For example, they start thinking about how a child, a person with disabilities, or even different cultural users might navigate and interact with that space. It’s a powerful way to build human-centric design thinking early on.

Moreover, AR and VR shorten the feedback loop dramatically. Students can test multiple design iterations quickly and see immediate impacts, which encourages experimentation and innovation. It truly bridges the gap between imagination and reality, giving students the confidence to make more informed, thoughtful design decisions. In many ways, these technologies are not just teaching aids, they are evolving the entire learning process in architecture.

Q: Could you elaborate on how AR/VR technologies are being used at VES College of Architecture to simulate real-world environmental impacts—like energy consumption or natural lighting—during the design process?

Prof. Anand Achari: At VESCOA, we’re integrating AR/VR with environmental simulation tools to help students visualize how natural light interacts with their built forms, how heat zones shift across the day, and how energy-efficient their design decisions are. For instance, a student can wear a VR headset and see how their building performs at different times of the year in terms of daylight penetration or solar heat gain. This real-time feedback helps them design with not just aesthetics, but sustainability in mind.

Q: VESCOA has collaborated with institutions like ISRO and ASSOCHAM. How are these partnerships enhancing the learning experience for your architecture students?

Prof. Anand Achari: These collaborations bring immense value by exposing our students to large-scale thinking and real-world problem-solving. With ISRO, students get to understand spatial planning at a systems level, thinking beyond buildings, into landscapes, infrastructure, and urban resilience. ASSOCHAM provides a bridge to industry, giving our students exposure to policy, regulations, and technological innovations. Such partnerships ensure our students aren't designing in isolation; they’re designing for the real world, backed by insights from the best in the field.

Q: With VESCOA offering 100% placement assistantship and introducing multiple autonomous courses, how are you ensuring students remain industry-ready, especially in the context of emerging tech like AR/VR?

Prof. Anand Achari: At VESCOA, preparing students for the industry means more than just teaching technical skills. We focus on making them adaptable, digitally savvy, and environmentally aware professionals. Our curriculum across B.Arch, M.Arch, and Diploma programs includes practical training in AR/VR, parametric design, and BIM tools that are quickly becoming standard in architecture and construction.

Beyond classroom learning, we emphasise real-world experience through mentorship and internships, allowing students to apply these technologies in professional settings. Our strong placement cell, offering 100% placement assistance, actively supports students in finding the right roles where they can showcase their skills and build a competitive portfolio.

By combining hands-on technology training with industry exposure and career support, we ensure students graduate not only knowledgeable but confident and ready to meet the demands of today’s evolving architecture and design fields.

Q: The B.Arch programme at VESCOA emphasizes interdisciplinary learning. How important is cross-disciplinary exposure—such as integrating tech, environment, and design—for the architects of tomorrow?

Prof. Anand Achari: In today’s context, architecture cannot be practiced in silos. Climate change, smart cities, and user-centric design—these are all inherently interdisciplinary challenges. That’s why we encourage our students to explore overlaps with environmental science, data analytics, psychology, and even AI. A well-rounded architect today is part designer, part technologist, part environmentalist. Our curriculum is consciously crafted to foster this mindset.

Q: Could you share some examples or success stories where students have used AR/VR to tackle real-world architectural challenges?

Prof. Anand Achari: The students developed a virtual exhibition to pay tribute to Sai Hashu Advani ji on the occasion of Hashu Advani Centennial Celebrations. This exhibition was experienced by students and visitors on the virtual reality platform. The viewers could also interact, read details, and bookmark the artworks displayed in the virtual exhibition. There were a large number of visitors expected in a short duration and the virtual reality platform was used to achieve this challenging display.

Q: VES is making significant strides in sustainability, including your solar initiative. How do you integrate green practices and eco-conscious design principles into your architecture curriculum?

Prof. Anand Achari: Sustainability is not a separate subject at VESCOA—it is embedded into the DNA of everything we teach. Our students begin their journey understanding passive design principles and gradually move into advanced courses on energy modelling, material innovation, and circular architecture. The solar initiative is just one expression of this ethos. We want our graduates to be climate-conscious decision-makers who think long-term and design responsibly for people and the planet.