Augmented Reality-based Collaboration - ARgan, a bamboo art installation case study

Abstract

ARgan is a geometrically complex bamboo sculpture that relied on Mixed Reality (MR) for its joint creation by multiple sculptors and used latest Augmented Reality (AR) technology to guide manual fabrication actions. It was built at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in the fall of 2019 by thirty participants of a design-and-build workshop on the integration of AR in construction. As part of its construction workflow, holographic setups were created on multiple devices, including a series of Microsoft HoloLenses and several handheld Smartphones, all linked simultaneously to a single digital base model to interactively guide the manufacturing process. This paper critically evaluates the experience of extending recent AR and MR tool developments towards applications that centre on creative collaborative production. Using ARgan as a demonstrator project, its developed workflow is assessed on its ability to transform a geometrically complex digitally drafted design to its final physically built form, highlighting the necessary strategic integration of variability as an opportunity to relax notions on design precision and exact control. The paper concludes with a plea for digital technology’s ability to stimulate dialogue and collaboration in creative production and augment craftsmanship, thus providing greater agency and more diverse design output.

Full text

  
      
   
     

        
           
         
          
           
           
       
        
         
        
          
       
        
          
          
         
         
          
       
       
   
   
 
         
          
            
          
         
           
           
           
          
          
            
               
          

     
            
            
           
            
           
            
            
            
      
            
        
          
         
        
           
         
       
            
       
           
         
          
         
         
      
          
         
         
               
         
           
            
           
            
         
          
          
 
           
         
       

   
          
 
           
         
           
            
           
           
            
        
              
          
           
           
       
           
       
             
         
         
         
       
            
          
        
          
            
         
           
     

     
   
           
          
              
           
             
             
            
    
      
         
          
              
             
            
            
          
           
             
           
            
           
    
           
            
           
           
        
                
          
              
              

   
           
            
       
            
   
          

     
 
          
            
          
          
          
         
          
         
             
            
          
           
         
           
            
         
  
         
            
          
             
    

   
         
          
            
             
            
          
           
        
          
          
           
           
             
         
           
            
         
         
           
           
  

     
       
          
 
        
       
        
         
         
         
      
          
           
         
          
         
        
           
          
         
         
        
           
         
           


   
    
          
           
          
             
            
         
         
        
            
          
          
          
         
           
         
   
 
          
        
           
          
         
          
           
        
          
          
        
          

     
           
         
         
          
          
       
         
      

          
         
          
          
            
            
             
           
               
           

              
           
         

             
         
 
             
     
           
        
   
               
          
   
              
              
     
               
           
        

            
      
              
           
    