VIRPA

Concept for a collaborative VR tool suite for real estate management
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”Co-creation of Campus by Using Virtual Reality”
Academic Research Paper

ALTER / SYK University Properties of Finland

2019

VIRPA is a conceptual suite of VR applications developed to explore data visualization, co-creation, and user services within the real estate sector. The project investigated how immersive technologies can enhance building design and operations—tackling challenges like navigating large 3D models without inducing nausea or disorientation.

The system supports multiplayer collaboration, 3D drawing, surface painting, wall editing, floor plan expansion, and real-time IoT data visualization through an interactive timeline that reflects changes in temperature, air quality, and motion sensor activity.

In parallel with the development of the VR suite, I authored a peer-reviewed academic paper presented at the EFMC 2017 International Conference. The research examined how virtual reality (VR) can enhance collaborative design and decision-making in real estate, bridging practical prototyping with academic research.

My role

VR Suite

Led concept development and rapid prototyping
Developed in Unity using C#
Converted and optimised BIM models for Unity workflows (ArchiCAD → Blender → Unity)
Designed UX flows for VR tutorial onboarding
Built interactive UI elements (buttons, toggles, panels, etc.)
Integrated third-party SDKs, including SteamVR and Photon Networking
Researched and implemented innovative movement systems for VR
Built a synced, networked 3D drawing system
Developed tools for editing architectural models, including wall removal and drawing new structures on a dynamic grid
Created a surface painting system with multi-colour zoning for area designation
Built a modular room configurator to swap environments and reposition furniture
Developed an IoT visualizer: connected live sensor APIs to Unity, designed a timeline-based UI, and built responsive 3D visual feedback based on the incoming data