"... In the presence of the virtual"

In the summer of 1981, with the television advertisement featuring a video montage superimposed over the first launch of the space shuttle Columbia, began the work of what was to be one of the most influential television stations of the late 20th century. For MTV, the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll" superimposed over the first space shuttle launch into space heralded a change in the way music was broadcast and perceived. By a "coincidence", the first music video broadcast by the newly created station was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.

Initially available to just a few thousand subscribers in New Jersey, MTV has grown over the years to influence the lives of millions of young people around the world. Today, 30 years later, the news is starting to become embarrassing for those who until not so long ago were able to decide directions and trends in the music world, namely: "Youtube Killed the Video Star!".

The world is constantly changing, only in recent decades the change has accelerated. In the last issue we only managed to scratch the surface of the hypothetical aspects of a new technology. Augmented Reality is closely linked to technological availability, data transfer bandwidth as well as equipment and its performance. Romania ranks among the top countries with a very good internet connection, with an average of 6.4 Mbps. According to Google's analysis, our country ranks 9th in the world in terms of response times for mobile devices, just after Japan. Bearing in mind that in Romania there are 23 million active SIM cards, and a third of them access the internet from a mobile phone, with a total of 3 million smartphones with a processing capacity comparable to that of computers 5 years ago, the augmented reality market is in a "sweet spot".

In our country, this technology is untapped in terms of its applications in architecture and urban planning. Companies like ^Orange1 or Beck'^s2 and artists like ^Smiley3 are already taking augmented reality to another level, beyond the ubiquitous QR codes, so that in the coming years we can expect to see augmented reality becoming more and more present in our everyday reality. And not only in marketing, but also in the design and presentation of architectural projects. 3D models are starting to become common in design work, and an integrated approach to projects, according to BIM standards, more common among architects.

Therefore, from designed volumetrics to augmented reality is only one step away, namely uploading files to a server and visualizing them through a browser. For this, solutions are available from companies such as Layar, Metaio, Wikitude or Urbasee, all of which offer solutions that can georeference the project (for in situ visualization) or "insert" it into presentation materials, allowing the project to be visualized in the presence of the drawing.

With these tools, it may not be long before urban projects, 1:1 scale PUZs or public space development projects can be visualized in real time and judged by the passer-by with a smartphone or tablet. The initiative for these approaches need not necessarily be private. To this end, I recall how the municipality of New York City managed to implement the use of QR codes in 2011, providing citizens with additional information about the building permit, managing to integrate complex information from the city's data system into this code.

In terms of the concrete application of augmented reality, I would like to elaborate on the theme and successful approach of two projects: the ^Gunzo4 project in Cluny and the Berlin Wall 3D by Hoppala.

Read the full text in Arhitectura 6/2012.

1. The scriepecer and orange explorer projects.

2. Campaign to change the look of Beck's Green Lemon beer cans.

3. The video "Dead man walking - Smiley" is the first video in Romania to use augmented reality.

4. Gunzo project - http://cluny-numerique.fr/

PLANCONTROL*

Founded in 2005, Plancontrol is an architectural firm with 11 employees, which aims to set new standards on the Romanian market. Our projects strike a balance between functionality and aesthetics without compromising on the client's wishes and community needs. The programs covered by our office range from residential and industrial to experiments, market studies or urban planning. Our office works in close collaboration with Subcontrol, the experience and know-how of the two firms being continuously enhanced by a malleable and dynamic work program.

www.plancontrol.ro; www.blog.plancontrol.ro

KUBE LABS**

Kube Labs is an interdisciplinary creative studio with experiments in architecture, game design, animation and media installations. Supporters of the Open Source and Creative Commons movement, our space is open to the public, facilitating multidisciplinary connections through workshops or exhibitions. Kube Labs emerged as an extension of the activities generated around the Edukube training center, whose founders and active trainers were looking for a place to experiment with their projects, united by a common motto: "The Future is Digital".

http://kubelabs.wordpress.com

http://edukube.org/