Start VR launches Australia’s first immersive virtual reality experience for new Sydney apartment development
Shopping for a new home is no quick decision. The high involvement purchase requires extensive research and physically visiting listings to get comfortable with the neighborhood and touring the property to see if this is indeed your dream home. Oftentimes panoramic photos or 360-degree videos are sufficient to peak the interest of a potential homebuyer. But when it comes to selling property before it’s even built and when you want the homebuyer to actually feel like they are standing in the middle of the unit, virtual reality may just be the answer.
Virtual reality has the potential to become a very powerful tool when it comes to selling property developments and one Australian VR development studio is banking on it. The Sydney-based virtual reality studio Start VR is offering a fully immersive VR experience for prospective buyers to experience the space of an apartment development before construction has even started.
VR rendering of Stormtrooper bedroom
Start VR has developed the EDGE 28 app for the sales launch of the apartment development, a photo-realistic experience available for download and viewable with a Samsung Gear VR headset or Google Cardboard viewer. The app includes computer-generated renderings from architectural drawings of the development and combines this with live action 360 drone footage.
Not only is the app available to experience from the comfort of your current home, for those without a headset Start VR is taking the virtual property tour on the road and inviting homebuyers to visit a showroom and check it out on a Gear VR headset.
In the EDGE 28 VR showroom
The VR app experience allows users to navigate various views including apartments on two floors, the rooftop common area, and a street view, which includes atmospheric audio of street noise and wind. There are also options to toggle between renderings at different times of the day and inspect close up details of fixtures in the apartments.
“We wanted to create an experience that allows people to feel like they are in a finished apartment, feel the true dimensions and space and also enjoy the actual views they would see,” Start VR CEO Kain Tietzel commented.
Giving consumers greater confidence when making a large purchase like buying a home or an apartment, especially when just off architectural plans, is a welcome boost to what can normally be a stressful process. And with virtual reality having the ability to create emotional experiences with an environment, this may be just what developers have been looking for to fill units.
You can download the EDGE 28 app on either iOS or Android.
CG renders have been developed by Start VR partner, Electric Art in close consultation with project architects, Mayoh Architects. Overall branding for the Edge 28 project was developed by Start VR partner, Darling Brands.
Leave a Comment