A VR/AR Solution from Foster + Partners for Designs Without Barriers

VARID (Virtual and Augmented Reality) created by the Applied R&D team at Foster + Partners aims to help academics, designers, and architects better understand how visually impaired people perceive their environments.

The Applied Research + Development team of Foster + Partners Architecture, in collaboration with City, University of London (City) and UCL's PEARL Lab, has developed a design tool called VARID (Virtual and Augmented Reality for Inclusive Design). This tool aims to support academics, designers, and architects in better understanding how visually impaired individuals perceive their environments.

VARID simulates various symptoms and stages of vision loss using real-time image processing techniques. These symptoms include visual distortion, blurriness, or peripheral vision loss. Researchers at UCL and City have helped test, expand, and validate VARID's capabilities, as well as enhance knowledge about human behavior and spatial experiences, assisting designers in creating more inclusive environments. VARID is currently available for download and use via Github.

Foster + Partners has also been selected to contribute to the reconstruction of the historic region of Hatay, which suffered severe damage in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in February 2023, as part of the Turkey Design Council's efforts.