Gao Sun

XR City

In the digital age, architecture and urban spaces are increasingly merging with digital media, significantly changing how people interact with the built environment. Architecture has become a dynamic medium that can showcase various content, adding vitality to cities and enriching their functionality. As technology advances, digital media will seamlessly integrate with physical spaces, and the rise of Extended Reality (XR) technology is accelerating this transformation.

XR City transforms buildings and urban spaces into multi-dimensional experience platforms by overlaying 2D or 3D digital interfaces in physical spaces. These platforms can serve as canvases for art exhibitions or stages for interactive games. This mode of experience redefines the relationship between people and cities, while also enhancing interactions among individuals. As a result, architecture becomes more flexible and personalized, capable of dynamically adjusting to different users' needs and contexts, bringing unprecedented richness to urban experiences.

In the era of rapid XR technological advancement, the role of architects is being redefined. Future architects will not only need to design physical spaces but also create spatial experiences that blend the digital with the physical. This means architects must acquire new skills, understand how digital interfaces interact with architectural spaces, and how to create more immersive and engaging environments through the fusion of virtual and real. Their responsibilities have expanded from traditional structural and aesthetic design to include creative conceptualization in the digital realm, requiring a holistic approach to envisioning how urban spaces can attract and serve people on a multi-sensory level. Architects will weave a new kind of urban space that integrates both digital and physical realities.

However, this technological advancement is a double-edged sword. While XR brings exciting new possibilities, it also raises challenges such as sensory overload, identity and privacy risks, and increasing social and economic inequalities. We must confront these issues and establish corresponding regulations and standards to ensure that XR technology truly improves urban life rather than creating new problems.

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XR Map of Los Angeles