Arkio as a potential collaborative design and production model for first year in architectural education

Advancements in technology have significantly accelerated the adoption and transformation of digital tools in education. Among these tools, computer-aided design and virtual reality have emerged as pivotal technologies in architectural education. These innovations diminish the dependency on students' physical presence, offering transformative potential for collaborative design processes. Computer-aided design and virtual reality are increasingly incorporated into architectural education to foster environments where students can work together toward shared objectives, enabling them to engage in collaborative design practices. Arkio, a platform designed specifically for architects and architecture students, offers virtual production capabilities across domains such as building modeling, interior design, and landscape architecture. With its cloud-based collaboration and real-time interaction features, Arkio is particularly valuable for architectural education. Unlike other virtual reality platforms that emphasize individual design tasks, Arkio facilitates simultaneous multi-user collaboration on a single model. This unique structure supports collective participation in design processes, making it an essential tool for learning design, especially for first-year architecture students. This thesis analyzes Arkio's potential and distinctive features as a collaborative design platform. By focusing on its application in first-year design courses, the study evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of Arkio in enhancing architectural education. Additionally, it examines the integration of CAD and VR technologies into collaborative design workflows, aiming to contribute to the development of Arkio and similar platforms. The research highlights the impact of these technologies on collaborative design processes and explores how they shape the educational experiences of architecture students. In conclusion, the findings emphasize Arkio's role as a tool that supports collective engagement in architectural education. However, the discussion also addresses the platform's technical limitations and the need for improvements in user experience. The insights gained provide new perspectives on how the educational experiences of first-year architecture students can be shaped through collaboration- and production-focused processes.