From the workshop to the immersive environment: pedagogical uses of virtual reality in architectural training

Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that introduces users into a simulated environment to interact with digital components. Its use has spread to various areas, with particular emphasis on design, art, and technology. In this context of digital transformation in higher education, this paper systematizes an academic experience on the use of VR in architecture at the University of Monterrey (Mexico), in which 200 students participated between 2022 and 2025. From a qualitative approach and a cross-sectional design, the study explores the use of VR in the first and tenth semesters of the study plan, in order to identify the contributions of this tool to technical and project-based training in architecture. To this end, at the end of each work routine, two data collection instruments were applied, focusing on the students’ perception of spatial learning and the contributions of VR to the process. The results show that, in the first semester, VR enhances graphic and visual thinking when immersive three-dimensional modeling software is used, by introducing students to digital modeling in situ and screen-mediated learning. In the tenth semester, VR proves particularly useful for advanced spatial visualization and the generation of virtual tours in consolidated projects developed by students trained in modeling and rendering in various software programs, who digitally document the architectural design to be experienced virtually. In conclusion, the study confirms that VR can be a cross-cutting tool in the teaching of architecture, adaptable to different cycles, levels, and educational models, as its immersion and realism make it a suitable setting for experimenting with and exploring the building through spatial simulation.