Virtual Reality as a gamification strategy in architectural education

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology frequently used in learning processes linked to gamification, as it enables students to acquire meaningful knowledge through gaming experiences. This study examines the application of VR as a playful learning approach for architecture students. The quantitative study was based on the experiences of 51 first-semester students who explored design, form, space, and function in virtual environments. The GAMEX instrument was applied in its six dimensions: enjoyment/fun; absorption; creative thinking; activation; absence of negative effects; and mastery. For the analysis of results, the means per student, item, and dimension were calculated, along with the standard deviations, and the dimensions were compared with each other using Student’s t-tests for paired (bilateral) samples. The results demonstrate how immersive technologies promote creative thinking, enjoyment/fun, and a sense of mastery and self-control in virtual space, where students intuitively design a virtual object with architectural feasibility. However, there are notable negative effects, such as the need to become familiar with virtual reality equipment and software, as well as time management and instructional design in design practices, which should be considered points of attention for this type of exercise. Therefore, it is important to know the users’ previous experience with these technologies, which, although tested for recreational activities, in most cases were used for the first time to design an architectural space and its habitability conditions. Virtuality remains a frontier to be explored in professional studies, and raising awareness among new generations about immersion is an effective strategy to bring them closer to this new spatial dimension.