Abstract:
This thesis is a multidisciplinary exploration for the overlay of the architectural reality of
a defined space, with artificial or alternative architectural realities within the image of
chronostasis (distortion perception of time or stopped-clock illusion) and Einstein’s theory of
relativity, through augmented reality and virtual reality technologies. The setup shall allow the
beholder to interact with the functional conditions and various spatial overlays of the space
by shifting and overlapping different experiences of the same space during users’ journeys to
enhance and provide another perception of spatial experience. In this setup, the illusion is no
more fake but another type of reality that connects each individual through the architectural
space.
The immersive journey takes place in Ullens Center of Contemporary Art Tunnel in 798 Art
District, Beijing, China. Under the pandemic era, this project provides a new media solution
to vitalize the urban space by mobile AR/VR application design experiments. It creates
architectural artifact stimuli overlaying on the physical reality as an interactive interface
between users and the urban space. This application focuses more on the users’ intuitive
experience during the browsing tour of the urban space rather than exploring the physical
space itself.