Towards multi-sensory design: Placemaking through immersive environments – Evaluation of the approach

Multi-Sensory Design is an experimental project that explores the potential and limitations of immersive environments as a means to support the incorporation of intangible sensory aspects of place integrated into the design process. The study investigates how sensory exploration of designs in VR can be integrated into decision making and design concept assessment. An interactive mixed-media approach adopted for this project, allowed users to tap into visual, aural and kinesthetic human senses; and provided an additional level of engagement by adding a temporal dimension to the space. The manuscript details results of the evaluation study, assessing key features of the proposed sensory design approach and reports on the identified limitations and opportunities for future studies.