Augmented Possibility

After we got our dream team of architects and designers to come up with their brilliant solutions for the inclusive city of tomorrow, we needed a cover for our October issue that would be worthy of the ideas inside. So we decided to take a step into the future ourselves, with augmented reality. This incredible technology has to be seen, to be believed. We suggest you get out your smart phone or tablet now and download the Metropolis New City App (For Android devices, go here. For Apple devices, go here). Point your device at the cover (or the image in this blogpost), and watch a visualization of our Brave New City— specially created by Grimshaw for Metropolis—come to life!

The Metropolis New City App is powered by technology developed by the French developers Artefacto. They’re using the same technology for Urbasee, a new 3-D visualization app for architects and designers. The app promises to revolutionize the process of communicating and collaborating on projects. All architects need is a smart device with the app and an image on a piece of paper, and they can have instant 3-D visualization that can be navigated in real time—no more bulky 3-D files, no need for static renderings or the animated fly-by. After you’ve seen the technology in action on our cover, head on over to the exhibition AUGMENTED: Architecture in Augmented Reality to see how cutting-edge firms like BIG, Grimshaw, SO-IL, and others use the app for their own work.

Augmented: Architecture in Augmented Reality runs from October 25 to October 31 at Gallery R’Pure, 3 East 19 Street, New York.