The Global Leadership Center, a transformative addition to Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, is set for completion in 2025. As the center is in the process of converting the historic Osney Power Station, the anticipation surrounding the project is high. To facilitate the engagement with the stakeholders, investors, students, and staff during the construction phase, a novel approach was taken – a fully immersive Virtual Reality experience accompanied by a comprehensive informational website.
The objective was twofold – to present a realistic and immersive preview of the finished project to potential stakeholders, and to engage the Oxford University community by providing them with an innovative and interactive method to visualise and understand the details of their future educational space.
We utilised the Oculus Quest 2 platform to create an accessible VR experience that showcases the future Global Leadership Center. The VR experience was designed with eleven unique spaces, each meticulously rendered to reflect the actual architecture and design aspects of the completed project. Our user experience design is centered on an intuitive navigation system, crafted to cater to users who might not be familiar with VR technology.
The VR experience was developed keeping user-friendliness at the core. The navigation was designed to be easy and intuitive, enabling users to move effortlessly through the VR space. A guided tour has been implemented, offering users a structured path through the building while also giving them the freedom to explore each space at their own pace.
The virtual renderings of the building were created with a strong focus on realism. Our team of designers, developers and 3D Creatives worked closely with the Saïd Business School Teams to ensure the VR representation accurately reflects the real-life aesthetics, dimensions, and functionalities of the spaces in the Global Leadership Center.
The result was an immersive VR experience with a lively and cosy ambiance, mirroring the envisioned final look and feel of the building. To further enhance the VR experience, meticulous attention was given to detail, including the lighting, textures, and even the view outside the windows.