Project Team Members:
- Dora Anastasiou – Dean of the BDes Sector- Lecturer & Researcher, Program of Interior Design, Alexander College, Larnaca, Cyprus / Canterbury Christ Church University, CCCU, UK (https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9696-9704)
- Stelios Stefanos Drousiotis – Lecturer & Researcher, Program of Interior Design, Alexander College, Larnaca, Cyprus / Canterbury Christ Church University, CCCU, UK (https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8073-3485)
- Evangelos Evangelou – Dean of Computer Science with Game Development Sector – Lecturer, Alexander College, Larnaca, Cyprus (https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5724-6330)
- Giorgos Nicou – Lecturer & Researcher, Program of Computer Science with Game Development, Alexander College, Larnaca, Cyprus (https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3476-8712)
- Pavlos Evangelides – Lecturer & Researcher, Program of Computer Science with Game Development, Alexander College, Larnaca, Cyprus (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=0wZgs1YAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra)
General Information
This interdisciplinary research project, led by Miss. Dora Anastasiou and Mr. Stelios Stefanos Drousiotis from the Interior Design Program, together with Mr. Angelos Evangelou, Mr. Giorgos Nicou and Dr. Pavlos Evangelides from the Computer Science with Game Development Program at Alexander College, investigates the pedagogical and cognitive potential of Virtual Reality (VR) as an emerging medium for design education within the Interior Design programme. The study responds to the growing demand for digital literacy, innovation and sustainability in creative disciplines, exploring how immersive technologies can redefine both the learning process and the role of the design studio.
Through a series of pilot workshops employing Twinmotion software and Oculus Quest 3 headsets, students actively engage with their own design projects in virtual environments, experimenting with scale, proportion, light and materiality. The research examines how this shift from two-dimensional representation to embodied simulation impacts spatial cognition, creative decision-making and reflective learning.
Studio Spotlight: Interior Architecture students use virtual reality to assess designs – University of Kansas, School of Architecture & Design. Retrieved from: https://arcd.ku.edu/node/1233
The project’s main aim is to design and assess the educational value of Virtual Reality within Interior Design teaching at Alexander College. Its objectives include analysing student perceptions of VR as a design tool, identifying pedagogical and technical opportunities and challenges and formulating strategies for its sustainable integration into studio-based curricula. The research questions ask:
- How can VR enhance spatial awareness, creativity and sustainability understanding in Interior Design education?
- What benefits and limitations arise when applying immersive environments to studio learning?
- How can VR be effectively embedded into the curriculum to support student-centred and experiential learning in the future?
Critically, this research interrogates the transformation of the design studio from a static workspace into a dynamic, interactive laboratory of experience and reflection. By merging theory, technology and practice, the study explores how immersive media can cultivate deeper learning, empathy and environmental awareness among future designers.
Currently under active research development, the project will culminate in a peer-reviewed publication focusing on immersive learning, spatial cognition, and digital pedagogy within design education. It aligns closely with Alexander College’s strategic commitment to innovation, sustainability and interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to the institution’s ongoing efforts to integrate emerging technologies and experiential learning into creative practice and research. Through this work, the project strengthens the College’s capacity for applied educational research and supports the evolution of Interior Design education toward more immersive, reflective and future-oriented methodologies.