VIRTUAL REALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN ARCHITECTURE and DESIGN EDUCATION: A BIBLIOMETRIC REVIEW

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 73 - 91, 12.06.2025

Arda Çalışkan , Suzan Girgin Kayaakdag

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies are increasingy being utilized in the fields of architecture and design education due to their potential to supporting creating interactive, immersive learning environments. This paper provides a bibliometric review of 68 academic studies between 2000 and 2025 that discuss the use of VR tools, platforms, and games in learning environments. The research aims to find trends, gaps in research, and thematic trends in the application of VR technologies in design education. The findings indicate a growing interest in integrating VR technologies into architectural education worldwide. Architectural design emerges as the most researched topic, highlighting VR's significant potential in supporting design-related activities, visualization, and collaborative learning. Besides design-oriented research, VR applications have also been researched in fields like construction education, architectural history, and landscape architecture. The paper categorizes the reviewed works into three broad categories of VR uses: tools and applications, platforms, and game-based learning environments. Among these, tools and applications are the most prevalent, typically developed to address specific educational needs, while game-based approaches remain less explored, despite their potential to enhance engagement through interactive, game-like settings. While the bibliometric analysis highlights the educational benefits of VR—such as enhanced visualization, interactivity, and increased student motivation—it also identifies key challenges. These include the need for more empirical evidence on long-term learning outcomes and the development of standardized and pedagogical models for effective VR integration. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of future research in addressing these gaps to support the evidence-based implementation of VR technologies in architectural and design education.

Keywords

Virtual Reality , Architectural Education , Design Education , VR Applications , Immersive Learning , Bibliometric Analysis

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