Imagination and Technology: Possibilities For Studying Architectural Atmospheres Through Vr

This paper adopts an Ecological-Enactive Cognition (EEC) perspective, which posits that imagination is embodied and distributed across the body and environment and examines how VR can influence architects' imaginative processes. Combining EEC with Material Engagement Theory (MET), the study explores how VR facilitates the creation of architectural atmospheres by engaging sensory and emotional responses. The advent of personal computers has transformed architectural practices, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in technical documentation and enabling photorealistic 3D modelling. Recent advancements in virtual reality (VR) technology have further expanded the possibilities for spatial experimentation. Despite extensive research on VR's impact on architecture, the relationship between VR and imagination remains underexplored. The methodology integrates philosophical and cognitive science approaches to analyze the role of VR in enhancing architects' capacity to anticipate and design atmospheric qualities of spaces.