Wayfinding in Museums: A Cross-sectional Comparison Between 3D Serious Games and 2D Drawings as Tools for Participatory Design

This paper investigated the impact of 3D serious games on wayfinding in public buildings. Optimal wayfinding is essential for security, economy and architectural design of public buildings. A comparative study is performed between two groups that used 2D drawings and virtual reality on the specific use-case of a museum. Following the model of Weisman, a particular questionnaire is developed. The results show "figuring out" the building was easier for the 2D group while wayfinding was easier for the VR group. The outcome demonstrates 3D games can be used as an effective tool in architecture for participatory and evidence-based design. Furthermore, the results show that virtual reality may be an effective tool for students to assess their designs.