Buying off the plans usually takes a bit of imagination. Trying to picture how sunlight might fall in the lounge or whether the kitchen feels open or cramped. So we set out to make that leap easier.
With Virtual Villas, we worked with Arvida to create a way for people to walk through their future homes before the first wall goes up. These aren’t static renders or click-through panoramas, they’re fully explorable, architecturally accurate 3D homes. You can wander from the bedroom to the patio, glance out the kitchen window, or just stand in the middle of the space to get a true sense of what “home” might feel like.
To make things even more intuitive, we built a web app that lets guides move visitors to key points in the house, think of it as a digital tour companion. It’s especially handy for people new to VR, letting them explore freely or be guided gently through the experience.
This project sits somewhere between marketing, wellbeing, and decision support. Helping people emotionally connect with a space, not just see it. Most VR tools for senior living focus on wellness or promotion; we wanted to combine both, creating an experience that feels personal and supportive.
When we showcased Virtual Villas at the SWELL Seniors Lifestyle Expo in Christchurch, the reaction said it all. People didn’t rush through, they took their time, explored every room, checked the view, and really pictured themselves living there. Some even went back for a second walk.
It reminded us why we do this, because when technology helps people feel something real, it’s no longer just virtual. It’s meaningful.
Thank you to Blair and Kylie from Arvida who we worked closely with to bring this project to life.
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