ArchViz VR/XR Project - Roadmap & Setup

Overview

This project aims to build a C++-based ArchViz platform capable of:

• Importing 3D building models (Revit, ArchiCAD, Blender, FBX, glTF…)
• Rendering them with realistic lighting
• Allowing the user to walk around in VR/XR
• Interacting with doors, windows, lights, materials
• Eventually animating dynamic elements

Required Skills

A. C++ Skills

• Low-level memory management
• Smart pointers
• Object-oriented architecture
• Multithreading basics
• Working with C/C++ libraries
• CMake (CLion uses it by default)

B. Graphics Programming

• GPU pipelines, coordinate systems
• Shaders (vertex, fragment)
• Lighting models (Phong, PBR)
• Basic rendering: meshes, textures, materials

C. 3D File Processing

• Assimp (FBX, OBJ, many formats)
• tinygltf (recommended for modern workflows)
• Export formats from Revit / ArchiCAD

D. VR / XR Development

• OpenXR concepts: views, projection layers, swapchains, tracking, controller inputs, frame loop

E. Engine Architecture Concepts

• Scene graph, ECS
• Asset loading & caching
• Event system, input abstraction
• Physics integration (optional)

F. Mathematics for Graphics

• Linear algebra: matrices, vectors
• Transformations: translate, rotate, scale
• Quaternions (VR tracking)

Software & Libraries

Development Tools

• CLion IDE
• CMake build system
• Xcode Command Line tools
• Homebrew
• Git

Libraries

• OpenGL or Vulkan (graphics API)
• OpenXR (VR/XR)
• Assimp, tinygltf (3D import)
• GLM (math)
• stb_image (textures)
• Bullet Physics / PhysX (optional)
• RenderDoc (debugging)

Optional Tools

• Blender (3D visualization & conversion)
• Revit / ArchiCAD Exporters
• Unreal Engine (for comparison/testing)

Hardware

• Your 14-inch M4 MacBook (16GB RAM, 1TB storage) is sufficient
• VR headset recommended (choose one):
  • Meta Quest 3S (~€329)
  • HTC Vive XR Elite
  • Pico Neo 2 / Pico 4 (budget)

Project Structure

/src
    /renderer
        shaders/
        textures/
        mesh/
        renderer.cpp/h
    /xr
        openxr_init.cpp
        xr_session.cpp
        xr_input.cpp
    /scene
        entity.cpp/h
        components/
    /import
        assimp_loader.cpp
        gltf_loader.cpp
    /core
        application.cpp
        window.cpp
        math/
        utils/

Learning Roadmap

Phase 1 — Foundation (2–4 weeks)

• Learn OpenGL/Vulkan basics
• Learn GLM (matrices, quaternions)
• Load simple model with Assimp
• Render a room with camera controls

Phase 2 — VR Integration (1–2 months)

• Learn OpenXR
• Stereo rendering pipeline
• Head tracking, controller input
• Render simple cube in VR, implement navigation

Phase 3 — ArchViz Features (2–6 months)

• Import full building models (FBX/glTF)
• Materials, textures, lighting
• Navigation (teleport/smooth locomotion)
• Basic interactions (doors, lights)
• UI inside VR

Phase 4 — Optimization & Tools (ongoing)

• Shadows, GPU culling, light baking
• Asset optimization
• Multi-floor navigation

AI Assistance

• Generate boilerplate code, CMake files
• Explain OpenXR/graphics functions
• Generate shaders
• Optimize rendering loops
• Convert pseudocode to C++

Build Instructions (macOS)

# Install Xcode Command Line tools
xcode-select --install

# Install Homebrew
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install libraries
brew install cmake glm assimp openxr-sdk renderdoc

First Milestone

• Render a simple cube in VR using OpenXR + OpenGL