IFC design review
Review an IFC building model in VR
An IFC handover carries a building that many disciplines need to understand. Open that file in the headset browser and enter VR to examine the relationship between rooms, structure and the building envelope from inside the model.
Open the file on a compatible WebXR device, then press Enter VR.
Private local review, directly from the file
Open your file directly on the device running the headset browser. The browser parses it locally, so a confidential model stays on that device during local viewing. No conversion, no plugin, no upload, no account.
The optional Send to VR headset workflow on a computer uploads a local file after your confirmation to create a hosted share and pairing code. Choose direct local opening on the headset when your model needs to stay on that device. An already hosted model can also be opened from its URL.
Give a coordination model a human viewpoint
An orbit view makes a whole building easy to inspect. A headset adds depth and head movement: look around a structural column, follow the turn into a corridor, or compare a ceiling zone with the space below it. These viewpoints help an architect and a services engineer discuss the same spatial question.
Use IFC VR review to collect questions about circulation, sightlines and competing volumes before a coordination meeting. The geometry in the supplied IFC sets the scope of the review. Record a location and a measured dimension in the ordinary viewer when a discussion needs a numerical answer.
Prepare the discipline and area you want to review
The IFC reader builds geometry and groups elements into type layers, including building elements such as walls and slabs. Check those layers in the ordinary viewer, then retain the ones that explain the issue. Opening one useful building area helps make an interior review manageable on a standalone headset.
Confirm the supplied file contains the disciplines you intend to discuss. A structural export can be excellent for beam and column relationships; a separate architectural export may be needed for room enclosure. You can open the IFC you already received directly, with conversion and authoring plugins optional.
How to open IFC in VR
- 1
Open the IFC viewer in your headset browser
Use a browser and device that support immersive WebXR. Make your file available through that device’s file picker, then open the viewer.
- 2
Choose your file and inspect the loaded model
Open the local file, check the geometry in the ordinary 3D view and confirm the source units and a familiar dimension. Choose the visible layers that explain your review.
- 3
Press Enter VR
Use the VR control after the model loads and accept the headset session prompt. The model starts at an inspection size, with its largest dimension fitted to 1.5 metres. Use the controllers to position, rotate and scale it.
Check the IFC dimensions before discussing clearance
The IFC reader resolves the assigned project length units and converts geometry to metres. Check a familiar dimension, such as a structural bay or floor height, in the ordinary viewer. That provides a reliable reference for any dimensions you report when exports arrive from different project teams.
VR starts with the whole model fitted to a 1.5 metre stage and provides visual scaling. The headset is useful for understanding enclosure and relative space; exact clearance decisions belong with checked measurements. A building and a single room both receive the same initial presentation size.
Bring a room to your position
Start outside the IFC to understand its orientation, enlarge it, then use the grip and the distance and height controls to bring the room of interest around your viewpoint. Move your head within your headset boundary to inspect an opening or corner. Reposition the model to review the next area.
Position the model with your controllers
- Hold a grip
- Grab the model and move it with the controller.
- Right stick left or right
- Rotate the model in 30 degree steps.
- Right stick up or down
- Enlarge or reduce the model visually.
- Left stick up or down
- Move the model closer or farther away.
- Left stick left or right
- Raise or lower the model.
- Move your head
- Inspect from different viewpoints within your headset boundary.
The controls position the model around you. The ordinary browser view is restored when you leave the headset session.
IFC VR questions
â–¶Can I open an IFC directly in a headset?
Yes. Make the IFC accessible through the headset file picker, open the viewer in a browser that supports immersive WebXR, choose the file and enter VR. Local opening reads the model on that device, and the viewing workflow is free and account-free.
â–¶What should I use IFC VR review for?
Use it for spatial design discussions: circulation, enclosure, visibility and how structural volumes relate to usable space. Use the ordinary viewer measurements and the project coordination process to resolve dimensions and record issues.
â–¶How can I keep a confidential model local during VR review?
Open your file directly on the device running the headset browser. The browser parses it locally, so a confidential model stays on that device during local viewing. No conversion, no plugin, no upload, no account. The optional Send to VR headset workflow on a computer uploads a local file after your confirmation to create a hosted share and pairing code. Choose direct local opening on the headset when your model needs to stay on that device. An already hosted model can also be opened from its URL.
â–¶How does model scale work in this VR viewer?
The initial VR stage fits the largest model dimension to 1.5 metres. The right controller stick changes the presentation scale visually. Use checked dimensions in the ordinary viewer for exact sizing; the current VR controls provide adjustable presentation scale.
â–¶What does the headset browser need?
It needs immersive WebXR support and access to the model file. Open the viewer in a compatible headset browser, select the file and use the VR control after loading. The ordinary 3D view is also available on desktop and mobile browsers.