ISG’s Virtual Reality Technology

Virtual reality has increasingly become one of the most evolving technologies and is changing the way we perceive and interact with our world. To capitalize on this technology, ISG’s visualization team uses virtual reality to create computer generated environments that immerse users in a real-world interactive platform. This technology allows ISG’s clients to experience the design concept of their future space before shovels hit the ground.

Creating a Virtual Scene

After conversations with a client about their project vision, ISG’s visualization team jumps into action. Our visualization specialists collaborate with architects and interior designers to create realistic scenes complete with accurate details and high-quality materials, including color, texture, landscaping details, and much more. Taking preliminary REVIT models, our specialists refine the elements to translate a client’s vision into a virtual reality. These detailed visualizations are then uploaded to the headsets for the client to interact with in a 360-degree view, allowing them to look around and see all the design elements of their project. To give clients the full experience, lighting can also be adjusted to fit a specific scene throughout different times of day, showcasing what their structure can look like during different times of the day, but also how natural lighting will impact the interior space.

Getting in the Zone

ISG has acquired three different types of headsets that all give you the immersive experience, but each offer something unique.

Meta Quest 3 + Quest Pro

The Meta Quest 3 and Quest Pro are high-quality, wireless headsets designed to elevate design and review processes through immersive technology. These next-generation devices seamlessly blend design plans with real-world environments, offering users intuitive control and interaction within custom virtual and mixed-reality spaces.

Ideal for everything from virtual collaboration to enhanced productivity, these headsets are fully standalone—no external tracking sensors or high-performance computers required. With improved visual clarity, they deliver powerful and immersive experiences in a user-friendly package.

Autodesk WorkshopXR

Autodesk WorkshopXR is a collaborative virtual reality platform built to streamline design reviews and enhance collaboration for architecture, engineering, and construction professionals. It enables teams to immersively explore and interact with 3D building models in a shared virtual environment, supporting real-time feedback and informed decision-making directly within the design context.

By bridging the gap between digital models and the physical world, ISG leverages WorkshopXR to improve communication, identify potential issues early, and accelerate both design and construction processes. The platform fosters stronger collaboration and clearer visualization—driving better project outcomes.

Better Decisions, Faster

Virtual reality offers clients a first look into what it would be like to live, work, and play in their custom designed space before it is built. Interacting with the proposed reality can generate excitement, increase confidence, and build consensus among stakeholders—expediting the decision-making process and generating buy-in for design elements. Engaging with the virtual 3D details can garner discussion about details and information for each project allowing better decisions faster, saving time and money.

Virtual Reality in Action: Hotel Mankato

To support the revitalization of Hotel Mankato—an ambitious project addressing the city’s critical shortage of hotel rooms necessary to support large-scale events—ISG leveraged virtual reality to transform the design process. Using WorkshopXR, we brought clients and team members together from multiple offices into a shared, immersive environment where they could walk through the hotel as future guests would. This real-time experience led to pivotal design changes, including adjustments to ceiling and window heights, cantilevered roof depth, and the courtyard layout—refinements that would have been difficult to visualize through traditional 2D drawings.

Virtual reality also enhanced collaboration by allowing participants to see each other’s avatars, gestures, and points of focus, making communication within the headset intuitive and natural. By bridging physical distance and improving spatial understanding, virtual reality played a critical role in refining the design and aligning stakeholders behind a shared vision for this key development near Mankato’s downtown amenities.

The Future of Virtual Reality at ISG

As virtual reality improves and becomes more mainstream, ISG will continue to find ways and dedicate resources to use it to the benefit of our clients. We are ahead of the game and plan to find more ways to integrate so clients can experience their visions prior to groundbreaking.