VR in Architecture & Urban Planning

By: Aarav Kumar (2025)

Agora World

• • • Agora Lab is a software company that provides real-time communication frameworks for video, audio, and interactive broadcasting, with APIs to embed real-time video, voice, chat, and OTT live-streaming into applications 

    • Agora World is essentially like a "Canva for the metaverse" -- a no code, drag and drop metaverse design platform allowing users to create immersive 3D experiences

    • Previously, it was primarily marketed as a 3D and immersive social space to host events, allowing users to build interactive expos, exhibitions, meetings, site inspections, and networking conferences. 

    • Now, Agora World is increasingly focussing on interactive data visualization and visualizing real-world spaces. It is particularly suited for visualizing, simulating, and optimizing physical sites, useful for tasks such as site planning, infrastructure assessments, and city/urban planning.

• • • The software allows for real-time tracking for real-world data, including data related to terrain, weather, energy, emergency response, flood plains, and more. It offers auto-generation of 3D cities (local), as well as larger 3D maps for countries and the world (global), with ability for real-time collaboration beteen users and incorporation of external data.

    • The software has extensive capabilites for infrastructure planning, allowing

      • No-code tools for 3D Site Simulation & Planning

      • AI-Powered Infrastructure Grading (automated quality and damage assessments)

      • Real-Time Monitoring & Alerts to track live site conditions and receive AI-driven recommendations

      • AI-Powered InfrastructureIQ (co-developed with Amazon Web Services), which allows for

        • • Auto detection of infrastructure elements

          • Organize and tag detected components into categories

          • Real-time evaluation of infrastructure conditions 

    • Demo, Website, About Us Page