Another Seattle High-Rise Turns to Technology

Image via Skanska/Studio 216

Another high-rise is turning to technology to help market their product, Seattle high-rise to use Microsoft HoloLens for ‘world’s first holographic leasing center’.

Microsoft’s holographic headset, which was released to developers last week but is not yet available to the general public, will be used for the “world’s first holographic real estate leasing center,” for a high-rise office project planned for Second Avenue and University Street in downtown Seattle.

Luma, the new construction condo high-rise on First Hill also used technology to help sell their condos, Sneak Peek: Luma, Sales Center of the Future.

I recently reached out to Luma to see how their Oculus Rift virtual reality experience worked out. This is what Lowe Enterprises’ Suzi Morris had to say:

Feedback from buyers at Luma has been overwhelmingly positive. They’re telling us how much they value the opportunity to explore the residences, amenity spaces and rooftop terrace in a brand new way. The Oculus Rift virtual reality technology has helped buyers make a decision to purchase prior to actually being able to walk into their physical space. We’ve put prospective buyers in control and it’s well within everyone’s comfort level, especially in our tech-savvy community. Since the tool can be accessed via an app, online or in the sales center, they choose where and when to tour. They can “walk through” and select their future home on their own terms.

From what I saw touring the Luma sales center with buyers (before they had model units), was that being able to walk-through the units was really helpful. Not everyone can look at a floor plan, sample finishes and photos of the view and put it all together. Virtual reality puts it all together in a way that is easy to consume.

If there’s a city you’d try virtual reality or augmented reality in, it’d be Seattle (or San Francisco) :).