Neighborhood Explorer XR
A spatial neighborhood explorer for confident + fast decision making when home hunting
Designed as a conceptual product with an emphasis on AI / AR / UX principles to improve my design skills
How might I create a product, using AR + VR, that lets users experience a neighborhood before visiting it in person?
From my own personal apartment hunt, I was frustrated by 2D data and flat photos because they lacked the ability to tell me: what's the neighborhood walk like? what's the noise level? how far is the coffee shop by foot?
While there were photos, walk scores + map views, I couldn't feel what it was like to be in the neighborhood - without actually driving there to scope it out.
Design Process
Define pain points > establish requirements in ChatGPT > ideate solutions in Lovable > design hifis in Figma with Apple's Design System > prototype with DraftXR
Role
As Senior UX Designer, this was a passion project to get more comfortable using AI/VR/AR within a UX context
Goal
Design an immersive VR/AR feature that helps users spatially explore neighborhoods while incorporating spatial sound, to build confidence in their home search via data, emotion + realism
Outcome
Built a functional AI prototype in 1 weekend using Figma, Lovable, ChatGPT and DraftXR
Project Details
Target Users
Remote Buyers/Renters
Relocating for work, can't visit in person
"I need to sense environment + safety"
First-Time Buyers
Overwhelmed by choices
"I need confidence + emotional connection"
Renters in Competitive Markets
Need to make a decision quickly
"I need to be the first one to apply"
Real Estate Agents
Shows listings remotely
"I need a tool to present area context quickly"
Research Plan
Insights
Neighborhood feel = top emotional factor influencing purchase
Buyers distrust static map data - it's hard to understand
83% of participants said they'd pay more for confidence in “knowing” a place
AR/VR adoption learnings: motion comfort and intuitive navigation are critical for broad adoption
Key AR/VR Design Principles
Contextual Clarity
The data is embedded in the environment, not overlaid intrusively
Emotional Immersion
Capture mood (lighting, ambient sound, activity)
The user is able to select the time of day and season to view the interactive map
The "Guided Walking Tour" feature provides the user with immersive spatial audio while walking through the town
Spatial Simplicity
Proximity cues and landmarks are used to orient the user naturally
Comfort First
The interface feels spacious, not cluttered, with soft edges, large icons + calm colors
It is designed for intuitive, slow, gaze-based navigation to reduce VR fatigue
Trust via Transparency
What's real data vs simulated visualization is clearly indicated
Concept Flow
Launch Map
User enters address
Enter Immersive View (VR/AR)
Scene loads with realistic 3D streetscape
The user can select the season and time of day to explore with the streetscape dynamically updating
Gaze-based teleporting to reduce motion sickness
“Fade” transitions during movement
Explore Neighborhood
User walks or teleports through streets, seeing:
Diegetic labels that only appear when in line-of-sight
Audio cues (birds, traffic, chatter) to convey atmosphere (can turn off/on)
Lighting simulation (time of day / season toggle)
Spatial Data Layers
Nearby schools, gyms, parks
Subtle ambient spatial sound when near key landmarks
Optional ambient background music that adapts to neighborhood vibe
Commute visualization (AR lines connecting to workplace - not shown)
Guided Tour
The user can be guided through the town with spatial audio playing and showcasing the town's features with hot spots, such as: parks, school, shopping districts and more.
Each hotspot is explorable, allowing the user to be taken directly to that location to explore
Insights
While the user is exploring the town, they can review critical insights on a side window, such as: crime rate, nearby schools, amenities, demographics
Users can see how recommendations were generated
Labels telling what's real vs AI
Validation Plan
Neighborhood Explorer XR gives you the opportunity to explore local streets, vibes and spaces in immerisve 3D
AI Fluency in Practice
A big part of working with the AI tools was leading and directing the AI outputs with prompts. Below are some examples of: edited/rejected outputs + human-centered refinements
Final Design
Figma Flat Prototype
Lessons Learned
Designing Systems
It was really fun to build this out in Apple's Vision Pro design system - it looks so real!
Transferrable Tech
This isn't only limited to real estate, it can be used in:
Airbnb bookings
Tourism - trip booking
Local business discovery
Urban planning + construction
New Ways of Design Thinking
It was really exciting to design on a 3D screen - it feels so refreshing, expansive and limitless