Virtual villa tour thanks to new technology
When it comes to experiencing a retirement village, it pays to take a tour – but what if the village isn’t built yet?
That’s where technology comes in. Over-65s have been stepping inside Arvida’s new Lincoln Plains retirement community - that’s still under development - through a full virtual reality (VR) experience. “It was fantastic, I was really impressed. It really gave you the effect of being there and what the villas would look like - the sense of space and beautiful decoration. You can’t get that from a book or catalogue,” says Catherine Ogden (pictured below) after wearing the VR headset at the recent SWELL Seniors Lifestyle Expo in Rolleston.
Using the power of virtual reality, two of the planned villas were transformed into immersive, to-scale 3D environments. Prospective residents freely walk through the spaces or move seamlessly between rooms using a web app guided by Arvida’s team.
The first phase of villas at Arvida Lincoln Plains are expected to be completed by early 2026. Arvida Chief Executive, Jeremy Nicoll says it is the first time this kind of technology has been used in this way in New Zealand to help older people explore villas before construction.
“VR really gives potential retirement village residents a good sense of size and scale of a new home. This tool helps bridge the gap between plans on paper and the lived experience, making decision-making easier and more meaningful,” Nicoll says.
The tool has been built by New Zealand award-winning game and VR studio, Beyond Studios who develop VR solutions for schools, healthcare, and for entertainment.
The VR tool will be available at upcoming Lincoln Plains events. Register your interest now for Arvida Lincoln Plains community and the team will be in contact to let you know when you can experience the digital world of a villa.
