Bridging the gap between what is and what will be, property development company LBH Immo this week launched the plans for a new high-end apartment complex, Les Hauts de Kirchberg, using virtual reality tools that will allow prospective buyers to walk within walls that have not been built yet.

Using a state-of-the-art “HTC HIVE” virtual reality headset, the user is able to “step into” a 3D representation of the property, move from room to room, change design elements, arrange furniture and get a 360°, full-scale sense of the space that they are “occupying”.

The first time that this technology has been applied to real estate in Luxembourg, the elements are sufficiently developed that users can check under the beds or determine where the best views are to be found. The creators, Cognityk, say that soon users will be able to experience what the property will be like at day or night, where to best enjoy a sundowner in the evening, and even what the neighbourhood sounds like.

It makes it so much easier — especially for those looking to buy off the plans — for buyers to assess whether a property is too big or small for their needs, whether they think they might need another room, or to create a vision for how they might like to organise the rooms that are there,” said Antonella Zupanoski on behalf of LBH Immo.

It also helps people to get a real sense of the dimensions of the space that they're thinking of buying, which not everyone can do from looking at images and plans,” she added, noting how the technology could also be extended to existing properties in the future, so that prospective buyers can drastically reduce the amount of time spent on the search for a home.

Cognityk was founded one year ago by engineer Gaël Constancin and Jérome Nalin, who has a background in digital communications in banking. The childhood friends came up with the plan two years ago after Constancin was confronted with challenges in bridging the gap between clients’ imaginations and ultimate realities.

We are friends and have the same passion for technology,” said Nalin. “Digitisation is a part of what I do at work, and also in video games, so it was fun to see how it could be applied to this business,” he said. 

I’m also curious to know what you can do with this tomorrow. It’s an adventure.”

Les Hauts de Kirchberg is a luxury, 22-apartment development in Kirchberg’s “old village”, with apartments ranging from 54m2 to 170m2, each with its own terrace or garden, and large bay windows with views on to surrounding green space.

Photo by Nicky Sullivan: Gaël Constancin guides Inna Ganschow through the rooms of Les Hauts de Kirchberg