Augmented reality meets architectural modeling in a remarkable best-of-both-worlds hybridization of two essential technologies for architecture designers, builders and (especially) clients. You have to see this video to believe it:

Inition takes a physical (real-world) model, places it on a pattern-mapped background, and presto: point your iPad at the object and all kinds of additional layers of information begin to map themselves onto the object, shifting as you change perspective.

Real-life simulations can thus be applied to the model, including wind and other weather patterns, day versus night views, pedestrians, trees, egress routes and traffic patterns. It helps visualize the kinds of things that are hard to picture purely on the screen, but generally impossible to show in actual space (let alone in context with map underlays and structural reveals).

From the creators: “The iPad is a fantastic platform for AR, making it easy to deploy and fun to use. Combined with fluid graphics, reliable tracking and the right content, we believe it is a game-changer in this new medium. We create bespoke apps for clients that can be pre-loaded or made available for download on the App Store”