Villa Samir: Luxury living on a private island in the Red Sea

Objective:
Developing a collaboration tool to bring together teams from around the world to run design reviews on a high profile project. 

Due to the remote location in the Red Sea and the difficulty in bringing materials over to the site, it was decided to invest in developing a ‘live’ collaborative twin that would cut down any mistakes once construction had started.

This approach also gave  the opportunity for the interior design team to try things out on the client to get a feel for various options of furniture and materials before any expensive spendings were made.

Process & Results:                                                                                                                                    
The solution started with subjecting the 3D design files to our  pipeline, allowing regular collaborative reviews of design updates. Consultations with various contractors were conducted to assess feasibility and identify potential challenges. Bi-monthly reviews with the client facilitated the evolution of the design, discussion of options, and agreement on a final specification. This visual approach significantly reduced errors during construction, considering details such as sightlines from the dining room aligned with Google Earth data. Additionally, a set of AI-enhanced CGIs speeded up the exploration of design options.

Video Credit: SpaceForm

Augmented Architectural Model

Objective:

Allows visitors to have an enriched experience when looking at the architectural model of the masterplan laying on a table in the “experience center” or during an exhibition.  

This type of immersive experiences captivate attention and encourage active participation, leading to higher levels of engagement compared to traditional methods. 

Process & Results:    

An architectural model is usually made from one simple material and only provides a basic representation of the project masterplan. However, armed with an iPad and its AR application, visitors can see highly detailed, realistic images of the buildings and surroundings. Pointing the iPad at various locations allows them to view inside buildings, observe internal layouts, and even witness animated activity. Visitors can explore the model from different angles and times of day, including evening scenes with lights on. 

They can also see how the site’s solar panels and energy distribution work. In energy mode, various structures glow in a sunny gold, and energy distribution is depicted by animated, sparkling waves that flow between the various buildings.

Overall, visitors are more engaged with the project which increases conversion rate. 

Video Credit: AppleInsider

Digital Twin Public Consultation – IQL North Stratford

Objective:
Providing a platform used for public consultations, to engage particularly the younger audience in  an immersive and  interactive environment. It also supports the children to explore different design options that would benefit them the most in  the future of their area and city.

Process & Results: 

This project was the first of its kind in the UK to provide this service to developers, in order to drastically improve the way we gather input and feedback from communities during the design process, while reducing time and costs usually involved.

Children and young people from Stratford – who live minutes from the development site and therefore know the area well – were able to experience the designs in a realistic virtual environment. Children walked around the 3D representation at their own accord, interacted with elements within the digital twin of the scheme and its surrounding area and explored different options for types of play space, public realm and retail provisions, exploring how the space will function in real life. 

The first session was conducted via desktop in a real-life setting, then to  broaden their reach with young people and roll out further engagement, participants were able to join the experience with their avatar from the comfort of their own homes using their laptop.

Video Credit: SpaceForm