We are excited by the possibilities of this tool which conveys a massive amount of data in a simple, interactive format. It will aid understanding of the design for everyone involved throughout, helping the project progress more easily, quickly and efficiently.

Ed Forwood, Façade Project Manager

Buildings and systems are becoming more complex, ambitious in both form and performance. We are all increasingly communicating digitally and the way we present our ideas and solutions is therefore changing to suit this new environment.

As the uptake of BIM increases, many of our building designs already exist in a virtual 3D world. However access to this information can be restricted by requiring end-users to own and have expertise in many different proprietary software suites.

Arup have long been using the possibilities of real-time (or game engine) environments to demonstrate the work we do. This ranges from pedestrian simulation with Mass Motion, testing way-finding in transport networks or allowing members of the public to interact with proposed changes to their communities.

This tool is a new way of allowing all members of a design team to interactively and intuitively explore the façade design of a building. A single executable file can be packaged to contain specific data relating to a building façade. No software needs to be installed or purchased to use this interactive tool.

Communicating and documenting the design in this way is of particular value at the tender stage of a project; it allows potential specialist contractors to understand the design requirements of the project easily and quickly. This can increase certainty in cost, programme and buildability. The data contained within can be hand drawn sketches, 2D CAD files or 3D detail models, and are all linked from a 3D representation of the building in their exact spatial location. This easily allows design team members to locate relevant details and serves as a database throughout the design process.

The interactive model can also be published to a range of tablet devices and the web, allowing portability of this database whether for design team meetings or on the building site.

Arup Façade Engineering is compiling a library of previous projects to demonstrate the benefits of this tool. Please contact us if you would like to see more.

ed.forwood@arup.com