Technology & VR

Architecture Hampshire

Our Unique Selling Point

At Axis, the future is now. We like to push the boundaries of innovation on all fronts, particularly in the way we prepare and present our projects to our clients and Construction team. Technology and VR are our USP, as we pride ourselves to be ahead of the curve on software and technology. For this reason, we implement the latest software to the best of its ability, with astonishing results. Our 3D renderings and in-house technology have great advantages to both our clients and our team, helping them gain a realistic understanding of the proposed design. Furthermore, we have been looking more closely at the future of architectural design and have been focusing on offering VR Architectural design services, within our practice.

What is virtual reality in architectural design?

In architectural design, virtual reality (VR) uses computer-generated 3D virtual environments to simulate and experience architectural spaces. We can create virtual models of buildings and environments with VR technology, which can be experienced through VR headsets (such as Oculus or Apple’s soon-to- be-released Vision Pro). The virtual spaces we model are immersive, interactive, and realistic. As clients navigate these virtual spaces, they see different perspectives and how their design will look and feel at various times of the day or night. They can interact with elements such as walls, furniture, and lighting. We render the virtual environment with accurate dimensions, textures, and lighting effects to provide a realistic representation of the intended design. Undoubtedly, VR will facilitate clearer communication between architects and clients. It allows us to present designs more effectively, ensuring our clients comprehensively understand the proposed plan.

Early Design-Stage Exploration:

Clients can actively participate in the design process by virtually exploring the design options at an early stage. They can make modifications, experiment with materials, and understand the impact of design decisions, allowing for more collaborative and customised design solutions. Again, it can save money by ensuring the client doesn’t have to make last-minute hasty or costly decisions on-site.

BIM (Building Information Modelling)

Axis Architecture believes that BIM (Building Information Modelling) is the future of the construction industry, for all scales of project. The concept of BIM is to allow intelligent information to be passed onto each stage of a project and to ultimately inform the facilities management of new buildings.

Axis has been using Autodesk Revit (an advanced 3D design and documentation software) for over 15 years, regularly deploying it on all scales of project, from domestic house extensions to multi-million pound educational projects. To us the advantage is clear, fully interactive virtual building models that can be used for conceptual visualisation, through to technical detailing and delivery on the construction site. For a long time Axis has been using BIM as an internal process, but we are actively building a network of consultants that can help achieve BIM capabilities throughout the whole design and procurement process.

Central Government has now implemented BIM and all large government projects will be required to be procured using Level 2 BIM. Below is the Bew-Richards Graph showing the various stages of BIM. BIM is quite a complicated concept that combines 3D modelling, information management and integrated collaboration.

Here at Axis our use of Autodesk Revit and BIM bring many advantages and challenges. The clear advantage is visualisation and 3D coordination of building components. The challenge is delivering these additional services in a traditional procurement format. The graph below shows that a greater amount of design input is required earlier in the project rather than later in the project, compared to the traditional development of traditional 2D drawings. We encourage clients to make decisions as early as possible, to allow us to input that information into the building model.

Please contact us if you would like to know more about BIM and if you want to implement BIM on your next project