Tell us about what your job entails:

As a part of the Architecture Division, my role involves collaborating with our clients in the development, management and delivery of projects. These can be for new stores, relocations or refits of existing heritage locations. Some of these involve the development of realistic renders, using Enscape and Photoshop. I have developed multiple standard detail packs, which help to ensure seamless delivery of new concepts and to elevate a brand’s ethos. Many within our company will know me as a custodian of Revit, via my training and supporting new members of the team, my creation of client specific Revit families and templates for company-wide use, alongside constant database maintenance and administration.

What made you want to learn how to use a Matterport scanner:

Through my project work, I have often had Matterport scans shared with me. These are fantastic 3D “twins” of spaces, which allow me to virtually visit locations internationally and provide immensely valuable and accurate insights into physical sites, which is useful in my role to optimise the appropriate layouts. They allow me to enhance customer experiences, by tailoring to real world obstacles that may not be evident in traditional plans and photo accompaniments. It was using these Matterport scans that drew my interest and led me to seek out how they were made and how to further harness these into generating 3D models within Revit. Terry Cowen, Associate Director of Architecture, is also our company champion for Matterport surveys, and he imparted his valuable knowledge to me on a live project site.

How easy was it to learn the skills:

The Matterport scanner, I discovered has a user-friendly interface and Terry provided me with the key principles and a simple workflow to ensure efficient capture. The 3D scanner provides a piece-by-piece amalgamation of the built environment around us in real time, with each placement, making it in turn a captivating enterprise to undertake. Once the site is fully surveyed and we are satisfied with the capture of everything, we upload it into our Matterport organisation account for processing. The next step occurs back in our offices, where we import assets from a Matterport space into a point cloud that we can then see within our Revit interface. A point cloud is a collection of data points within a 3D space, where each point is representative of a specific location. Each point can hold a wealth of additional information that can be extremely helpful in the understanding of locations. The power of this allows for detailed visualisation and analysis of the space where accurate dimensions can be taken, even when there are complex architectural elements.

How do you see this impacting work for architects in the future:

It is already influencing the sector and, in my opinion, will only get stronger and more influential. The reason for this is that it has a use in various stages of a project’s lifecycle. In feasibility and design development, it can provide accurate measurements alongside visual data, which can go on to allow for exploration and refinement to designs. In construction stages, it can allow for reduction in site visits, identification of real-life site conflicts and provide a valuable insight to key stakeholders, resulting in better collaboration on a project’s lifecycle and on completion it is a rapid way to capture an As Built survey. As a global architecture, design, cost and project management consultancy, this is an invaluable tool to provide both creative and practical solutions for built environments.

What are the benefits to our clients:

This technology has so many benefits, but ultimately it will provide our clients with an aid to saving time and money on projects, over and above traditional documentation methods. I can also see that in the marketing and sales future, we will see these 3D models being converted to 360° tours for clients and buyers alike to immerse themselves in the environment and will be a powerful tool to allow businesses to engage on a totally new and unique level with their audiences.