MDP partnered with T & I Fit-outs to provide Virtual Reality services on Airbnb new office fit-out in the Reflector building location in Grand Canal Docks.
( Architects – heneghan peng architects )
At MDP, we believe Virtual Reality is almost a translation of what’s in the designer’s head and allows them to put their ideas in front of clients and
any project stakeholder without any ambiguity. VR is a new tool that adds the idea of scale that we haven’t had before. It’s another exciting tool that
increases our power to conceptualize and iterate ahead of actually having to build something in the real world.
In-depth visualisation
Clients, buyers, tenants, and other stakeholders can see the designer’s vision in a much more immediate way with VR. It is hard, naturally, for other people to clearly picture a designer’s vision from drawings or on-screen models – even from 3D models. Experiencing the design from within, in the level of detail that the cutting edge of VR technology allows, can, by contrast, provoke a visceral engagement with the design. It is not unknown for clients to feel emotional when first seeing their scheme in this way. It also allows them to engage with the designer in greater detail, and to guide the design process more closely towards their desired result.
Accelerates the process
For reasons already mentioned, massive time and cost savings are available as a result of the availability of much-improved visualisation at an early stage. This potentially offers the client the opportunity for increased profits or the ability to sell/rent more competitively. The detailed design efficiencies achieved can also lead to savings, such as in operating costs and in avoiding later correction work. The benefits of a speedier delivery also spread to tenants, buyers, consumers and others.
Virtual Reality Case Study: Airbnb, Hannover Quay, Dublin.
• The clients and staff having the ability in VR to sit in their meeting rooms and open plan areas and experience the full volume of space, they were able to make the decision to increase the capacity of 21 of their 37 meeting rooms by adding extra chairs. Also a lot of pinch points found between desks and columns, glazing, etc, that were not picked up on the floor plans.
• The“Matterhorn”,consisting of bespoke joinery panels with circular openings, 500k joinery package was altered after seeing it in VR, as many employees felt dizzy and sick when they looked at it, the cost of changing this if completed on site would have been huge.
• Cut the ‘Request for Information’ and ‘Costs Variation’ process on site by speeding up the on-site phase of the project, and ensuring that prior to starting onsite all potential site clashes were removed and the client fully understood the design they were getting. ( No ambiguity ) By walking the space and feeling the volume of the walkways and open areas in the first person, Airbnb reconfigured the desking arrangements to make better use of the space which included breakout areas etc.
