How to share your design project while working remotely? BIM VOYAGER is the solution

It’s a well-known issue and we all acknowledge the importance of getting our design ideas across to the decision makers. In fact, sharing our work, across any type of online publishing platform is now part of the design process and covers all types of industries and in many cases, the success of a good project can often be determined by offering these kinds of services to our clients or investors.

During this particular historic period in which the CoVid-19 pandemic truly represents a global health emergency, many professionals are forced to work from home and without the possibility of physically meeting up with the client or even with your own colleagues. This means that simple collaboration tasks become even more complicated to address and may even cause loss of productivity and a lack of efficiency in the entire design firm. Many countries across the world, in order to fight the rapid spreading of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, have had to introduce drastic social distancing measures overnight forcing us all to change the way we work and interact with others and throughout the entire construction industry. The consequences are quite obvious because it has radically changed the methods of communicating between those involved in any given project, whether they be the designers, the clients, construction companies or suppliers.

In this respect, it’s become crucial to any type of design firm, to switch to different ways of communicating and collaborating and to be able to publish the contents of a project online. So, if this is the case for you too, please read through this focus because you’ll find many interesting aspects that you can take advantage of using “BIM VOYAGER”, a great tool to seamlessly publish any 3D BIM project to a cloud based viewing service accessible from any device that has a browser.

I’ve also added some example projects to play around with:

• country house,
• primary school,
• terraced houses,
• loft

BIM VOYAGER | The platform to share and view your BIM models online

The BIM VOYAGER series

By the way, I nearly forgot to mention that this article is part of a series entirely dedicated to new working and presentation methods that have now become a vital part of our everyday working life, especially when Smart Working arrangements are necessary and distances between collaborators increase. But who can benefit from this kind of tool? The answer is quite simple: Everyone involved in the design, project management and construction phases:

• designers, that need feedback from clients, colleagues and other professionals;
• suppliers, that need to promote their products and solutions to architects, contractors and customers;
• manufacturers, can create virtual showrooms in order to present product ranges and collections to retailers and customers;
• real estate agencies, for creating virtual tours allowing visitors to explore properties for sale;
• structural engineers, that can discuss structural aspects pinpointing issues or particular building elements while navigating through a detailed structural model;
• health & safety coordinators, can raise awareness informing the design team and contractor of dangerous health and safety risks.

Accessing BIM VOYAGER

Now that we understand the fundamental principles of why it’s become so important to break the communication barriers, why not give it a try yourself. Start using BIM VOYAGER and download one of the compatible ACCA software solutions now:

• Edificius
• EdiLus.

Click here for more info.

Remember that BIM VOYAGER is:

• easy to use: exploring the BIM model is very intuitive and you can navigate it through in first person by just using your mouse, keyboard or mobile;
• fast: your client will be able to view the 3D model on the web browser of any device such as computer, tablet, smartphone;
• safe: your client that received your project link will be able to browse your BIM model but won’t be able to download your project file;
• efficient: your client can take a virtual tour of the project and directly experience architectural spaces, materials, furniture and finishings;
• free: there are no activation or subscription costs.

How to use BIM VOYAGER

Here are a few simple steps to start using BIM VOYAGER:

• create your model using one of ACCA software BIM solutions (Edificius, EdiLus);
• open the 3D view;
• click on the”Share” button and select the BIM VOYAGER option;
• Fill in the “Title” and “Description” fields;
• click on “Start upload”to publish;
• at the end of the upload process you will receive an e-mail with a link to your project.

BIM VOYAGER: model navigating from desktop, tablet or smartphone

At this point you simply need to share the link to your client and present your design ideas:

• via e-mail
• via Whatsapp, Telegram, Messanger, etc.
• through any Social Network.

The user will get immediate access and be able to walk within the virtual model!

How to navigate with BIM VOYAGER

Navigating through the model is really easy:

• with the “Orbit” command you can move around within the model;
• with the“First person” command you can walk through interior environments.

Click on “Help” to get information and be guided while exploring the model using the mouse, keyboard or your smartphone.

How to navigate the 3D model with BIM VOYAGER

BIM VOYAGER usage scenarios for the designer

As designers are settling into their new remote working, it is becoming more common having to present a project online to clients, which in most cases won’t be technical experts or might not be very familiar with new technologies. For this reason, BIM VOYAGER can be the ideal solution.

In this focus insight we’ll be analyzing different scenarios when having to share your project to:

• your client
• a construction company
• other professionals.

The designer and the client

After having completed the country house project, the designer may need to share it with the client before construction phase and having to submit all the necessary applications for planning permissions.

Thanks to BIM VOYAGER your client can evaluate the design solutions that you have adopted following his initial requests and view in first person:

• how the building fits in the site context;
• the essential outdoor arrangement around the building and the swimming pool;
• how internal environments are functionally divided into living area on the ground floor and sleeping area on the first floor;
• the large glass wall that brings bright light into the living area and opens to a wide view on the surrounding hills;
• the fireplace built in stone that separates the living room from the kitchen.

In this way you can immediately agree on any changes to be made to the model and have further verifications until reaching the final solution.

The designer and the construction company

After having completed the terraced houses project planning phase, the designer may need show all the details to the construction company before producing the relating working drawings.

Thanks to BIM VOYAGER you can share the virtual model to the company manager that will be able to verify:

• the optimal arrangement / organization of the housing units on the plot of land;
• the residential and non-residential large surfaces distributed on three levels;
• the additional villa for hosting a larger family;
• the use of exposed brick which enhances the intervention and the real estate investment;
• the private single gardens located in a reserved area behind the main road.

Terraced houses model navigation with BIM VOYAGER

The designer and other professionals

After having defined the preliminary choices for a loft conversion project, the designer will need to discuss them with other technical experts or his team members.

With the help of BIM VOYAGER you can share your 3D model with your colleague and discuss various project aspects:

• distribution and functional aspects;
• consolidation works on existing walls;
• characteristics of the structural elements for the mezzanine and the staircase;
• materials to be used for flooring, the entrance floor and the mezzanine area;
•  treatment of the perimeter brick walls;
• selection of furnishing elements for the living and sleeping areas.

BIM VOYAGER has the potential to make it easier for designers and anyone involved in a project planning phase to do their job more effectively, while enabling to work from home or from anywhere with absolute confidence.

Distances are cancelled with BIM BIM VOYAGER as you will be able to make immediate changes to your project before presenting it to your client.

Loft model navigation with BIM VOYAGER

Navigate my project file in BIM VOYAGER

Here are the links to some of my models to start getting to grips with BIM VOYAGER:

BIM VOYAGER country house

BIM VOYAGER primary school

BIM VOYAGER terraced houses

BIM VOYAGER loft.

If you would like to test BIM VOYAGER and take advantage of its potential, you will first need to download one of the compatible ACCA software solutions:

Edificius

EdiLus