INTRODUCTION
Resolution Studios were recently instructed to provide a collection of 3D visuals for H2B Investments to showcase the West Park Apartments they were renovating for Inclusion Housing.
Inclusion Housing and their residents will be moving to the newly refurbished building in Wolverhampton, once the building work is complete.
I recently met up with Richie Hubball from H2B Investments and we talked through this project and how the 3D visuals helped as a communication tool and benefited the project as a whole.
DEVELOPER: H2B INVESTMENTS
H2B Investments provide accommodation for young adults with additional needs.
They are a multifaceted and dynamic organisation, who pride themselves on their ability to source, secure and develop facilities. They are a 'resident focused' organisation and every decision that is taken, is made with the residents in mind. So that the accommodation they provide is fit for purpose for their demographic and includes all of the facilities required, to cater for their needs.
As a result, providing outstanding accommodation for their residents.
CLIENT: INCLUSION HOUSING
Inclusion Housing and their residents will become the users of this new facility.
Inclusion Housing provides housing support for young adults with physical and mental disabilities or a combination of both. They currently support more than 2800 vulnerable people across the UK and help them to live independently in their own specialist supported home. Through their hard work and dedication they are now established as one of the leading social enterprise companies in the UK.
Their unique approach has enabled vulnerable people to live in good quality homes with the right healthcare, this also helps the residents on the path to employment, community integration and independent living.
THE SITE
The existing building was formerly used as a small hotel.
In recent years the hotel had fallen into disrepair and was in need of renovation. H2B Investment saw the potential opportunity with this building and thought it could work for Inclusion Homes and their residents. After some discussions, both H2B Investments and Inclusion Housing decided to move the project forward.
As a result the proposals were formally drawn up by their architect.
THE PROJECT
The project was to convert the former hotel into 14 separate apartments.
Each of the 1 bed apartments included a kitchen/dining area, shower room and a lounge/living area. There is also a communal lounge for residents to socialise together and a separate space for staff to be on site, in case assistance is required. Giving residents everything they needed for independent living, but with the security that there is someone at hand if required.
These new apartments are specifically designed for the residents, to be sure of this H2B Investments wanted the input from both Inclusion Housing and their residents.
H2B Investments asked Inclusion Homes - If we get the design team together, we’d like your input, we’ll engage with you and the residents with regards to the layouts, colour schemes, finishes etc.
What do you think?
Inclusion Homes were taken back,
“That's different” came their reply and
“yes, we’d appreciate that”.
This approach puts the residents first and they are able to contribute to the scheme, helping make decisions about the design of their future homes.
LACK OF CLARITY
Reading plans and elevations can be difficult, especially for those outside of the construction industry.
The residents found it hard to envisage how the development will look once completed, as they have no experience reading construction documentation. Lack of clarity of the design meant that some residents were becoming anxious about the move. The move should be a positive experience and it was hoped that the residents would be getting excited about their new homes.
It was the scheme’s architect who suggested using 3D visualisation to illustrate the interiors of the development and recommended the services of Resolution Studios.
We have worked closely with Align Architecture on a number of their schemes in the past, creating 3D visuals of several of their previous projects. And we were looking forward to working with them again on this new development in Wolverhampton.
Doing our bit, to make a difference to the lives of the future residents of West Park Apartments.
3D VISUALISATION
Resolution Studios provided a number of 3D visuals to showcase key rooms within the development.
The 3D visuals allowed lots of design information to be displayed in an easy to digest format. The CGIs helped the residents to envisage what the accommodation will be like. Allowing them to see how their furniture will fit into the space, and also see how the interior finishes and colours scheme will look once completed.
As a result, removing the anxieties about the move and allowing the residents to get excited about their new accommodation and enjoy the design process.
More images below
WORKING WITH RESOLUTION STUDIOS
After completing the project, I asked Richie about his experience working with Resolution Studios.
He said Resolution Studios were very easy to work with and were swift, effective and communication was slick. Resolution Studios took on board any feedback and made changes when required, anything we asked for, they did.
Richie has also provided us with this amazing testimonial.
Why we chose to work with Resolution Studios – We were initially put in touch with Resolution by our architects as a recommended firm to deliver our CGI’s in a timely manner. The costs were reasonable and the timeframes were supportive of our requirements.
What was done – We had 3 high resolution CGI’s for our scheme in Wolverhampton for assisted living. With regular changes and tweaks, nothing was too much trouble to accommodate our requests.
Why we would recommend – The team at Resolution Studios were responsive, attentive and delivered exactly what they promised. Timeframes and costs were as agreed and we would be happy to recommend them to others in the future.
[Richie Hubball - H2B Investments]
We are very proud of this testimonial and look forward to working with Richie and his team on future developments.
BENEFITS TO THE CLIENT
The 3D visuals illustrated exactly how the proposals will look, meaning there will be no false promises or misunderstandings.
H2B Investments were able to show Inclusion Homes the proposals and say “this is what we are looking to build”. As a result of the CGI images, Inclusion Homes and their residents were able to offer feedback and make informed decisions on finishes. Meaning, everyone involved in the project was able to see what they were working towards and share the same vision.
Providing a finished product that is tailored exactly to the residents and their needs.
BENEFITS TO THE DEVELOPERS
The 3D visuals enabled Richie and his team to buy back time.
Richie said the phrase a picture speaks a 1000 words sums up the use of 3D visuals perfectly. This meant H2B Investments were able to issue the 3D visuals to residents and stakeholders, giving them an accurate vision of the proposed development. The CGIs enabled H2B Investments to quickly and easily answer any design related question, or remove any worries and reduce anxieties relating to the build.
As a result, freeing Richie up to move the project forward.
SUMMARY
The 3D visuals enabled H2B Investments to get input into the scheme by people from outside of the construction industry.
The CGIs illustrated exactly how the proposed development is going to look, enabling discussion and feedback on the design. In addition to aiding communication, the 3D visuals also helped reduce worries and anxieties amongst the residents. Removing complexities and misunderstandings and replacing with clarity and excitement about the new accommodation.
With this additional clarity and excitement about the new apartments, the project can move forward with less resistance and as a result, everybody wins.
3D IMAGES
Kitchen Diner & Lounge View
Bedroom View
Shower Room View
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About the Author
Jamie Wilkes has worked as a 3D visualiser and has over 20 years experience working with 3D CAD in the architectural industry. He is now owner and director of Resolution Studios, a 3D visualisation firm based in Halesowen in the West Midlands.
Starting out as an Architectural Technician, Jamie worked on a number of commercial and residential schemes, producing CAD plans, elevations & sections of buildings. After completing his Masters in Digital Architecture Jamie then followed his passion for 3D & took a role as a full time 3D visualiser working mainly in the leisure sector.
Resolution Studios was established by Jamie in 2008 and has since provided 3D visualisations, animations and interactive imagery for planning applications and marketing developments in many sectors throughout the UK and abroad.
Do you want to be making use of the latest tools and technology with your next project, if so then please get in touch and we can see how we can work together.
Email me at jamie.wilkes@resolution-studios.co.uk or 0121 674 40 20