The differing industries exhibiting at the Expo range from transportation, to urban planning right through to environmental agencies and energy initiatives.

Virtual Viewing takes a keen interest in these types of events, as we are able to assist companies and industry professionals who are looking to bid for projects within these forward thinking cities. Using our 3D animation services we can create a virtual layout of what prospective developments would look like once the project has been finished. For more information on any of services please get in touch.

Carillion have recently been awarded the rights to build a new £50 million viaduct as part of a works for Crossrail and Network Rail in west London. Carillion have beaten off feisty competition from some of its main rivals in order to secure the contract. Virtual Viewing were able to assist in the bidding process by creating 3D animations that showed how Carillion would manage certain aspects of the process.

The Stockley Viaduct in Hillingdon is the current site of where the works will be carried out and the project is designed to provide a separate route for trains crossing the main line, in addition to enabling Crossrail services to operate in and out of Heathrow.

We created a series of short 3D animations that showed how Carillion would manage the different technical aspects of the construction process for this job from start to finish. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Carillion on winning the contract and look forward to working with them on future projects.

For more information on our 3D animation services please visit our website at or contact us using our online form.

This year, it was held at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff and played host to some inspiring and informative talks by numerous speakers from a whole range of backgrounds: From the CEO of the National Energy Foundation Tim Lunel, to Paul Abreu, the Head of Operations Policy for the Energy Networks Association; professors, engineers and project managers. Even the First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones made an appearance.

Set up by Ofgem and the Department for Energy and Climate Change as part of the price control arrangements, the LCNF has been given £500 million to support projects of a low carbon nature by the distribution network operators (DNOs). The money is to enable trials of new technology, operating and commercial arrangements, with the aim of delivering an affordable, sustainable and secure energy future.

Although a lot of people in attendance were network operators and professionals in the energy industry, the conference was open to anyone interested in a low carbon energy future – Virtual Viewing’s MD, Stewart Bailey being one of them.

These days, more and more new developments are finding innovative ways to minimise their impact on the environment; implementing more sustainable and eco-friendly solutions. Our portfolio of such developments is rapidly expanding and we believe that the more we can understand them the better. Energy is after all, a crucial part of any infrastructure.

The conference exhibited many exciting progressions in the world of low carbon energy. it was a pleasure to be able to meet so many professionals and companies that share our passion for innovation and technology, and Virtual Viewing looks forward to working with them in the future.

It may sound a little far-fetched and alien, but many of us are already using Augmented Reality, or AR as it is known, without even realising it – the latest smart phones and the games consoles all utilise it, as do tablets such as iPads. One of the most common ways involves using a smart phone to view the area around a person with the phone displaying useful information on top of the live image, such as restaurants locations or ATM points.

From a long-term perspective, the possibilities presents are pretty much endless and the business world is beginning to realise this. What it means for the construction industry for example, is the progression from architectural drawings, digital images and three-dimensional videos, to literally being able to see a new building development that has yet to exist on the screen of a tablet -  and in its surroundings too.

Then there is Virtual Viewing, which uses the principles of AR to create precise 3D models and animations. As well as Single Building Models, Virtual Viewing also uses Massive Scale Modelling (MSM). This allows the viewer to see 3D modelling of groups of buildings or even entire cities. Not only do these models produce a vision of the proposed developments, but give an overview of the impact these developments have on the environment around them. By reaching far beyond standard 3D modelling, Virtual Viewing provides an interactive service – embedding 3D models with useful information from various sources, creating what could become a valuable learning resource.

When put together, all these techniques can generate 3D animations that take the viewer on a tour through part real, part virtual landscapes. What begin as two-dimensional ideas transform into multidimensional stories, communicating in such a way that surpasses most forms of media. It is this process of overlaying the possible onto the real, which allows us to perceive what could be in a way like never before.

To find out more about Virtual Viewing and our Augmented Reality videos, visit our website at www.virtualviewing.co.uk

No longer is a 10,000-word report or White Paper the way to go, as the construction industry makes the shift to video to spread its message.

Not video, but animation, to be precise. Virtual 3D models and animation are becoming more and more popular in construction, as they allow the user to instantly visualise the interior and exterior of developments, as well as how the site will look throughout the production process.

You know the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words. A video is worth much more: 1.8 million more.

According to Forrester Research, one minute of video is equivalent to 1.8 million words, making animation and 3D modelling a much more simple, effective and engaging way to get your message across in a pitch or of your new proposal.

The days of a report with thousands of words is over: it’s time consuming to read, complex and not a way to engage the user. A 5 minute 3D video is a much more effective way of breaking down a complex issue or proposal, and highlighting the key points in an engaging manner.

At Virtual Viewing we have worked with a variety of construction companies to help them produce effective visual aids.

We have also produced detailed 3D videos regarding plans for future projects, such as this video, which was put together for a successful client bid to explain the logistics, build process and internal fit out for new student accommodation in London.

The animation was used to display how the project would work from start to finish, to give the client to showcase how their plans would work in a clear, concise way that would help them win the construction contract.

For more information about Virtual Viewing and what we do, as well as examples of our videos and 3D animations, visit our website.

That’s why the government have unveiled plans to revitalise the railways, in the biggest investment programme in the rail system since the Victorian era.

The £9 billion investment will see a host of new schemes take place from 2014 to 2019 on rail projects around London, Milton Keynes, Reading and throughout the Midlands.

East West Rail are one of the beneficiaries of the government’s investment in the rail sector: with the West Coast rail line given the green light for improvements, such as the electrification of the line from Oxford to Bedford.

Due to be completed by 2017, the Western section will link Aylesbury, Oxford and Reading with Bedford and Milton Keynes, becoming England’s first major railway re-opening, as currently the route exists of a freight network or disused lines.

For this project, Virtual Viewing worked alongside East West Rail to produce an animated video showcasing exactly what the new plans entail.

Detailing all the information surrounding the project and the proposed plans, the animation provides a clear, concise guide as to what the scheme entails, as well as showcasing the benefits of the scheme and how it will work.

Using video and animation is the perfect way to take complex plans and make it simple and clear for the viewer to understand, as well as engaging them in a way that you would not get from a 100 page report or white paper.

To find out more about Virtual Viewing and to see our videos, visit our website.

Virtual Viewing have been working alongside design experts Gensler to portray a future version of the capital in the year 2050.

We created an app which provides a virtual study of the City of London in 2050, presenting Gensler’s five re-imagined districts – Aldgate, Barbican, Shoreditch, Smithfield and the Thames – and what they will look like in the future.

Providing walking tours throughout the five districts, the app allows the user to see what the future holds, with new sites such as a new Global Tech Media Exchange, a Life Sciences Exchange and a new airport terminal for the City, in a full 360 degree view, allowing you to view London in all its future glory.

The 360 degree view of futuristic London is a result of using a built-in compass, which determines the direction you are facing to give you the correct view of the future London landmarks. Combining this with the gyroscope and accelerometer allows the app to give you a full 360o view as if you were really there, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in a futuristic version of the city.

Virtual Viewing’s work with Gensler was to coincide with the Developing City Exhibition in the City of London, which took place from 21 June to 9 September. The advanced panoramic visualisation app was designed to accompany the immersive, visual installation that was showcased at the exhibition and to create a more engaging way to portray the project.

Ian Mulcahey, Managing Director at Gensler London, said about the app:

“Through the combination of these exciting walking tours and the creation of an innovative application, we are really able to bring our dynamic vision of the City of London to life. People will now be able to experience exactly how we think the City will continue to redefine and reinvent itself.

Our work with Virtual Viewing has enabled us to simultaneously present the current and the future, the real and the virtual, in a creative, informative and engaging way.”

To Gensler London 2050 app is available on iPad. You can download the app on iTunes here.

To find out more about Virtual Viewing and what we do, visit our website at www.virtualviewing.co.uk

The new app uses touchscreen technology and the portability and ease of use of the tablet computer to seamlessly blend together a rich tapestry of information that incorporates

• development plans
• floorplans
• property specifications
• CGI images
• photos
• video and 3d animation.

Without the restrictions of print formats, every aspect of property sales can be presented in the way that is most compelling and captivating. As well as interactively displaying text and images, the app can also play video tours and 3d flythroughs, creating an immersive and dramatic environment that brings an enthralling and exciting realism.

Linked to wall-mounted flat-screen displays, the app can turn a site office visit into a persuasive cinematic experience. Taking the technology one-step beyond, the app can also control a physical model, using remotely controlled lighting to highlight different aspects and elements of a complex multi-phase development.

Linked to easily updated web-based admin systems to ensure the latest updates are automatically downloaded at every use, development, availability and property details are fully searchable by a range of criteria – property type, size, location, price, number of bedrooms, etc.

At times the cars were actually driving towards each other – which prompted Mark to comment at the post-event gathering that it was a little concerning driving towards your colleague in an F1 car in Milton Keynes Centre, where the being sat mere inches from a rising and falling road surface means you can’t actually you can’t always see where the other car is!

Christian Horner also commented that seeing both the cars driving towards each other make his foot “bounce” a little more vigorously than normal!

A huge crowd packed into Central Milton Keynes to witness the celebrations as Red Bull Racing said “thank you” to Milton Keynes, the Red Bull staff and everyone who has helped them throughout 2011.

Virtual Viewing is a supplier of 3d modelling to Red Bull Racing and was delighted to be involved with the event. Here is a picture of our MD, Stewart Bailey, with other dignitaries from Milton Keynes including the Milton Keynes South MP, Iain Stewart, and Milton Keynes’ Mayor Alan Richards. Behind are Adrian Newey, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, and Christian Horner.