Virtual Reality is the latest technological advancement taking the architectural profession by a storm. This technology came to the profession in the late 1980’s and has evolved exponentially in the last 30 years to become the most impactful influence on architectural design since the introduction of BIM modeling.

Here at BRS we have begun to implement some basic virtual reality components into our design process. We created 360° panoramic views for the Woodland Park Aquatic Center that you can experience through a mobile phone, tablet or a virtual reality HMD (head mounted display). After this seamless addition to our workflow, anyone can delve into the immersive virtual world and analyze every aspect of a project.

This experience can give the designer a closer representation of how the finished space will feel and perform, giving them a clearer understanding of what they are creating so that they can convey the idea clearly to the client. From proportions to color representations, virtual reality helps bridge the gap of education and clear up miscommunication between architects, clients, and consultants that we are all so familiar with. 2D drawings can be difficult to interpret when trying to visualize the finished product.

Using virtual reality, we can greatly mitigate those big surprises that cause hesitation and design change during the construction phase and often have costly results. We have also found it to be particularly helpful when evaluating the safety of our recreational facilities and aquatic centers. It gives the designer the ability to check whether blind spots exist in the pool area or child watch zones. This creates safer spaces for children to have fun, with less risk of accidental injuries occurring in an unsupervised area.

We have only dipped our toes into this new virtual experience with these 360° panoramic views but will continue to explore and research how we can better implement this new and exciting technology into our professional practice.
Here are three 360° panoramic views of the Woodland Park Aquatic Center that is under construction and scheduled for completion this fall.

LOBBY

LAP POOL

LEISURE POOL

 

Touring facilities is a great way for our employees to gain a better understanding of the firm's projects. Hard hat tours are especially a grand idea because it’s a chance to get a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes during construction of the buildings before they open.

Most importantly, they are also great learning opportunities to troubleshoot or educate others on lessons learned during the process.

Upon completion next month (May 23, 2015) the center will open its doors to provide services to hungry families who can stock up on whole foods and household items, learn about nutrition, self-sufficiency and gardening.

Several donors helped furnish the center with new features such as a greenhouse, cooking appliances, and a rooftop teaching garden with a great view. BRS employees learned about the operations of a successful food bank and toured front and back-of-house areas including loading docks, weigh-in areas, grocery display areas, intake and checkout areas, walk-in freezers, and storage areas.  Metro Caring utilizes over a hundred volunteers weekly and distributes 4,000 – 6,000 pounds of food and household items every day.

Keith, Craig and I were just out in the Seattle area celebrating the groundbreaking of the Sammamish Community and Aquatic Center. It was great to be able to take a moment to stop and celebrate this milestone with the client team from the City of Sammamish and the YMCA—all of whom have worked so hard alongside us over the past few years during the design process. It also gave us a chance to get acquainted with our general contractor, Porter Brothers Construction, who will be cording the building of all the items we've painstakingly drawn, modeled and coordinated back here in the office. The groundbreaking ceremony, which took place on Thursday, June 12, was a great opportunity to once again see all the community leaders from City Council, the Parks Commission, the YMCA Board and our city staff team. Everyone there was thrilled to see their new center come one step closer to fruition.

Click on the rendering below to learn more about this exciting project!

The project is slated to replace 53 well-used multiplex cabins with five modular guest lodges comprised of 409 new hotel rooms.

Due to the remoteness of the site and the huge volumes of snow it sees every season, the Canyon Village Area is only open from May through November. The compressed building season required that the project be designed entirely of factory-built modules that would be craned into place during the warm summer months.

Work crews have been on site for about a month, digging the construction site out of the 12+ feet of snow that completely buried some of the old cabins. Since the site opened up, it has seen a flurry of activity. The park has enlisted the fire department to help demo a few of the cabins for training (see main image above), while the rest have been bulldozed.

And just last week, a mama Grizzly bear and cubs were spotted within 300 feet of the jobsite, taking in all changes. No bear sightings for BRS yet (hence the vintage photo) as we were in Boise examining some of the first modules to come off the line. Evidently, the bears like to feed on the fresh grass after the snow melts. As a result, a new safety protocol requires construction workers to carry bear spray at all times.

We hope you enjoy the photos as much as we have!

Xanterra is the authorized concessioner for Yellowstone National Park.

Construction of Drive 2, the cutting-edge office building being erected a mere stone's throw away from its predecessor, Drive, began in October 2013 and is slated to finish in June 2014. This time-lapse video shows the project's progress between the October groundbreaking and today, February 20, 2014. Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture is the architect of record in partnership with design architect (and our good TAXI neighbor), Dynia Architects. We will continue to bring you more Drive 2 news in the coming months as the project nears completion. If the grand opening is half what the groundbreaking ceremony was, you won't want to miss it!