Optimising Client Outcomes with Digital Design

As the construction industry rides the rise in digital technologies, Richard Crookes Constructions (RCC) is evolving the way it operates.

It’s in house-team is continually innovating to stay competitive in this highly ambitious marketplace.

Using Sydney’s iconic Brutalist building Sirius as a case study, in this article RCC outlines how digital design is changing the way it delivers.

Responding to the latest regulatory changes, we are fine-tuning our processes and training to ensure we’re digitally deft to meet future needs.

This will enable us to stay ahead of the game, given that 57 per cent of class 2 builders and 48 per cent of designers are currently in a basic stage of digitalisation.

General manager of design and innovation Samantha Kuiper emphasised the importance of integrating digital design into current delivery methodologies to boost project outcomes for the future.

▲ RCC’s general manager of design and innovation Samantha Kuiper.

“We believe in embracing technology and industry change. We’re not waiting until digitalisation is a directive—we see the opportunities in technological innovation and are taking a proactive approach to embedding digital design into our processes,” she said.

In the end, any innovation needs to drive better project quality, client satisfaction and end-user outcomes. Visualisation and simulation help clients fully comprehend their project's construction process and mitigate risks early. This provides an efficient way of gathering data and managing their assets, boosting confidence and offering more certainty. 

Realising benefits with Sirius

Conceived in a period when the Brutalist idiom dominated architectural practice, the Sirius building is a Sydney icon, a stalwart of the city’s skyline. JDH Capital engaged RCC to evolve this piece of history and harmonise its Brutalist origins with new additions and materials.

Using digital design, we created visualisations of Sirius to communicate how the project will redefine modern living.

▲ Modelling of the Sirius building in Sydney by RCC.

Using a cutting-edge BIM federated model to amalgamate the architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulics and fire models, our teams analysed the design geometry to understand the overall design and the constructability of the proposed works.

This was then analysed by our team members using Navisworks Freedom.

Clash detection and progressed issues were managed through Revizto, allowing us to assign issues to relevant team members to resolve. Point cloud scans lined into the federated model also enabled us to pinpoint existing building elements and optimise the design.

▲ Digital design manager Dean James.

Digital design manager Dean James said this technology significantly increased time and quality efficiencies through early design investigation and clash detection.

“Virtually understanding what you are designing and ultimately going to build is key to creating efficiency opportunities,” he said.

“During the design phase for Sirius, we used Navisworks Manage to analyse the design models against each other to identify constructability issues. This then synchronised to the Revizto cloud platform to communicate, manage and resolve any issues between the team.”

James said that this enabled all consultants to collaborate under one roof through their digitally enabled design coordination meetings and address critical design issues.

“This significantly reduces the number of meetings and time spent resolving issues, ultimately saving time and increasing cost efficiencies for all stakeholders,” he said.

Throughout construction, we will implement augmented reality and smart reality capturing technologies to upskill trades and mitigate on-site risks.

We will also use a 4D model to track procurement, monitor the installation of specific elements and scenario test methodologies to prove their viability.

Fording the digital frontier

RCC is seizing the digital reins and initiating a proactive approach to an increasingly tech-led and data-driven shift.

As digital design continues to evolve, we’re developing new skills—training, educating and implementing technology functions to achieve the best results for our people, clients and their end-users.

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