Proptech and Property Design - The Perfect Match?

Posted by The Landsite on 25th August 2020 -

Property technology and property design are a match made in heaven. Advancing technologies mean that designers can visualise their projects in a much more realistic way, experiment with colours and textures and try more revolutionary techniques.

If you think it’s time to start combining proptech and property design for your project, we’ve got some ideas for you. Read on to make sure you don’t miss out!

How do proptech and property design come together?

Proptech is disrupting the property sector in several different areas. By finding efficiencies in administration and building management, automating complex processes and creating new platforms for properties, it’s making a big and largely positive difference.

Now, hundreds if not thousands of companies are getting involved with PropTech and have the goal of revolutionising the industry. Property Design isn’t the most popular area for development of new technologies, but it’s slowly creeping up and, one day, it’s going to be huge.

Here are a few areas that are already being adressed.

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a process that involves creating a smart 3D model of a property. This allows design professionals to manipulate, adjust and test different aspects of the infrastructure to see what works.

These models can be used throughout the property life-cycle, so will even help in 10 years time when a client decides to remodel.

Some software companies are really embracing this shift to BIM; Snaptrude really comes into its own. It’s a CAD software that can take your hand-drawn sketch and convert it into a 3D BIM in seconds. This saves designer time and means they can get working much more quickly and share their designs in seconds.

Virtual reality

With a little help from BIM, designers can create fully immersable designs for investors, clients, project managers and construction teams to view.

There are already a few apps out there that are using this tech (see our members listed below) 

Virtual reality technology allows all involved in the project to get a real feel for what the building is supposed to be like. This can avoid costly mistakes or instances when people change their mind at the last minute.

It’s also a great selling tool as it can display properties that are miles away, and your design portfolio becomes fully interactive.

VR tools like HomeHustle can really help both consumers and retailers. It saves time for both through their platform that’s kind of like Pinterest.

Individuals can take a picture of a design feature they like (say a certain table), and retailers with that exact or similar items will contact them through the platform with their price and information.

Users can also create a design brief and mood boards that local designers can respond to, so makes the entire onboarding process much easier.

Augmented reality

This takes things one step further than virtual reality and uses location-based data to create imagery that can be manipulated on the spot. 

Insider Navigation uses tech to pop up new features that the clients request. For example, during their work for Volkswagen, they were able to fit a machine into the space so the designer (and the client) could be aware of how things would look in that position.

That’s not where the relationship between proptech and property design stops. Smart home technology is having a huge influence on property design, so any advancements in that area will affect designers around the world. Advancements in construction tech (ConTech) make certain materials much more accessible designers, opening up new opportunities for all.

Click on the following links and discover services throughout design and technology for all projects - residential or commercial. 

Some of our other articles you may be interested in:  

Is Networking for Property Investors a Thing of the Past? 

Top Tips For Sustainable Property Development