The Future of Design is Here with AI in Vectorworks 2024

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What does designing a retail space in the modern era look like? Online shopping is at an all-time high, so how do you offer your customers the convenience they’ve come to expect with the human connection they so desperately crave?

The answer is balance.

And such balance is something being carefully created by the folks at River Island, a storied fashion brand that’s been delivering elevated looks to the streets of Britain for over half a century.

Innovative Technologies, Improved Customer Experience

With roots on the prestigious Kings Road of London, River Island now has over 250 locations across the UK, and in addition to trending fashions, River Island also has its hand in trending technologies.

River Island’s solution to creating exciting in-person shopping experiences comes in the form of River Studios. This concept “introduces a modernised take on the retailer’s brand while paying homage to its craftsmanship and family business culture,” per Retail Focus.

The most interesting aspect of River Island is “Chloe,” an AI styling system that personalises customers’ shopping experience. The clothing found in River Studios will feature washable tags that will register with Chloe through mounted touch screens throughout the retail space and changing rooms, helping shoppers find more of what they love.

Additionally, a Digital Click and Collect point using Chloe’s computer systems creates a faster way for customers to find the exact pieces of clothing they’re looking for.

This technology, blended with the advantages of in-person shopping — being able to try on clothes, seeing fabrics in person, and participating in a curated space — will create a new feel for the brand’s retail locations.

“Retail is at its best when it’s evolving and adapting to best suit the needs of shoppers, and we’re no different. River Studios delivers a modern, seamless experience fit for the high street of today,” Will Kernan, River Island CEO, told Retail Focus.

Creating the Retail Spaces of the Future with Vectorworks Architect

Technology-focused storefronts for the River Island brand will be designed by Hannah Boulter using Vectorworks Architect. Boulter has long leaned on Vectorworks Architect to aid in her design work for River Island, mainly using 2D drawings to plan out new stores and renovations to existing stores, in addition to adding the Chloe system and changing room touch screens.

But as the company pushes to improve its retail offerings, she’s also looking to improve how she uses the software. Boulter is now working with Kesoon Chance, Vectorworks senior industry specialist – interiors, to use Vectorworks’ data-centric features for a more automated design process.

With tools like custom record formats, data tags, and reports, Boulter will be able to streamline how she designs in Vectorworks, just like how River Island is improving the shopping experience for their customers.

“Kesoon and I went over things like our merchandise fixtures around the store,” said Boulter, “and each fixture has a typical number of arms. Before, we’d send the design to our manufacturer, and they’d go around and have to count all the fixtures by hand. There’s so much room for human error.”

Now, Boulter and her River Island team have a formula that quickly calculates the number of arms for each merchandise fixture and automatically tabulates them into a table to share with manufacturers.

To learn more about how to use data management features in Vectorworks Architect, click here.

Learn More About Designing Influential Retail Spaces

Want to design modern, engaging retail spaces like River Island’s? Look no further than this webinar, “Data-Driven 3D Modelling for Interiors.”

In this presentation — inspired by an elegant retail interiors project located in Tokyo by designers Mana & Takashi Kobayashi, IMA Inc. — Luis M. Ruiz, interior associate AIA, will discuss how you can increase your efficiency and win more work with an integrated data-driven 3D modelling process.

Your workflow is no longer just about providing 2D drawings and details; great visualisations and smart take-offs can all be a part of your design process. BIM for interiors is a more thoughtful way to design, organise, and face today’s challenges in the industry.

Click here to watch the webinar for free.

If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

What are the origins of the brand?

Since its founding in 1985, Vectorworks’ software has always been a 3D modelling program devoted to helping designers express their visions more clearly to their clients and collaborators and to design without limits.

From the beginning, Vectorworks has played a critical role in the CAD field, having created one of the very first CAD programs, one of the first 3D modelling programs, the most successful CAD software for the Mac OS, and the first cross-platform CAD application to market. Vectorworks was also one of the first in the design industry to introduce BIM capabilities to our software offerings and was the first major BIM authoring platform to run natively on Apple’s M1 Family of Chips.

Today Vectorworks has evolved into a sophisticated suite of products that address a wide range of needs, from fundamental drafting and modelling to advanced design, documentation, and analysis.

How do your products and services enhance interior design projects?

Our product, Vectorworks Architect, allows interior designers to collaborate with other project stakeholders in one central platform, minimising errors that can occur when transferring between various platforms and software programs.

Vectorworks Architect also provides interior designers with built-in templates and reports to assist with not only commencing projects but also with the ease of extracting relevant and needed information.

The simplicity of the interface allows for the incorporation of plug-in tools from a wide range of partners to make the design process a complete one. From space planning layouts, design intent drawings, and construction drawings to spreadsheets and rendering capabilities, Vectorworks Architect includes a wide range of resources, ensuring you have the best possible opportunity to convey your design idea to your customer.

What value does your specialist sector add to the industry?

Vectorworks’ software offers designers new tools and resources built on cutting-edge technology. These advances allow users to showcase their designs to clients in new and exciting ways. For instance, our recently updated Nomad mobile app features Apple’s room scanning framework, RoomPlan, allowing users to quickly scan an existing room layout using their iOS mobile device to create a robust reality capture that is accessible and easy to use. Plus, presentations for tours and boards created in Vectorworks Cloud Services can be shared with collaborators and clients with a QR code, link, or email.

Vectorworks offers improved accuracy throughout the full design process compared to older, traditional processes. Data management, visualisation, and revisions are all simplified by offering and centralising everything in one comprehensive program.

In addition, Vectorworks is known for its flexible approach to designing, with a wide range of modelling capabilities such as history modelling, Nurbs, subdivision, and parametric tools capabilities. Designers can spend more time designing without letting their software or tools hinder their creativity.

How do you work with interior designers?

As a company, we work with interior designers in many ways, and as an industry specialist, I have the chance to speak to designers on a regular basis. We have online and in-person training opportunities from one on one to group sessions.  Vectorworks University also allows designers to learn on their own schedule and obtain necessary certifications.

For companies that are transitioning to Vectorworks, we also over a tailored approach with support to get the workforce up and running in a very efficient way through consultancy.

By joining organisations such as SBID and attending tradeshows, we frequently network with designers from various sectors, such as residential, retail, hospitality, commercial, and more. It gives us a chance to hear feedback and ensures our software is always evolving to include new features.

To conclude, as one of our company’s core values, inclusion is something we continue to strive to promote and foster. As part of this, our DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee is dedicated to supporting the interiors sector by sponsoring or donating to charities and initiatives looking to improve access to this industry for all individuals. For example, so far, we have worked with the United in Design Charity, and we continue to remain open to additional opportunities to get involved and give back.

What has been your most significant company highlight or success from the past year?

It’s very hard to select just one highlight as we’ve had many exciting developments over the past year. We launched the latest version of our software, Vectorworks 2023, which focused on reengineering some of the core architectural tools, expanding our interoperability with additional file format imports, and offering additional modelling capabilities for quicker design creation.

The launch of this release also included a customer Design Day event at Euston Square, London. This event offered designers the opportunity to speak directly to Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar and other executives about their experience with the software.

In addition, we launched our Vectorworks Embodied Carbon Calculator (VECC) to assist designers in their steps to design and execute more sustainable projects.

We also successfully changed our purchasing options to subscriptions, giving customers the freedom to manage their licences as their workload pauses or expands.

The list continues, however, the final highlight I would like to mention is our sixth Vectorworks Design Scholarship. There were over 1,000 submissions and scholarships were awarded to 30 students for 22 projects in the architecture, interior design, landscape, and entertainment industries.

The winning project of this year’s grand prize was interiors focused, with Michelle Wanitzek taking home the coveted Richard Diehl Award for her project ‘Nomad Coworking.’

What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?

In the past year, there were a lot of requests for Crittall openings; doors and windows, and an increase in setting up company standards to improve efficiency.

However, one of the latest trends I have noticed this year is a demand for extracting data from a CAD/BIM model.

Once the designer has conceptualised their project within Vectorworks, with custom data attached and object parameters set, exporting the necessary information to create types or reports, schedules, and legends is fairly straightforward.

We currently have many tutorials and webinars focused on the topic of data within Vectorworks University for those who want to elevate to the next step.

How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead?

There has been a lot of discussion regarding reducing our carbon footprint in all the various industries we support, and the interiors section is no different; whether it’s at a tradeshow or through a customer project – I can see that there is an emphasis on doing better for the planet and making a difference, with a circular design; reusing, recycling and innovating new products from waste. There is a sense of urgency regarding sustainability, and I believe this will continue.

In addition, we are still recovering from the pandemic and developing new ways of living and working. There is also a need to create spaces that sustain an excellent quality of well-being and wellness. So, whether the focus is on air, light quality or just making sure that there is a varied layout option to suit the different business and social needs, adaptability and flexibility are key.

Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?

We recently transitioned our purchasing options to subscription licences, which can be purchased directly from our website. This is extremely exciting because we have the opportunity to release new tools and features more frequently.  Not only that, but this has been a popular request from freelancers and sole practitioners over the past several years. Now, these designers can factor the lower subscription fees directly into their business structure as they work on various projects.

Moreover, at the moment, there seems to be a real buzz around the hospitality and retail industries and using those industries to drive consumers back out. This is especially exciting for me as I will be creating a new example file for designers in these sectors with specific tips and tricks so that they can continue to design as effectively as possible.

For other sectors, there are also example files on Vectorworks University, so I encourage everyone to explore those resources.

What does being an SBID Accredited Industry Partner mean to you?

As an individual and an interior architect, the SBID offers a wide range of network opportunities that allow me to be among like-minded people and discuss topics that affect our industry.

As a company, it means a lot to support and maintain the quality of the industry by offering high-caliber CPDs and training amongst the members.

If you’d like to feature your project news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Implementing 3D and Information Modeling for Impressive Results

The decision to take a more wholistic approach to her firm’s design workflow was a result of Raynauld attending Vectorworks’ 2018 Design Summit, claiming that she realized she was only using about ten percent of the software. “I got frustrated not being able to use every aspect of Vectorworks.”

Now, Raynauld and her team are pushing the software where she wants it to go, creating 3D files with greater levels of detail, data, and documentation.

“Everything is so much easier in 3D,” said Raynauld, citing a desire to render beautifully and better sell projects to clients. “Not everybody has the capacity to bring a 3D model into their mind.”

Raynauld described the enhanced visuals of her new 3D models with colorful words like “warmth” and “candy.” No longer does she have to simply hope clients feel attached to a cold 2D floorplan.

These little bits of “candy” are added to viewports that are used to present all the visual and informational details that compose a design. Renderings, images, samples, tables, worksheets, and other forms of information can be added to these viewports — creating a fully-fleshed out version of Raynauld’s design intent.

“Key plans” also exist in Raynauld’s viewports, indicating which floor of a building the viewer is currently seeing. This is just another example of how you can add detailed, graphical information to your documents, and, as the designer points out, this kind of inclusion wouldn’t be possible without a 3D BIM model.

Collaborating with Architects, Engineers, and More using Vectorworks

With their larger projects especially, Raynauld and her staff must collaborate with architects, engineers, and other consultants to deliver a coordinated interior solution.

And Raynauld is in good hands — Vectorworks Architect has a wide range of import options that includes DWG files.

Raynauld and her team reference DWG files into Vectorworks, using the reference as a background that informs their work. Once they complete the first design iteration, the team exports the file to DWG for use by consultants. The exported DWG file contains valuable project information and coordination markers.

The next step, she indicated, was maximizing the use of consultant files. “I wanted to get more from the models that [the collaborators] were sending me,” she said.

“I’m motivated by my work,” said Raynauld. “So, I’m motivated to advance and improve my BIM capacity. It has a direct impact on our rendering skills and everything that brings the ‘wow’ effect to the interior design.”

Nine Design’s DDO Project

Nine Design’s most recent project is the eight-story, 120-unit DDO multiplex design in West Island, Montreal.

The design throughout the building is characterized by a neutral color palette and natural materials. Such a design choice was the result of the “social temperature” and her own personal headspace during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Raynauld. “It’s a contrast with all the controversy in society. It’s really to bring clarity and light when everything feels so confusing and shady.”

To take the socially conscious nature of the project one step further, Raynauld and Nine Design worked with an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral line of carpet. And, because they’re now using a BIM workflow, details like color and materials have associated data within Nine Design’s models.

With DDO, Vectorworks has helped Nine Design create beautiful presentations with efficient execution, as well as continue their mission: “we create designs that stand out for their harmony between audacity and elegance that will stand the test of time.”

Continually Learning How to Design with Data

Raynauld knows that there’s still room for her firm to grow in their implementation of BIM processes, saying that she’d love to use more IFC models to collaborate with other professionals and consultants. “Sometimes an engineer might change the thickness of a slab, for example,” said Raynauld. “That’s where I’d love to be able to work with BIM and an IFC model. I would be able to make sure all my other measurements and details are still good!”

“I’m really passionate about Vectorworks,” said Raynauld. And it shows; Nine Design are designing, documenting, and collaborating better than ever before.

If you’d like to feature your project news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.