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JERDE Transforms Struggling Beijing Mall into Community Destination

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JERDE, an internationally renowned architecture and urban planning firm, celebrated the grand opening of the renovated Joy Breeze, an 805,000-sq-ft (170,000-sq-m) retail centre in Beijing, China this October.

Previously a struggling mall, JERDE’s reimagined design has transformed the site into a new community destination on behalf of the developer GRANDJOY Property Company (formerly COFCO Real Estate Group).

“Our renovation was inspired by the ancient Fire God Temple located on the grounds, directly adjacent to the mall entrance. We took the ideas of fire and light and translated them into the glowing, translucent, lantern-like forms of the new buildings,” said Eduardo Lopez, JERDE Senior Vice President and Senior Design Principal. “In Chinese culture the lanterns are a symbolic representation of celebration and prosperity, positioning this project as Beijing’s new destination for urban renewal and discovery.”

The project is a representation of Beijing itself, home to China’s second-largest urban population—rich in history, while also embracing modern culture, creating a juxtaposition of new and old architecture within a cosmopolitan community. A portion of the building’s northern side has been carved out to create additional outdoor public space. The captivating garden terraces created above the city streets ascend to a unique, top-level entertainment, retail, and dining destination. Following the theme of simplicity, the exterior is primarily constructed of a stone facade, with a darker tone at the base to help break down the scale.

“As visitors move through the project, they are guided through a choreographed journey. From exploring the sunken walkway to experiencing the outdoor entertainment plaza, the idea is that guests are met with a new experience at every turn,” said Lopez. The landscape also plays a part in creating the simplistic ambience that permeates Joy Breeze. Combined, each element plays an important role in enlivening the overall human experience for the project.

JERDE has designed mixed-use and retail destinations throughout the world including such iconic places as Santa Monica Place, Bellagio in Las Vegas, Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles, Pacific City in Huntington Beach, and Adana Town Center in Adana, Turkey, which recently took home the award for Best Shopping Center at the 2021 MIPIM Awards held in Cannes, France.

The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong

The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong Attains WELL v2TM Precertification

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The hotel is the first in both Hong Kong and mainland China to achieve the internationally acclaimed precertification

Sino Group is delighted to announce that The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong (the ‘Hotel’) has attained the WELL Precertification under the WELL Building StandardTM v2. The precertification is a milestone achievement recognised by the International WELL Building InstituteTM (IWBITM) that awards a project’s intent to implement health and wellbeing strategies that will be third-party verified upon completion.

As the first hotel project in Hong Kong and mainland China to receive this internationally acclaimed recognition, the precertification exemplifies the Group’s commitment to integrating health and sustainability strategies into every aspect of its operations and efforts in making business a driver of sustainability for a better future.

Mr Daryl Ng, Deputy Chairman of Sino Group, said, ‘The built environment has a profound impact on our health and wellbeing. Sino Group is committed to developing projects that link sustainability with design and operational strategies to promote health and wellness. We are grateful that The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong, the latest addition to the Fullerton family, has been the first hotel in Hong Kong and mainland China to attain this internationally acclaimed WELL v2TM precertification. As we commit to Creating Better Lifescapes for the communities we serve, I would like to thank the Sino team for their endeavours in supporting the Group to deliver on our commitment to promote a more sustainable community as we continue our sustainable journey towards Sustainability Vision 2030.’

Sustainability is at the core of Sino Group’s values, and the Sustainability Vision 2030 highlights tangible commitments to embedding elements into the design, construction, and operations of property developments, redefining them to focus on green living, health and wellbeing. Following the precertification received for 133 Portofino, St. George’s Mansions and Landmark South, this accreditation of The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong is an acknowledgement of the Group’s pursuit of sustainability and wellness in the development and operations of its hotels.

Located on the southside of Hong Kong Island, The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong is the first Fullerton hotel in Hong Kong and first Fullerton resort worldwide. Being a sustainable oceanfront luxury resort in Hong Kong, the Hotel is committed to offering a sustainable and healthy environment for all through green building measures and WELL building strategies including the implementation of practical green and climate resilience designs and features. To further incorporate wellness living into the hospitality experience, the Hotel will offer a wide range of wellbeing programmes for guests and employees to engage in such as urban farming, aqua yoga, hiking, as well as other mental and physical health activities like meditation, forest bathing, tea ceremony rituals, dance/movement and music therapies, with the aim of creating a connection with nature and a sense of wellbeing.

Created through seven years of rigorous research and development working with leading physicians, scientists and industry professionals, the WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research. The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong earned the WELL Precertification based on its design intents within 10 categories of building performance — Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community.

RIBA announces world’s best new buildings – 11 Asian projects win RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2021

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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the 16 winners of the RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2021, a biennial selection of the world’s best new buildings selected from entries to the world’s most prestigious award for architecture, the RIBA International Prize.

 

Of these exceptional winning projects, 11 are located in Asia, across Qatar, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China and South Korea.

 

  • Doha, Qatar: The Msheireb Downtown Doha Masterplan, a sophisticated and major architectural project, comprises a hundred plus buildings forming a coherent piece of the city and champions environmental and cultural sustainability with walkable neighbourhoods.

  • Seoul, South Korea: Amorepacific Headquarters is boldly positioned in the heart of the business district, serving as the workplace for the beauty company, a triple height foyer also engages with social responsibility, offering a public museum, auditorium, library, shopping and exhibition spaces.

  • Hong Kong, China: Tai Kwun The Centre for Heritage and Arts has transformed Hollywood Road, a historic cultural site, housing buildings formerly operating as police headquarters into two new immersive museum buildings with capacity for outdoor exhibition spaces and morning Tai Chi.

(Left – right): Msheireb Downtown Doha, Allies and Morrison; Amorepacific Headquarters, David Chipperfield Architects Berlin; Tai Kwun The Centre for Heritage and Arts, Purcell, Herzog & de Meuron, Rocco Design Associates Architects Limited

Amongst the 16 winning projects announced today, four projects will be shortlisted for this year’s prize and announced in September.  The winner of the RIBA International Emerging Architect Prize and the RIBA International Prize 2021 will be selected by a Grand Jury, chaired by French architect Odile Decq and revealed in November 2021.

 

Propelling the Architecture and Construction Industry Forward with Trust and Collaboration

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In recent years, Singapore’s construction industry has gone through continuous transformation focusing on improving productivity, reducing cost, improving safety and creating better jobs as part of the Industry Transformation Map (ITM). ITM is an initiative largely underpinned by digital transformation, launched by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA)in 2017

During the BCA-REDAS Built Environment and Property Prospects Seminar in January 2020, BCA noted that the industry was “making steady progress” towards the agency’s target of having 40 to 60 Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD) projects implemented and IDD capabilities in 150 to 180 firms by 2020. IDD uses a collaborative modelling technology called Building Information Modelling (BIM) to capture the 3D virtual representation of buildings and the information required for the construction process,along with advanced Infocomm and smart technologies. It is one of the key thrusts to enable the industry to achieve process improvement and collaboration among project partners.

Streamlining Workflow with Trust and Collaboration

Aside from construction demand reduction, COVID-19 has also put additional pressures on the operating budgets of Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) firms. At the same time, they need to cope with additional health and safety requirements, lesser availability of manpower and opaque market conditions. Inarguably, the road to recovery will be an arduous one. However, if AEC firms can leverage on the power of collaboration to improve productivity, they can ensure that projects can still be delivered on a timely manner, and as such create a more efficient way of working in this new normal.

Large number of collaborators, from architects to engineers, and other stakeholders needs to be involved in every project. Working virtually on projects of any complexity has never been easy, but with the right BIM solutions, it can be. Advanced BIM solutions, such as the GRAPHSOFT Archicad 24, allow for features such as smart change tracking and real-time notifications on relevant changes to the working model, resulting in accurate information that helps with timely decision-making. Enhanced collaboration and communication also means that the numerous stakeholders working on a project can resolve issues faster and reduce the risk of misinformation. Having all members of the team working on a BIM model in one shared design hub also strengthens the team performance and builds trust among members. This collaborative effort leads to better designs through solutions powered by streamlined data management processes.

Most recently, the AEC industry has been leveraging the cloud to enable real-time access to shared model throughout the design process. For example, GRAPHISOFT BIM cloud – available in both private and public cloud configuration – helps ensure that all team members are always up to speed on the latest edits, regardless of the project’s scale or the member’s location. Our clients, especially those with teams working remotely, have found this to be very helpful in improving efficiency and eradicating mistakes. With recently implemented measures to tackle the pandemic, including social distancing and remote working arrangements, the risk of project delays is undoubtedly higher with some firms still grappling to meet the myriad of requirements while having their workflow disrupted. Therefore, it is all the more vital to ensure that we leverage on technology to enhance productivity and collaboration throughout the process.

Paving the Road to Success

There is an increasing need for the AEC industry to work collaboratively so as to quicken the journey to recovery and reap the benefits of digital transformation. While this process may seem daunting and complicated, there are several straightforward steps that firms can adopt to attain success. First they can start with developing a strategic digital roadmap that will harmoniously integrate with the overall business plan. The efficacy of the technology needs to be considered, focusing mainly on competitive edge, productivity improvement, issue rectification and collaboration capability among the project partners.

In addition, there are several options that firms can leverage to upskill their employees and prepare them for the use of BIM software. For instance, GRAPHISOFT Learn offers a growing catalogue that includes on-demand, self-paced lessons, and detailed, instructor-led courses to help users shorten the learning curve, which is exceedingly important with remote working arrangements. Additionally, over the years BIM software has generally evolved to be more user friendly and intuitive.

Open BIM is another modern approach which firms should consider when choosing the most appropriate digital software to adopt. With Open BIM, they can enjoy better accessibility, usability, management and sustainability of built asset’s digital data on top of all the BIM benefits. On top of that, Open BIM is a collaborative process that is vendor-neutral and facilitates seamless collaboration for all project participants.

Finally, the ability to manage risk is essential. There are digital technologies that can help manage risks, and with that firms can locate and isolate issues before they happen. This will undeniably reduce costs and avoid unnecessary delays or rework. These tools can significantly remove the amalgamation of challenges faced by AEC firms due to the pandemic.

With the strain the pandemic has imposed on manpower, finances, health and safety, a progressively trustworthy and collaborative working environment will go a long way towards improving profitability. Firms that have made collaboration and digital transformation pivotal to their strategy will find that they are responding to problems more efficiently and with greater immediacy, thus enabling them to alleviate the impact of today’s business climate and advance towards a smoother recovery.

This piece was written by Chidambaram Chidambaram, Director, Customer Success, GRAPHISOFT, Singapore and Malaysia

Lead image from Pexels

Two Atkins’ architecture designs scoop Asia Pacific Property awards

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Atkins – a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group – has seen two of its architectural projects recognised at the 2020-2021 Asia Pacific Property Awards. The Changsha Northstar International Convention and Exhibition Centre won an award in the Public Service Architecture in China category, while the Hari hotel in Hong Kong won an award in the New Hotel Construction and Design category. The Asia Pacific Property Awards, as part of the International Property Awards, are the largest, most prestigious and widely recognised throughout the region, celebrating the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry.  

Bertil de Kleynen, Managing Director for Southeast Asia at Atkins, said: “I’m thrilled to see that more of our design projects are recognised at the prestigious awards. It’s a great recognition of our passionate architecture team and their effort to design award-winning projects that not only enhance value for our clients’ investments, but also raise their profiles at the national and international levels.”

The Changsha Northstar International Convention and Exhibition Centre is a new landmark for the city, including a 400m supertall tower. It integrates residential, cultural, retail and commercial space and creates a central public space for activities. The luxury Hari hotel, which is due to open in 2020, builds on the success of Harilela family’s signature hotel in London. It is the first hotel of the Harilela Group that carries its own brand in Hong Kong and Asia, offering guests unique and special experiences.

The official award ceremony has been scheduled to take place in September 2020 in Bangkok where the national winners for each category will be announced to compete for “Asia Pacific’s Best”, the highest regional recognition. 

Atkins’ designs have now won a number of International Property Awards, including the 2017 “World’s Best Architecture” category for the 461-metre supertall Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and the 2018 “Best International Mixed-use Architecture” and “Best Mixed-use Architecture Asia Pacific” awards for the Huarong Tower in Zhuhai, China.

 

Pomeroy Academy Launches Sustainability Scholarship for Southeast Asia Built Environment Professionals

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Singapore’s Pomeroy Academy and The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), UK, today announced the launch of a new scholarship aimed at supporting Southeast Asia’s next sustainability leaders.

Open to Southeast Asia professionals looking to enrol at Cambridge University’s prestigious Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE) Master’s degree, the Pomeroy Academy Scholarship for Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment will support one student per year from the Southeast Asia region who can demonstrate their interest in, and commitment to, the design and development of sustainable built environments.

The scholarship was created by award-winning architect, academic, and IDBE (cohort 10) alumnus Professor Jason Pomeroy, founding principal of Singapore-based designers and thought leaders of sustainable built environments, Pomeroy Studio, and sustainability researchers and educators, Pomeroy Academy. Professor Pomeroy attributes much of his success in forwarding the green agenda in Asia to the collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to creating sustainable built environment projects which is at the heart of the IDBE programme.

Supported by expert tutors and practitioners from academia and industry, the IDBE post-graduate programmes offers an interdisciplinary approach to learning for built environment professionals, structured around emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges within the built environment, covering sustainability and resilience, health and well-being, energy, efficiency, conservation, heritage, stakeholder engagement, politics and regulation.

“In the wake of population increases, climate change, globalisation and unpresented technological advancements in Asia and across the world, sustainability in the built environment has never been more crucial. As an alumnus, the IDBE course at CISL is close to my heart. It is now my privilege to support others in receiving the support and guidance they need to make a difference at policy level to achieve the common need for more sustainable, low energy, low water designs to enhance the lives of communities across the Southeast Asia region,” said Professor Pomeroy.

IDBE Course Director, Dr. Kayla Friedman commented: “Southeast Asia is expected to grow rapidly in the next 30 years while simultaneously being prone to a number of increasing climate risks. The region needs more built environment professionals with the knowledge and networks to drive change and ensure resilient future-proofed built environments.”

Professor Pomeroy added: “We are looking for the next Southeast Asia sustainability leaders who can make a real difference in the Southeast Asian region, so if you think you have the passion, drive and commitment to push the boundaries of sustainable design and research, we want to hear from you!”

To find out more about the Pomeroy Academy Scholarship for Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment, Click here, or visit Pomeroyacademy.sg

Settle Into The Newly Reimagined Wanderlust In Little India

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The newly reimagined Wanderlust, the latest flexible living concept from 8M Collective, is now open for bookings. Moving away from the rigid protocols and antiquated services at conventional hotels, Wanderlust is a conscientiously designed space for a new generation, welcoming all jaunts and journeys.

Retaining only the name of the original property, the new Wanderlust has undergone a complete transformation, merging old-world charm with essential modern-day comforts. Step through the adorned façade of original Peranakan tiles and feel instantly at home, entering the naturally peaceful and inviting lobby, a wonderful dichotomy to the vibrancy of the neighbourhood. Relax on the open-air terrace overlooking charming Dickson Road, taking in the bustling streets of Little India from a private oasis with a dipping pool, the perfect escape on a hot Singapore afternoon.

Just a few convenient steps from the Downtown MRT Line, Wanderlust offers the balance of being just minutes from the bustling city centre yet immersed in the historic urban montage of Little India. With a range of different room categories from spacious Lofts to comfortably appointed Studios, Wanderlust invites guests to take a break from the hectic pace of daily life and embrace the mindset of slow travel, making the lively neighbourhood a home away from home while soaking in the culture, colours and character of the multifaceted cityscape.

Embracing the select service model that has made KēSa House, in Keong Saik Road, a favourite among contemporary travellers, Wanderlust encourages guests to settle in and stay a while with a range of flexible rate packages and services depending on the desired length of stay. Amenities such as complimentary laundry service, fully furnished pantries and comfortable common spaces make Wanderlust an ideal refuge whether you’re checking in to relax, work or play.

Settle In

The Loft category on the top floor of the heritage property, provides space to relax and hide away, with a lofted double bed to accommodate a separate living space. Your private urban retreat, the spacious Wanderlust Loft is elegantly appointed with natural finishes, textural overlays and a kitchenette for convenient in-room meals. Striking the perfect chord between classic comforts and modern essentials, the Wanderlust Junior Loft offers a living space and kitchenette alongside enhanced modern fittings and functionalities.

The Studio category is ideal for the modern traveller seeking new perspectives. For a bit more space, the Wanderlust Studio delivers contemporary and homelike living with a stylish, cleverly constructed interior and kitchenette. Expertly designed with comfort in mind, the Wanderlust Junior Studio also features a kitchenette for everyday convenience along with enhanced functionalities.

Perfect for the intrepid traveller seeking a refined respite from the hustle and bustle, the Wanderlust Room offers everything you need and nothing you don’t. Enjoy a luxurious double bed, cosy fittings and a quiet view overlooking the streets of Little India.

Savour the Moment

With kitchenettes in the majority of rooms, Wanderlust offers the opportunity to explore the local markets with its eclectic flavours and ingredients and prepare a home cooked meal in the comfort of your own space.

You can grab essentials at the in-house Mama Shop that offers a hand-picked assortment of locally sourced brands and staples with ample selection for the health conscious. Enjoy a taste of Singapore with items such as craft beer from The Guild, artisan cold brew and tea from Made Cold, gluten free treats from The Whole Kitchen and kombucha from Yocha.

And in true 8M Collective style, Wanderlust will also offer an amazing in-house restaurant and bar – Kotuwa, opening in April 2020. Helmed by Michelin-starred chef Rishi Naleendra of local dining destinations Cloudstreet and Cheek Bistro (formerly Cheek by Jowl), Kotuwa will celebrate Sri Lankan flavours, culture, people and hospitality.

HASSELL’s Panda Land Project Wins Big at Singapore’s 2019 Landscape Architecture and Planning Awards

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HASSELL’s Chengdu Panda Land Master Plan has been widely recognised at Singapore’s 2019 landscape architecture and planning awards, collecting three awards for this standout project.

The Chengdu Panda Land Master Plan received Outstanding Awards of Excellence for Analysis and Planning at the 2019 Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards, and Bronze for Best Planning at the 2019 Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP) Planning Awards.

The Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA) awards jury praised the Panda Land Master Plan’s holistic scheme for prioritising conservation, saying it presents “a very strong vision” for Chengdu’s environmentally-sensitive and sustainable development that includes community education, physical planning, promotion and branding that recognises and builds upon the attraction of the giant pandas for which the city is famous.

“As a landscape master plan, it succeeds in formulating key strategies, and fulfilling them by creating a large variety of spaces for different experiences, using nature to link the various important panda habitat areas with a consistent story for visitors,” the jury said.

HASSELL Head of Landscape Architecture, Angus Bruce said the awards signify the great importance HASSELL places on renewal, resilience and sustainability in design, and their relevance in Asian cities.

“In China, and across the wider region, landscapes that function beyond ‘green amenity’ are vital. We must design-in and maintain natural systems – as essential ‘service providers’ within the built environment – to help clean the air and water, mitigate the impacts of weather events, and sustain vulnerable urban ecosystems,” said Angus.

“We are especially proud to be awarded for the conservation-focused, city-wide tourism plan for China’s largest contiguous panda habitat,” said Andrew Wilkinson, Principal and project leader of the Panda Land Master Plan. “The recognition of Panda Land Master Plan is a testament to our team’s ability to create landscapes that positively impact the wellbeing of their environments and the wider community.”

Other HASSELL projects throughout the region were also recognised at the awards. The HASSELL-designed GSK Asia House, Singapore, and Darling Harbour Public Realm, Sydney, received Silver Awards in the Commercial Landscape and Parks & Recreational Landscape categories respectively at the at the 2019 Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards. In the International Category at the 2019 Singapore Institute of Planners Planning Awards, the Darling Harbour Transformation took out the top Gold award for Urban Design.

The annual Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards and Singapore Institute of Planners Planning Awards are held in late September and consider some of the most successful architecture and planning projects from across the region and internationally for recognition.

Cosentino We is the New Global Community for Professionals

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Cosentino Group, one of the global leaders in the production and distribution of innovative surfaces for the world of architecture and design, announced the launch of the “Cosentino We” platform, a new international digital community that connects the various professionals who choose and endorse the Dekton®, Silestone® and Sensa by Cosentino® surfaces.

This is in line with the company’s philosophy to recognise teamwork as a key factor in the milestones it has achieved and as a company oriented towards its customers and partners. The new platform also forms part of the digital transformation initiative the company is spearheading. 
This project is based on a new digital ecosystem that takes the company’s existing loyalty programme one step further, transforming the means of collaborating and communicating and opening the door to new professional segments such as architects and designers.

General Manager of Cosentino Southeast Asia, Pablo Abad Gomez expressed, “Since the launch of Cosentino We last April, we have seen more than 300 professionals joining the platform. Now as we plan to make this platform available to more people in various parts of the world including end users by next year, we hope to be able to bridge the communications among professionals of diverse backgrounds to come together through collaborations and sharing of ideas to showcase the best of Cosentino’s brands in a highly interconnected world.”

Cosentino We offers a range of opportunities for stonemasons, kitchen retailers, architects and designers to grow their businesses, such as better access to information, enhanced ways of experiencing the brands and products thanks to new and agile digital tools, a closer relationship with the end client, greater visibility and awareness for their projects and the creation of a dialogue among professionals from different nationalities, and even different languages.

Cosentino We offers four levels of collaboration, simplified according to professional segments: “Pro”, “Elite”, “Premium” and “Platinum”. The approach taken by Cosentino We is characterised by the development of tools that motivate and respond to the needs of each of the profiles it includes, with the speed and agility that the world of digital is able to provide.

The result of two years’ hard work, Cosentino We is part of the digital transformation process that the company is currently undergoing, with the aim of leading the digitalisation of the sector and its own internal processes in order to inspire and promote loyalty among clients and partners. Initially launched in Dubai, Brazil, Sweden and Singapore, Cosentino We will be implemented in a total of 20 countries in 2019 and extended to further markets in 2020.

Check out Cosentino We here.

FINALCAD Underway in Revolutionising the Building Industry in Singapore

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FINALCAD, a leading construction mobile platform, is facilitating the digital transformation of the building and construction industry in Singapore. Since 2015, the company has rapidly established itself as a leader in the local built environment sector, having undertaken several high-profile projects in the country, including Changi Airport (Terminals 1 and 4), Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore Sports Hub, Yishun Community Hospital, amongst many others.

Given Singapore’s limited labour pool in construction, the sector is eagerly looking at ways to reduce labour and increase productivity. Across Asia Pacific, there has been a clarion call to boost infrastructure spend, if the region is to maintain its growth trajectory. Currently, only US$880 billion — slightly over half of the US$1.7 trillion required — is spent on infrastructure, annually.

“In order to boost efficiency and productivity in the built environment space, in the face of mounting challenges, the construction industry needs to look at technologies that can reduce the amount of time spent on manual tasks, and optimize their ability to make real-time decisions,” said Jimmy Louchart, President & Co-Founder, FINALCAD. “Additionally, the industry can now leverage solutions that provide data, which can be analysed to eventually reduce defects and increase the safety of projects.”

Significant contributors to time wastage include manual routine inspections — which also adds to paper wastage — and communications. In larger projects that involve multiple subcontractors, communications between groups can also be a source of delays. Being able to make decisions digitally and in on-the-go ensures that less time and resources are wasted unnecessarily, leading to more time spent on valuable tasks that improve the quality of work, while also paying a closer eye to monitoring progress.

FINALCAD provides a simple platform for various parties in a construction project to communicate, while providing timely updates and log reports that can incorporate anything from pictures, descriptions, as well as details about issues. Additionally, users can use the masses of data collected to glean insights around regular issues, to see how they can be reduced in the future. Everyone on the project team, including foremen, site engineers and architects, among others, can share these benefits.

In the case of manual inspections, FINALCAD has enabled inspectors to perform their inspections digitally — driving increased efficiency of defect management by up to 50 percent. In some instances, the inspection and rectification processes were cut down by eight days. During the construction of Changi Airport’s Terminal 1, the time saved by adopting technologies to increase efficiency amounts to about S$300,000.

“We have improved the productivity, quality and efficiency of operations by using FINALCAD, and I believe that we will definitely increase our competitiveness,” said Wei Kewu, Senior Technical Manager, China Construction.

Solutions like these show that the digitisation of construction is the next clear step that will revolutionise the industry, while increasing their capabilities many times over. With digitisation now reaching new heights, demand for FINALCAD’s mobile-first construction app is accelerating. The company has more than 170 people, across 12 countries and has serviced over 20,000 projects.