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From Blueprint to Beauty: A Residential Transformation 352 196 Alexxis Plata

From Blueprint to Beauty: A Residential Transformation

From Blueprint to Beauty: A Residential Transformation

Using As-Built Plans to Upgrade a Single-Family Home

From Blueprint to Beauty: A Residential Transformation

Using As-Built Plans to Upgrade a Single-Family Home

In the bustling world of architectural design and remodeling, every project is an opportunity to weave creativity into the fabric of a living space. In a recent endeavor led by Nazim Nice, Founding Partner at Motionspace Architecture + Design, smart design was the cornerstone of a captivating remodeling journey.

Project Overview

Located in the serene neighborhood of Auburn, Washington, a two-story residence spanned an impressive 6,600 square feet. The project presented an enticing challenge for Nazim and his team, offering the promise of revitalization for a home with great potential.

As-Built Scope of Work

  • Revit Model
  • Floor Plan
  • Roof Plan
  • Electrical Plan
  • Exterior Elevations
  • Still Photos

The Architect's Expertise and the Homeowner's Vision

Nazim took on the opportunity to bring fresh elements to this home. The house boasted a solid brick exterior, yet its interior suffered from dated aesthetics and an awkward layout. Nazim’s keen eye identified the opportunity to enhance visual cohesion and improve functionality within the space.

The dining room was separated from the kitchen by a wall that Nazim decided to have end where the ceiling was vaulted in the adjacent space. They then enclosed the entire wall in cabinetry to hide it. This change achieved the homeowner’s goal of visually connecting the kitchen and dining room without connecting the rooms and resulted in a more visually cohesive design. As-Built documentation was key in achieving this structural modification.

As-Built Plans: The Foundation of a Remodel

The As-Built plans we provided were integral to the success of the project. Nazim emphasized the importance of accurate documentation, particularly in resolving structural issues and revising problematic angles within the house. The comprehensive scope of the plans, including exterior elevations and electrical layouts, facilitated seamless integration with Nazim’s design process.

Nazim Nice, Founding Partner at motionspace architecture + design

“PPM was very accommodating to how we specifically work, and our standards in Revit. It made it easy to transition from the as-built phase to the design phase.”

- Nazim Nice, Founding Partner at motionspace architecture + design

On-Site Surveying Expertise

Behind the scenes, PPM’s surveyor employed meticulous techniques to ensure accurate data capture despite inclement weather challenges.

Due to its extensive scope, the project needed to be scanned very slowly with our mobile scanner, so that elements for the Reflected Ceiling Plan were captured with proper detail. The home also needed to be scanned multiple times because of the tight spaces, including the foundation and the attic. Scans for individual spaces are often helpful to ensure accurate scan processing.

GeoSLAM Zeb Revo LiDAR laser scanner held by PPM employee

Our surveyor used the GeoSLAM Revo, which is best suited for single-family residential homes. It processes quickly on site, which helps our surveyors efficiently verify their measurements while on site.

It is ideal to capture the main living space, both interior and exterior, in one scan. However, because of the rainy weather, our surveyor was cautious to only leave doors open briefly. He got a single exterior scan and combined it with multiple scans capturing the individual floors of the house. He also captured partial exterior elements, then manually merged the scans, all to minimize the time the interior of the home was exposed to the elements. In addition to taking multiple scans, the surveyor had to sketch certain electrical components by hand, since the house was angled with several built-ins.

Overcoming Modeling Challenges in Revit

David Sperry, Revit Coordinator at PPM, tackled the unique modeling challenges presented by the property’s angled structure and complex roof design.

The middle of the property had a 30-degree bend, which made modeling the roof a unique challenge. It had to be pieced together in two separately modeled pieces to get all the specific ridge heights to align properly.

Along with the unique roof shape, this project scope also included some roof framing. David’s expertise in modeling trusses using Revit’s Truss family contributed to the accurate representation of the property’s intricate features.

David Sperry

Revit Coordinator

Precision Property Measurements

Celebrating Success

The collaborative efforts of Nazim, PPM, and the homeowner culminated in the successful transformation of the residence. From resolving structural issues to enhancing visual cohesion, every step of the remodeling journey was assisted by our As-Built plans. As the project nears completion, Nazim and his team looks forward to witnessing the homeowner’s delight in their revitalized living space. To learn more about motionspace architecture + design, visit their site here.

Innspace Elevates Hotel Guest Experiences 352 196 Alexxis Plata

Innspace Elevates Hotel Guest Experiences

Innspace Elevates Hotel Guest Experiences

An Innovative Hospitality Renovation

Innspace Elevates Hotel Guest Experiences

An Innovative Hospitality Renovation

Innspace, a leading national hotel renovation company, has mastered the art of elevating guest experiences through comprehensive in-house capabilities. A 138,000 square-foot project dating back to 1969 demanded a transformative approach to renovation. With a commitment to accuracy and innovation, Innspace utilized our advanced LiDAR scanning and Revit BIM modeling to navigate decades of changes. In this article, we explore how this cutting-edge technology reshaped the property and supported Innspace’ high-end designs.

Innspace’ Unique Methodology: Designing and Building Together

What is unique about Innspace is that they not only design projects, but they also build them. This gives them the advantage of every team member being engaged in collaboration throughout the process of a project. They bring the full experience of their client into one space, from design and project management, to procurement, logistics and construction. Innspace’ specialty is taking outdated buildings and completely transforming them in ways that attract guests.

The Motivation Behind the Remodel: Aiming for Success

The property was struggling with having a very outdated and tired feel, so InnSpace’s client made it their goal to formulate a new brand for this hotel that would spark excitement and attract people. With the property located Washington’s capitol and near a highway, they hoped they could attract heavy government-affiliated foot traffic.

As-Built Scope of Work

  • Revit Model
  • Electrical Plan Sketch
  • Still Images of MEP
  • 360° Photos

Meet Nayive: The Creative Director Driving Design Excellence

Nayive Kalkach is a creative director at Innspace and focuses on the design and documentation of projects. Her work is to make sure that each property they work on has a design story. Her involvement in this project was to create the interior design while making sure that all the documentation of those design decisions crossed the finish line.

Nayive Kalkach, Creative Director at InnSpace.

“Even though we approach design from a conceptual perspective, we make sure that we are designing to reality, which is where PPM comes in. We want to make sure anything we're proposing fits within the boundaries of the building, and this is only possible if we're working with an As-Built model.”

– Nayive Kalkach, Creative Director at Innspace

Design Inspirations: Nature's Influence in Reviving Spaces

When it came to designing, the Innspace design team’s touches evolved around bringing a fresh and revived feel into the space. They took influences from the beautiful nature surroundings, and the local tradition. For example, upon entering the new lobby guests would be greeted by vibrant elements that effortlessly coalesce with the earthy tones, patterns, and organic materials inspired by Olympia’s natural surroundings, establishing a strong connection to the environment. Large windows were part of the design to instill relaxation by showcasing gorgeous views of the Pacific Northwest.

Achieving Milestones: Transitioning to a Voco Hotel

It is significant to note this hotel’s approval to be built into a voco hotel. Voco is an international hotel brand owned by the IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) and this hotel was the first voco on the West Coast in the United States. This was exciting for the team because of the extensive process involved in receiving approval to become a voco. Currently, there are voco’s located in the UK, Singapore, Australia, and more, all offering upscale lifestyle hotel experiences.

Advantages of As-Built Technology in Project Management

Our advanced point cloud data and Revit BIM models are used by all of Innspace’ teams. They use our 3D scans and As-Built plans to collect important information such as the material square footage and ff&e quantities. This is then translated into budgeting and construction time-management logistics.

In addition to internal use, Innspace uses the Revit model to communicate ideas to their client by moving the model in different angles and virtually walking through the space. This use of visuals helps the client make decisions in a more accurate, efficient, and confident manner.

Revit Model: the Right Choice for Design and Build

For Innspace, this is a no brainer. They want to be in control of the full project from beginning to end and provide accurate information. Because Innspace takes full liability for the accuracy of the information they provide to their client, they come to us to document their existing conditions. Our use of the most forward technology that exists, LiDAR, allows Innspace the ability to propose plans, materials, and elements with confidence.

Unveiling Hidden Insights: Discoveries Invisible to Photography

There were several conditions that were not able to be documented through photographs or by viewing the site in-person. When the As-Built BIM model was completed, Innspace was able to view the full and true conditions of the property.

To give one example, hotels typically have two to four floor levels of similar heights; what Innspace discovered through the help of the BIM model was that the hotel had half levels and a restaurant located between levels one and two. This is very important information to have on hand and would have posed a challenge to accurately document this data without the use of LiDAR technology.

The Partnership with PPM: Ensuring Accuracy in Documentation

Nayive received As-Built plans from a different provider who did not include enough detail regarding lighting fixtures. InnSpace discovered several discrepancies between the documentation they received and the actual locations of items. Nayive’s colleague, Dennis, had worked with PPM at his past company and liked the proximity of our Seattle office to his business, so he reached out for us to partner with them on this project.

When it comes to As-Built drawings and models, any inconsistencies between the measurements and actual building elements pose a massive risk to the success of the project. At PPM, our QA process involves 14 steps, including verifying measurements, element placement, and more before we send it out for use.

Behind the Scenes: Angelo's Dedication to Detail

When we interviewed the modeler for this project, Angelo Maldonado, he commented on the unique lobby and restaurant area. Angelo impressively modeled this building completely on his own and was motivated by his enjoyment of seeing the model come together floor by floor.

Angelo Maldonado, Production Lead at PPM.

“I paid close attention to every detail and made sure to reach out for help when I wasn’t sure about any part of the model. I’m grateful to have been able to model on the entire project on my own.”

– Angelo Maldonado, Production Lead at PPM

Integrating Innovation and Precision in Hospitality Renovation

Innspace’ renovation journey exemplifies the seamless integration of creativity and precision. From conceptualization to execution, their commitment to accuracy and innovation has resulted in a transformative guest experience. As we reflect on this project, let us carry forward the lessons learned about the power of collaboration and the importance of embracing technology in shaping interior design abilities and the future of hospitality.