Yorkshire based content creation agency, Pikcells have this week completed and published an online interactive 3D tour of two new Vita Student accommodation locations in Leeds and Birmingham. This is the first web based 3D interactive property tour of its kind and a game-changer for property marketing. It allows prospective students to explore communal and accommodation spaces in full 3D then reserve their chosen room.
Max Bielby, Sales and Marketing Director from Vita, commented “Pikcells have given us a really useful tool that lets us be completely transparent with our customers, many of whom are from overseas, providing them with all the information they need to pick their ideal student accommodation. The project updates the Vita Student website with a 3D digital representation of the new Leeds, St Albans and Birmingham, Pebble Mill buildings. Students can interact and view all available apartments from a 3D floor plan and explore each room in detail with a 360 panoramic view of the interior. Communal areas also receive the same interactive panoramas, giving prospective national and international students the capability to look around the facility before construction has even been completed – a huge benefit to attract overseas students.
“The more transparent we can be with our customers, the easier it is for them to make an informed decision. By showing 3D floor plans, room layouts and exteriors we remove the barriers to entry and reduce the amount of questions people need to ask, which streamlines the whole process.” added Bielby. Pikcells began working on this interactive project in October of 2018, after being commissioned by Vita Student – who had recognised Pikcells existing WebGL work – spotting the potential to add similar interactivity to their existing website and booking system. The culmination of years of research and development by the Pikcells studio has enabled them to create and engineer the entire system in-house.
Matt Fell, Production Director at Pikcells explained: “Using the webGL software for property marketing was a natural progression from our previous work with product and interiors brands. We think this will become the new standard in property marketing over the next few years. As far as we know this is the first time a fully 3D, web-based interactive tour has been used to communicate architecture and book rooms”.
“Previously if you wanted to view a 3D model of a new development you could only do it in a showroom whilst connected to a powerful PC.” Fell added. “Now we are able to host these interactive experiences online and crucially, viewers can access the experience on any device as they don’t require plugins to work, which is great news for developers and their customers.”
Founded in 2003 and with offices in the UK and USA, Pikcells is a content creation agency comprising digital artists, interior designers, stylists and software developers. The company offers services in CGI, design, animation, product configurators, VR, AR, 3D scanning and mobile app development. With clients including Kronospan, Wren, Homebase, Masterbrand, Samsung, Johnson Controls, LPD, Gower Kitchens and Hafele.
