One of the largest property development projects in the metropolitan area is underway in the Hatsinanpuisto area of Leppävaara. The first building to rise in this area developed by NCC is Trimble’s headquarters which means a joint expedition to testing and using new digital construction tools.
– Trimble’s and NCC’s joint project is a unique opportunity. We will be the first to test the very latest technology applications available on earth in an optimal environment. We pilot on the equipment and software to facilitate the design and build process and to acquire data which we can utilise in NCC’s projects and operations related to construction and design, Project Director Pirkka Pikkarainen of NCC states.
Trimble’s design, construction and property development technologies are based on open data exchange, virtual design and construction, and augmented reality. The novel technology is used to imitate reality with digital models which can support all phases of design, construction and maintenance of properties and enable better analytics and data management than any manually managed processes ever.
Keeping posted at workdesks and sites
NCC’s Head of VDC (Virtual Design and Construction), Riku Laiho, says that the co-operation will afford the entire building industry with lots of new ideas. There is a lot of development work in the background, which has helped the industry gain new and easy-to-use mobile tools.
– Today, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is vastly applied to the different phases of construction, both at the design and the site. The joint project entails extensive testing of Trimble’s software, starting from geotechnical design all the way to contractor’s work planning.
– With the aid of the digital co-operation platform we can save us a lot of paperwork. The designs are always accessible and updated. The as-built data too is entered from the application into the BIM which keeps us constantly and accurately posted about what is going on at the site.
Laiho notes, however, that on no account are the tools, the software and the BIMs any use without the properly qualified personnel. BIM facilitates the design by making it smarter, more productive and easier to communicate.
He continues:
– BIM brings us peace of mind at work, since we will always know that everything is OK. This is mostly a question of quality. That which is well designed is also implemented well.”
Digital Engineer Eero-Pekka Piipponen brings extra boost to the work by introducing new tools and training the software users in order to make the best use of the tools in their daily routines.
– Digital Engineer is a kind of an on-site specialist who shows how to solve matters in a new way, Laiho states.
New urban concept where digitalisation makes the day go smoother
The concept created for the area, The Oasis of Professionals a.k.a. OOPS, is designed to bring people to work together in a place where well-being and nature support a mobile way of working.
– The project is not merely about developing a single office property, but rather an entire area or a city district. The key is to create an international community to support well-being and harmony with the environment, to create inspiring experiences in line with sustainable development, Pikkarainen says.
Trimble’s headquarters is built to meet the company’s demands using the proprietary software and hardware jointly with the developer.
– Our previous spaces no longer supported our new operations. The new headquarters offers a great opportunity to reconsider our own processes and ensure the suitability of our new spaces to our daily routines. The new spaces will increase our productivity and communicate our vision of how we want to operate, Project Manager Minna Arola of Trimble summarises.
– The company’s new headquarters will be set in spaces with more than 10,000 square metres of floor area and workspaces for 500 employees placed under one roof. The people at Trimble are happy that OOPS is conveniently located right next to a busy traffic hub, within easy reach from any direction. The new spaces give inspiration, fresh ideas and room for growth and change.
– Our joint process with NCC can also teach us a lot internally. We are delighted to participate in this project, Arola summarises.
Get an update on the progress of Trimble’s and NCC’s joint project here.
What is OOPS?
- A new urban district set in the Hatsinanpuisto area of Leppävaara for working, shopping, accommodation, entertainment and adventures. OOPS is built on principles of well-being architecture and it lays the cornerstone for an international ecosystem to be developed in the area.
- Excellent location in the heart of the evolving Leppävaara. High accessibility by all modes of traffic, next to Sello shopping centre, Ring Road I, the train station and the future Jokeri light rail stop.
- The first phase will be completed in 2021.
- Figures: 38,000 sq. m. of office space, 32,000 sq. m. of retail and entertainment, 11,000 sq. m. of hotel space and over 300 bicycle parking spaces.
- oopsespoo.fi
What is VDC?
- Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is one of NCC’s working modes in projects that use building information models (BIM). It is an entirely new way to think and approach the project, to manage the data, the project organisation and the manner in which the project personnel work.
- The BIMs are the primary source of information and a shared platform in the development projects. The BIMs make an efficient co-operation tool for all parties to the project.
- VDC enables collecting digital data throughout the project’s life cycle and improving the working methods constantly.
- VDC means co-operation, communication, design and decision-making across all fields of construction expertise. The target is to bring new insight in the industry.