Overview
Offsite construction products are inherently innovative and sometimes unusual. Designers don't necessarily understand how they work, or what their design limitations are.
To solve this, KOPE built a series of web-based configurators to help bridge the gap between the worlds of building design and manufacturing.
What we did
Offsite construction products are almost never a fixed offering; they are either configurable in terms of their dimensions and finishes, or are unique products, devised from basic design geometry and custom fabricated for each individual project. The only way to accurately capture this complexity is to build an experience of a product that is configurable - so that's what KOPE completed with the Flex Configurator.
Working hand-in-hand with manufacturers to capture their logic, KOPE was able to build a lightweight 3D web viewer, which surfaces supplier-approved design options to the user for them to interrogate.
As potential customers interact with these User Interface controls, the Flex Configurator responds by showing updated geometry in real-time. Users can then show or hide various layers of the construction systems, enabling them to understand how the system responds to design constraints, such as corners or punched openings. Furthermore, the configurator can display basic product metrics such as weight, cost, or embodied carbon, which also flex alongside the geometry viewer. Users are able to "get their hands on offsite products" instantly and from any web-enabled device.
Results
To date, KOPE have built a half dozen Flex Configurators for suppliers of offsite products, which has enabled KOPE to develop a mature product approach against the market.
The configurator has been showcased at multiple trade shows across the UK, helping bridge the gap that exists between suppliers and specifiers (architects, developers and contractors).
In response to customer feedback, KOPE is now working on building out a much richer and embeddable experience for KOPE Market, which will be backed up by powerful automation technology.
