Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, and 3877 Design, a boutique design firm focused on commercial, residential, multi-family, restaurant, and hospitality projects, has completed the physical transformation of a 5,000 square foot fitness studio. The project demonstrates the power of using an imaging laser scanner in mixed use commercial space.
Designers and architects working in mixed use commercial buildings manage various and complex challenges when physically transforming spaces. For 3877 Design and their client, Pulse Fitness, they were faced with inaccurate drawings of the space, a lack of knowledge of what was behind the walls, and had to factor into the design that one wall abutted the ramps in the building’s parking garage. The building also had a variety of tenants and businesses, including a coffee shop above the space that shared plumbing with the fitness studio. Coincidentally, the previous tenant in the Pulse Fitness space was also a fitness studio, but their lease was not renewed due to the volume of noise at the gym that interrupted other tenants conducting business.
The 3877 team working on the Pulse Fitness project consisted of an architect, a designer, and a professional sound engineer with expertise in acoustic attenuation to eliminate the noise issue. Along with doing significant renovations to transform the space and ensure it was soundproof and wouldn’t cause vibrations throughout the building, the team was also tasked with creating an ambiance of camaraderie that would be welcoming and inspiring for members.
Using the Leica BLK360, a small imaging laser scanner, 3877 Design was able to capture the details and dimensions of the space, which also helped them determine what’s behind the walls. The 2.2 pound scanner was set up in the studio and with the push of a single button, the BLK360 took a panoramic scan of the space at a rate of 360,000 laser scan points per second. The entire space was captured by the scanner within minutes. The scans and data were then uploaded to a point cloud and put into Autodesk’s Revit software where 3877 was able to share the details of the space with the team and the client to collaborate throughout every step in the process.
“For us, the hardest part was trying to design around the things we couldn’t see such as the mechanical and electrical behind the walls. Using Leica’s BLK360, we were able to accurately measure the space and spot the differences between the original drawings and what was actually there, as well as see what was hidden behind the walls,” says David Shove-Brown, partner at 3877 Design.
For many architects and designers, it’s not uncommon to return to a space and discover things that weren’t originally seen or to remeasure. This takes time, raises costs, and can undermine the firm’s credibility with the client. With accurate measurements of the space, 3877 didn’t have to return to the space, which saved time and instilled even more confidence in the client.
“The BLK360 gives architects and designers a powerful and collaborative tool to streamline the decision-making process and produce the best deliverables for their clients,” states Stephen Smith, USA/Canada business development manager BLK360, Leica Geosystems. “By providing accurate drawings of the space, the entire team is assured they’re all looking at the same things. They can create a build out that they know will work without incurring additional or unnecessary time or expenses.” Once the permits were obtained, the Pulse Fitness project took approximately six months to complete. The studio is soundproof, the members are engaged, the other tenants aren’t distracted, and the client has the assurance of a well designed and structurally sound space.