How digital innovation helped deliver UCL Marshgate amid ...

Read how 360° reality capture solved an immediate need for remote site access, and delivered much more

UCL’s vibrant new campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford lies at the heart of East Bank, the UK’s newest culture and innovation quarter. With 34,000 sq m of groundbreaking learning facilities, it serves as a hub of creativity and multidisciplinary research.

The campus is the biggest expansion in UCL’s 200-year history. Its flagship Marshgate building comprises eight storeys of hi-tech labs and collaboration spaces focused on solving the biggest challenges facing people and the planet, transcending traditional academic boundaries.

The challenge

Construction work on UCL East commenced in summer 2019. Just a few months later, the entire country went under lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “All of the sudden, many things which we wouldn’t think about twice before Covid became a problem, like having a client come to site on a regular basis,” says Ivana Tudja, Associate Director for BIM and Digital Engineering at Mace. She sought a technical solution that could deliver remote site access and progress tracking.

The solution

After evaluating several options, the team chose a fast, easy to use 360° reality capture solution which was ideal for documenting and tracking a large-scale project like Marshgate and started to onboard OpenSpace. “If you have a large scale site like this, it can take you potentially hours or even days to capture all the records manually with a standard camera on the phone. With this 360° solution, the capturing process was very efficient,” says Ivana.

The team needed only a 45-minute intro session to start capturing and using the data. As a result, Mace was able to deploy the software without disrupting ongoing work on the project.

By utilising features beyond 360° documentation, including the BIM Compare functionality, which allowed the team to compare as-built conditions to the project’s BIM model. With the side-by-side comparison, project managers and the client could easily validate that everything was being built according to plan.

Another big benefit that made workflows a lot smoother was the seamless integration with BIM360 (now part of Autodesk Construction Cloud). The ability to integrate reality capture with Mace’s main construction management platform to avoid duplication of work was key.

When the building was successfully handed over to the client in March 2023 before opening to students and staff in September 2023, Mace was able to download all its capture data for offline access. “This was critical for us. Having access to the generated information library independent from the use of the platform in the future,” says Ivana. With the ability to go back to a specific time and location, the team can look behind walls or above ceilings to aid future works, mitigate potential future disputes or to prove compliance with regulations.

The results

Implementing OpenSpace solved the immediate need for remote site access and delivered much more. “Initially, this was a solution to enable the client to access the site without travel.

But it became much bigger, as our site teams quickly recognised the benefits for themselves,” says Ivana.

Faster and more complete site documentation

Before introducing reality capture, the team was documenting the site with photos organised in a structured photo library. A time-consuming process that lacks relevant context for progress tracking. “Implementing a reality capture solution is really low effort in comparison to the results you get at the end.” Ivana explains.

Reduced site travel

Virtual site navigation provided an easier and more efficient way for the team and the client to access progress information remotely. Especially during the lockdown phases, virtual, anytime access was critical to keep everyone up to date while reducing necessary site visits.

Improved stakeholder coordination and communication

Accessing captured information from anywhere became increasingly valuable in coordination and update meetings. “If you’re running a meeting, you can just pull up a recorded location at a specific date and everyone knows exactly what is going on. This makes it easy to discuss specific issues,” says Ivana. The as-built comparison to the BIM model improved internal communication, supported trade handovers and enabled the team to easily validate completed work.

Reduced risk

The captured data has already proven invaluable during the construction process, Ivana also highlights that having such records available for years to come is a big additional benefit for them – a visual insurance policy for anyone involved in the project that would always be available when needed. “This just gives you the certainty that the information you need, or more importantly the information you might need in the future, is captured,” according to Ivana.

Conclusion

The Marshgate project demonstrates the transformative potential of adopting digital solutions in construction. By addressing the immediate need for remote site access during the Covid-19 lockdown, the technology also delivered long-term benefits, including improved documentation, reduced travel, enhanced communication and risk mitigation. As Mace and other construction companies are embracing digital transformation, it can lead to more efficient, collaborative and resilient construction practices.

*Please note that this is a commercial profile.