UNS, in collaboration with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), has invested in SpaceForm, a cutting-edge virtual workspace developed by Squint/Opera. This platform is set to transform the way architects, developers, and designers meet, collaborate, and design remotely, offering a more sustainable and immersive approach to project development.

SpaceForm is a real-time virtual meeting and presentation platform that immerses users in projects across any device. Hosted in the cloud, the platform builds on over 30 years of collaborative project experience from UNS, BIG, and Squint/Opera.

UNS, in collaboration with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), has invested in SpaceForm, a cutting-edge virtual workspace developed by Squint/Opera. This platform is set to transform the way architects, developers, and designers meet, collaborate, and design remotely, offering a more sustainable and immersive approach to project development.

SpaceForm is a real-time virtual meeting and presentation platform that immerses users in projects across any device. Hosted in the cloud, the platform builds on over 30 years of collaborative project experience from UNS, BIG, and Squint/Opera.

Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect of UNS, highlighted the platform’s potential: “SpaceForm provides a platform for storytelling and the ability for design teams to turn a project into an interactive narrative experience. Stakeholders can discover their own journey throughout a project while helping make key decisions. It’s the first online platform that allows for immersive design reviews with clients.”

Jan Heuff, Director of Squint/Opera and CEO of SpaceForm, described the platform as a “game-changer”: “We used a gaming technology stack, very similar to Fortnite, and applied it to the world of architecture and design. The use of immersive, real-time gaming technology in the built environment is exciting as it opens up new ways to explore and engage with the unbuilt world.”

Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director of BIG, added: “SpaceForm is the augmented creative collaborative environment of the future, allowing an instantaneous confluence of actual and imagined realities.”

Among its groundbreaking features, SpaceForm enables:

• Immersive 3D Environments: Real-time simulations for collaborative reviews and presentations with stakeholders.

• Seamless Integration: Compatibility with visualisation tools like Rhino 3D, Revit, SketchUp, and Unreal for easy data sharing.

• Digital Twin and Urban Data Visualisation: Enhanced decision-making and design choices through real-time data integration.

• Cross-Device Accessibility: Immersive experiences on any device, making collaboration more inclusive and accessible.

By leveraging these capabilities, SpaceForm allows global teams to present and design more effectively, reducing the need for travel and supporting more sustainable practices.

The first prototype of SpaceForm was developed in 2018 and has since evolved with the support of the Epic MegaGrant and feedback from architects and designers. The latest iteration addresses a critical gap identified during the pandemic, when existing digital platforms proved inadequate for communicating large-scale, complex projects with multiple teams and stakeholders.

Now a 3D multi-user platform, SpaceForm is designed to present architectural designs and digital twin data in real-time, offering a seamless and intuitive experience for all users.

The beta version of SpaceForm is expected to be available for download by the end of 2021, marking the beginning of a new chapter in architectural collaboration.

This investment underscores UNS’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, as we continue to explore new ways to design and collaborate in a rapidly changing world.

Read the full press release here.
Explore the SpaceForm website here.