What Revit can do for you????

Improve Design Accuracy and Productivity

ArchitecturePlus International used Autodesk Revit software to present a major automotive parts supplier with exciting solutions to extend their market share. API uses Revit to

• Present multiple visual models to the client
• Secure early client buy-in to projects
• Minimize coordination efforts
• Make better design decisions early in the process
• Solidify strong client relationships

THE CHALLENGE

ArchitecturePlus International (API) is a multidisciplinary firm that specializes in retail strategy and design. Three years ago, its talented team of architects, designers, and construction administrators adopted the Autodesk® Revit® building information modeler—a complete architectural design and documentation system—for its work on supermarkets, restaurants, retail outlets, and power centers. The result? Close to one hundred projects and a strong endorsement by Robert Cox, Design Technology Manager at API: “Autodesk Revit has increased our revenue by as much as 15 percent.”

Building as Brand Extension

One recent project involved a large automotive parts supplier that wanted to revitalize its image to attract more female shoppers and update its brand. Says Cox, “We implemented a design effort that would pull employees into the center of the store where they were less threatening and more accessible.”

A More Appealing Environment

API recognized that many customers are intimidated at the prospect of shopping for automotive parts. “Customers know what’s happening to their cars, but can’t always easily name the part,” explains Cox. “We wanted to provide a knowledge center where customers can do their own research without pressure.”

THE SOLUTION

According to Cox, ArchitecturePlus International first started using Autodesk Revit software because it “seemed leaps and bounds ahead of the technology that anyone else was using.” And Revit hasn’t disappointed. Revit has consistently helped the firm improve productivity, increase design accuracy, and dramatically improve relationships with its clients. “Initial environmental graphics for the project were completely revised once the team was able to visualize the space,” says Cox. “Our retail customers’ space is a major part of their overall communications effort. We can now demonstrate how a brand is represented in relation to built environments, displays, merchandise, and environmental graphics.”

Make Smarter Decisions

Using Autodesk Revit, the designers easily generated four 360 degree panoramic views for client evaluation. “We were able to tie it all together and make better decisions earlier in the process, which led to a vast improvement in our design,” says Cox. Revit also enabled API to

• Eliminate duplication of effort by creating construction documents and visualizations from the same model on the same timeline
• Better understand building conditions and structural connections
• Visualize finishes, graphics, fixtures, and visual merchandising
• Pinpoint areas of concern and address them on the front end before they result in major cost overruns

Be More Productive

“I’m at least twice as fast in Revit as I was before using other design software,” declares Cox. “It’s much more productive.” He estimates that an experienced designer can use Revit to generate half a week’s worth of CAD work in less than a day. And quick work has led to satisfied clients and bottom-line results.

Accurate and Complete

Autodesk Revit software minimizes the amount of coordination effort and keeps time-consuming errors to a minimum. “Any changes you make to a plan will change its elevation and sections, and all of these views are simultaneously coordinated,” says Cox. “It definitely improves coordination.”

Build Strong Client Relationships

Ultimately, the designers at ArchitecturePlus International transformed the design of a typical automotive parts supply center into an exciting and appealing environment that not only appeals to more female shoppers, but also more customers in general. More customers mean happier clients. And Autodesk Revit plays a major role in that effort.

THE RESULT

More Clients and Higher Profits
“We have a strong competitive advantage because we’re using Revit,” declares Cox. “It’s building our relationships—we’re always getting new work.” All this new and repeat business has allowed ArchitecturePlus International to thrive when most in the industry were experiencing a recession. “We’ve been ramping up and getting a lot busier—and a lot more profitable.”