The Power of Infographics: Unlocking the Potential of Visual Communication

In property marketing and leasing, this is where information design and infographics come into play. These tools have the power to transform complex information into clear, engaging, and memorable visual narratives. In this blog post, we explore four uses of infographics, shedding light on the value they bring to our clients!

Making the Dull, Delightful: Turning pieces of information into a story

Can you think of a more boring activity than reading a list of distances? Neither could we. That’s why we needed a better way to communicate the excellent locations of these logistics centers. Human beings are pattern recognition machines and movement triggers us to figure out what sense to make of it. Through clever use of motion design we directed attention to key messages and injected a bit of fun into the mundane, albeit important facts.

Simplifying Complexity: Unleashing Potential

Infographics excel at simplifying complex information. They break down intricate concepts into visually appealing formats that are easily digestible. When we were invited to create a marketing film for Ursviks Entré we took a long hard think about what the barriers may be for people to embrace the messaging. There’s an impressive list of services and benefits, but the sheer size of the building makes it difficult to really feel that they would all be at arm’s length. By simplifying the building through an abstract illustration we were able to remove distractions, and point out the location of key areas, making the benefits tangible and accessible.

Visualizing Data: Enhancing Understanding

Data packs a lot of power, the challenge when presenting it is often that we don’t know what pre-existing knowledge an audience has. Is decreasing the energy consumption  after a renovation by 30% a little or a lot? Unless you’re an expert, how would you know? The solution lies in giving context to the data, allowing for meaningful interpretation and ability to embrace and remember the facts.

Branding your content: Consistently conveying a distinct expression

Infographics are not just tools for data representation; they can also be used to enhance branding throughout all marketing efforts. Incorporating the visual elements such as fonts, colors, icons or logos in animations does two jobs:

1, it allows seamless integration of messages that elevates the narrative, and enhances uniqueness of the expression

2, it builds brand recognition by connecting the visual identity elements to the property, so that when people see only the elements they will still think of the property.

Empower your Communication with Infographics

The value of infographics is undeniable. Their ability to simplify complexity, tell compelling stories, visualize data and enhance branding efforts, makes them invaluable across various industries. Through the clever use of icons, illustrations, and a well-thought-out design hierarchy, infographics can captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression. They have the unique ability to tell stories that are not only visually appealing but also informative and memorable. Let’s unlock new avenues for engaging, informing, and inspiring audiences!

From Unbuilt Space to Urban Oasis: The Story of Haga Norra

Connecting the Dots: The Inception and Evolution of Haga Norra

Haga Norra is nestled between two prominent areas, Hagaparken and Arenastaden. Hagaparken, founded by King Gustav III, covers 144 hectares of lush nature, offering a serene setting with exquisite pavilions and architectural gems. Arenastaden, located in Solna, is a vibrant urban district renowned for its dynamic blend of sports, entertainment, and modern living. Anchored by the impressive Friends Arena, a multifunctional stadium hosting concerts and sporting events, Arenastaden has become a hub of activity. With its strategic location and excellent public transportation connections, Arenastaden has evolved into a sought-after destination for both business and leisure, symbolizing the convergence of contemporary urban lifestyle and excitement. This innovative district stands as a testament to Solna’s commitment to urban development and community engagement.

Haga Norra: The New Social Hub in Stockholm

Fabege and its subsidiary, Birger Bostad, are the proud owners of eight blocks in the district, and we were thrilled to collaborate on their ambitious project called Haga Norra. Haga Norra consists of over 70,000 m2 commercial office and retail spaces and over 1,000 apartments. The project began by focusing on the public areas, Mathildatorget, and the office buildings, welcoming coworkers, clients, and visitors to a place that provides as much inspiration and experiences outside the buildings as they do inside the offices. Adhering to the UN’s sustainable development goals, the project features solutions such as geothermal heating, solar cells, and recycled materials.

The aim has been to imbue the district with an authentic continental atmosphere by incorporating classic qualities into the architecture while keeping an eye on the future.

The first block has an industrial feel, with recycled bricks displaying patina, large paned windows, and timeless materials. The building, measuring 27,000 m2 and divided into 8 floors, is planned to be finalized in 2024.

The next phase of the project was to illustrate the restaurant offerings in the area. To create the sought-after atmosphere, we treated each visualization as an opportunity to showcase how people will be enjoying themselves, escaping the typical render where people are implemented in strategic locations to avoid the space looking abandoned.

In essence, Haga Norra presents a thoughtfully curated blend of cafes, restaurants, offices, and residences, with a strong emphasis on creating inclusive spaces where people can come together and enjoy their time, regardless of whether they live, work, or are simply visiting the area.

Far from an enclave!

A new city park will enhance the green structure and establish connections between the large parks surrounding the area. A new subway station and space for buses is added along with bike lanes and pedestrian streets, in keeping with the overarching plans for Stockholm. What has impressed us most is how quickly Stockholmers have embraced this new part of the city, surely a result of smart planning and great execution by all involved parties.

ARC Uxbridge: A best-in-class office and lab campus

The vision

ARC’s passion is supporting science and innovation businesses to thrive. By creating an environment that encourages collaboration and fosters creativity, clusters across the ARC network create the best possible environments for innovation that makes a difference in challenges faced around the world. Home to over 300 leading science and innovation organizations as well as over 10,000 employees, ARC offers access to a growing network with a range of exclusive benefits, including events, summits, training, profile, and access to space for away days and science sprints. ARC Uxbridge is for people who want to be part of an exciting innovation platform, and the refurbishment and all marketing materials needed to reflect that.

Originally constructed in 2001 as a solely occupied building, Building 1 has been well maintained and looked after, but it reflected its time and age. The market has ultimately moved on in terms of aesthetics and sustainability, among other things. The main goal of the brief given to the architects was that the building needed to be the best in the Thames Valley – modern but maintaining the inevitable professional feel that is needed at ARC Uxbridge. Spratley and Partners were brought on to design a market-leading finish that benefits from 50 acres of greenbelt, brilliant parking ratios, and pioneering on-site amenities.

The target audience

Historically, the campus has attracted Blue Chip multi-national organizations that solely occupied their own buildings. The pandemic has led to a change in the way people work and make use of office space, however, and flexible working practices have led to potential occupiers looking for less space but still of extremely high quality. ARC recognized this quickly and has been able to make improvements and adjustments to the campus to offer more flexible space, with options to let buildings to more than one occupier, leading to a broader target market. The main focus has been to allow members desk space in Adapt (their Serviced Office Provision) to benefit from all the amenities and benefits the park has to offer. ARC Uxbridge also has a rich history of pharma company occupation, which they have grown creating a pharmaceutical cluster.

The challenge

One of the main challenges in showing the unique selling points of ARC Uxbridge is that everyone sees a campus and a car park with expansive buildings, when ARC Uxbridge is much the opposite. The marketing materials needed to show the modern, thriving campus with best-of-breed facilities that it is.

Uxbridge has fantastic parking ratios, which is of extreme importance to members, but they also own 50 acres of greenbelt at the site with trim trails, preserved habitats, and lakes (which can be fished), so 71% of the park is natural green areas that are well maintained and well used. It was important show ample space for parking without taking away from the beauty of the surrounding green areas.

The goals for the assets were very much in line with the goals of the company to support innovation and create market-leading environments and clusters to allow the people working in them to make a difference in the world. To make this happen, the goals of the design were to allow for ultimate flexibility which allows ARC to entice smaller and larger members to create a buzzing, vibrant cluster.

The partnership with WtR

To illustrate the potential of Building 01, we created 6 CGIs to showcase how the office space could be brought to life to fit the needs of different prospective tenants. We also produced an animation to show Building 01 in the context of the broader surroundings of ARC Uxbridge and the vast amenities on offer.

There was a real feel of a partnership of ‘we want this to be perfect’ not ‘that will do’. We very much look forward to working with WtR again.

ARC reported positive feedback internally and from the agent community. They found the process of working with WtR to be “fluid, easy, and very enjoyable” and appreciated our adaptability when it came to last-minute changes. “The quality of the video is one of the best I have seen, and the CGIs look amazing in our marketing channel”, stated George Wilson, Asset Manager at ARC. “There was a real feel of a partnership of ‘we want this to be perfect’ not ‘that will do’. We very much look forward to working with WtR again.”

Working with WtR

Would you like to discuss how we could help you showcase your unique project? Get in touch! We’d love to discuss your needs and how we could deliver the optimal suite of assets needed to market your commercial property.

10 Beautiful Office Spaces to Inspire Your Next CRE Project

Spaces Chicago
Chicago, USA

Chicago is home to a buzzing business scene and the perfect spot for this co-working office by Spaces. The goal was to capture the energy and vibrancy of Chicago in a comfy and stylish space that would appeal to everyone from aspiring novelists to tech startup founders. Designed for peak productivity as well as a place to unwind and network with like-minded peers, this space has it all. What does it inspire you to do?

Finnslätten
Västerås, Sweden

Tenants of Finnslätten, developed by Kungsleden and designed by Tovatt Architects & Planners, are industry leaders and expect their office space to be representative of that. Industrial elements in the design reflect the aim to create an aesthetically pleasing and functional meeting place for future technological inventions. Finnslätten is a place where research, development, and production join forces to meet societal challenges.

Great Suffolk Yard
London, UK

Tailored Living Solutions’ Great Suffolk Yard is a mix of contemporary office space showcasing a sensitive restoration of eclectic 19th century warehouse style buildings, where the very best of modern design meets the industrial charm, character, and personality of Southwark London. Thoughtfully designed by architecture studio TDO for today’s discerning workforce, Great Suffolk Yard has brilliantly thought-out office spaces that will provide both functionality and inspiration to those who work there.

Sthlm 02
Stockholm, Sweden

The workplace looks a little different these days, and Skanska has taken that to heart with their vision for Sthlm 02. It’s a place where style meets functionality and flexibility to create an office space that meets today’s evolving needs. Covering 81,806 square feet over 7 floors, Sthlm 02 offers the opportunity to create an office environment with plenty of common spaces to inspire those who work there. Will they stop to chat with a colleague over a coffee in the chic café, brainstorm and develop ideas in the creative studio, or go straight to the green rooftop for some fresh air and a company yoga class. At Sthlm 02, anything is possible.

Linden Palais
Berlin, Germany

The Office Group (TOG) specializes in unique and beautifully designed co-working spaces around the world, and Linden Palais in Berlin doesn’t disappoint fans of TOG. One of the most important aspects for us as the 3D visualization partner was to convey the architectural history of the building by restoring the existing elements – herringbone parquet flooring, detailed ceilings, wall paneling, and curved archways – that tell the history of the building. Linden Palais is a very special space where the historical meets the modern in an office space that is a pleasure to both work and hang out in.

Frösunda Port
Solna, Sweden

Situated right in the mix of Solna, the Frösunda Port refurbishment project takes aim at strengthening the area’s identity both internally and externally. It will be transformed from a one-tenant house into one modern office building at the forefront, with sustainable solutions and common service functions for its tenants. FastPartner aims to revitalize the area, introducing modern amenities that will bring energized life to the people working there. Through the delivery of carefully positioned CGIs, we aimed to capture the magnitude of the eclectic mix of people and uses of the area.

Spaces Seattle
Seattle, USA

Creativity and beautiful brick buildings are abundant in Seattle, and this co-working office by Spaces utilizes both. Seattle is fast becoming a hotbed of growing startups, and Spaces Seattle offers a place for creative entrepreneurs and tech founders alike to flesh out their ideas and build their businesses. Brick and wood make up the bulk of the materials and give an earthy feel to this office space in a city synonymous with nature.

Liberty House
London, UK

Another co-working space from The Office Group makes our list of beautiful office spaces. Liberty House weaves together its creative heritage and iconic location to offer a vibrant place to work. Next to Liberty, the world-famous department store, Liberty House used to house stock and the employees of Liberty. Embracing the original character and charm of the space, we aimed to show it as it could be with restored original elements, such as the parquet floor, and reflect Liberty’s history with patterns, fabrics, and pops of color throughout.

Vildmannen
Stockholm, Sweden

From the ashes rises the phoenix of Vildmannen. This beautiful work of art located in central Stockholm, once the spot of a historical fire that was visible the entire city over, has undergone a massive renovation by Hufvudstaden & their partners. From tragedy rises one of Stockholm’s most beautiful office spaces to date. This new property is where cultural history meets the future. The opportunity to build something new from scratch inside a 120-year-old facade is very rare and working on these renders was a privilege.

80 Strand
London, UK

There are great office views, and then there’s 80 Strand. 80 Strand is a London icon, with 156,000 sq ft of flexible floor space in a beautiful and iconic riverside building. Stunning Art Deco features complemented by light-filled contemporary spaces with riverside views, positioned at the heart of a world-class cultural destination make this a highly sought-after office space. Who wouldn’t want a view of the London Eye from their desk?

Celebrating 4 Outstanding Architects and Designers from the LGBTQ Community

Louis Sullivan

Louis Sullivan is known as the father of skyscrapers and his numerous works include the Auditorium Building in Chicago, the Guaranty Building (now the Prudential Building) in Buffalo, NY, and the Wainwright Building, St. Louis. Sullivan was a pioneer in designing steel-framed skyscrapers, but he’s also known for defining an architectural style unique to America. He believed a building should respond to its specific environment in the same way a plant would grow “naturally, logically, and poetically out of all its conditions.” You may have also heard his most famous quote – “form follows function”. As with many LGBTQ individuals of his era, his personal correspondence was destroyed toward the end of his lifetime. His legacy remains, not only in the form of revered architecture, but through his student, Frank Lloyd Wright, who apprenticed with him for six years.

Read more about him in Robert Twombly’s “Louis Sullivan: His Life & Work”.

Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray was an Anglo-Irish designer of decorative furniture and Modernist architecture. Gray came to architecture later in life after first studying drawing and painting at the Slade School of Fine Art. She was one of the first women to be accepted at The Slade, and that wasn’t the first time she’d carve out a space for herself in a male-dominated world. Ultimately, her passions lay elsewhere though, and she began experimenting with Japanese lacquerwork fused with geometry. She became interested in architecture in her late forties after a successful career in furniture design. She is best known for E-1027, a modernist villa in Cape Martin in Southern France. It’s an iconic seaside villa that she completed at the age of 51 with no formal architectural training. Gray was largely unrecognized in her own lifetime, but today she is regarded as a pioneer of the Modernist movement, and E-1027 is now a French National Cultural Monument.

Read more about her in “Eileen Gray: Her Life and Work: The Biography”.

Geoffrey Bawa

This is Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s most renowned architect. He was born to a mother of German, Scottish, and Sinhalese descent and a father of Sri Lankan, Muslim, and French descent. It was these early influences that were instrumental in shaping his choices in both life and his future profession. He first studied and practiced law, but after the early deaths of his parents, he quit to spend time traveling. It was upon his return that he got his start in architecture after purchasing a rubber plantation called Lunuganga that he would go on to develop throughout his lifetime. Often called the father of the tropical modernist movement, Bawa’s style of architecture suited the hot, humid climate of Sri Lanka and focused on traditional materials. His influence can be seen across Sri Lanka, Bali, and Singapore. He’s perhaps best known for his hotel designs such as Kandalama Hotel. The structure of the luxury hotel was designed so that it hangs onto a cliff while facing Sigiriya rock.

Read more about him in “In Search of Bawa” by David Robson.

Elsie de Wolfe

This is Elsie de Wolfe, an American designer credited with creating interior design as a profession. Born in New York in 1865, de Wolfe was a socialite who spent her early years in Scotland and was presented to Queen Victoria at court – a rare honor for an American at that time. She originally trained as an actress, but became more famous for her on stage attire than her acting ability. She became a fashion icon and was even named “best-dressed woman in the world” in 1935. In 1887, de Wolfe settled into what was then called a “Boston marriage” with Elisabeth Marbury, a formidable figure in New York society who was wildly successful in her own right as a literary agent for the likes of Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and many others. The two women shared a house on Irving Square, and it was there that de Wolfe discovered her talent and love for interior design. She was known for her hatred of the Victorian style of the time, which she considered hideous and dark. She opened up the space and redid the house in soft, warm colors to make it light, airy, and feminine. She became a professional decorator in 1905. That same year a group of powerful women, including Marbury, Anne Tracy Morgan, and Florence Harriman opened the first private club exclusively for women in NYC – The Colony Club. De Wolfe was commissioned to design the interiors. She was also active in the women’s suffrage movement and was awarded the Legion d’Honneur for giving the Red Cross the use of her villa in France during World War I.

Read more about her in her own book “The House in Good Taste”.

Did you enjoy our Pride Month campaign? Want to keep up with our latest news? Follow us on social media to stay up to date, meet interesting architects and designers, and to see beautiful 3D visualizations.

Architectural Walkthroughs: Sell Your Commercial Property in Under 2 Minutes

Fully immerse your audience in the lifestyle you’re offering

We all know what it’s like to get lost in a great movie. To completely lose track of time and place, and to feel like you’re right in the middle of the French Riviera or Middle-earth. You can give your clients exactly the same experience with architectural walkthroughs. After all, it’s not actually sq ft we’re thinking about when we buy a property. It’s the lifestyle it can give us. Show your client how the natural light shines through the floor to ceiling windows. Put some books on the coffee table and pick the perfect chair to cozy up an office space. Add the perfect music, special effects, and camera movements to convey the right atmosphere, and it’s easy to imagine living, eating, or working in a particular space. With this kind of visual storytelling, your clients are sure to fall in love with your property.

Showcase unique features with exceptional detail

What’s that jaw-dropping feature that you know would sell your project all by itself if only your client could visualize it? Are you planning to restore all the original detail on a ceiling? Is your lobby going to be an oasis of green? As fantastic as we think 3D renders are, there are some things that will always be better captured on film. Walk your audience through your space and zero in the one feature that will stop them in their tracks.

Take your audience on a visual journey

Renders go a long way in showcasing your property vision, but 3D animations breathe life into your property. You can map out a whole visual journey and take your prospective client along for the ride. Show them each room as if they were walking through it. Give them a bird’s eye view of the property before taking them along their daily route. What shops will they pass? Where will they stop for their daily coffee? Will they take a break in the courtyard and chat with their colleagues? How about yoga on the roof terrace at lunch time? Just as important as a journey through the spaces is transitioning from day to night, so your audience gets the full picture. This is when you can create that extra special moment. A view of the Empire State building as the sun sets. A morning coffee in the sun-drenched office kitchen. By creating a captivating experience for your audience, you’ll capture their attention and speak to their emotions.

Walk your viewer through the surrounding area

With animations you can showcase interiors, close ups of design details, and much much more. You can take your viewer on a trip around their future office space or around the whole neighborhood. What could be more immersive than that? Take them from the tube to the lobby of their office. Show them the restaurant options for lunch. Or walk them through a nearby park. The possibilities are endless.

Demonstrate the size of the space and equip it in a matter of seconds

Renders are great, but when it comes to really conveying the dimensions and proportions of a space, architectural walkthroughs are the way to go. Instead of showing only certain angles of a space, you can walk your audience through each room, giving them a real sense of the size of the space and what they can do with it. Go even further by showing them the empty space and then quickly filling it. Not only will they understand the scale and dimensions, but they’ll also get to see the potential of the space realized in a matter of seconds.

5 Unique CRE Ideas to Up-level Your Next Property

Car Park Transformation

A car park is just a car park. Until it isn’t. Kungsleden got creative with this car park in Stockholm and transformed into a multi-purpose space. Need a place to work? You’ll find it here. Need space for an art exhibition? Check. Want to open a pop-up shop? No problem. Oh and you can park your car here too.

Meatpacking District

When the municipality of Stockholm decided it was time to develop the meatpacking district, it presented a unique opportunity for whichever property developer won the deal. The ideas and plans had to be presented to the council and the competition was fierce. The winning idea by Atrium Ljunberg and Gatun revitalizes the area while staying true to its roots by creating spaces for art and commerce and keeping food at the heart. This massive, ongoing project will be fully realized by 2030.

Adaptable Schools

The world has changed and so have the schools. That’s the basis that Adapteo Group has created their adaptable, modular schools on. With modular technology, each school can be built according to specific needs and easily adapted when those needs inevitably change. Offering a cost-effective, low-maintenance, and quick solution, these school facilities can be provided for a few days or long-term. New ideas and mindsets call for flexibility – Adapteo ensures we’re ready for what the future brings.

The Terminal

Industrial spaces don’t have to be boring. And this refurbishment of the largest postal sorting office in Sweden by JLL is the perfect embodiment of that. The goal was to refurbish the space with creative offices that offered fantastic access to industrial space and warehouse logistics. The project resulted in a light-filled, clean, and minimalist warehouse with fun, green, and spacious offices.

Oasis in Finnslätten

You could be forgiven for thinking you’re outside when sitting in the lobby of this building in the urban campus of Finnslätten. Developed by Kungsleden and designed by Tovatt Architects & Planners, Finnslätten is already unique as an urban campus where research, development, and production join forces to meet societal challenges. But this oasis is a destination in itself. Whether you need 10 minutes to yourself or a meeting place to discuss creative ideas, you’ll find what you need there.

8 Ways That 3D Visualizations Bolster Your Property Marketing Efforts

Communicate your property

Communicate any property efficiently with digital presentation assets such as CGIs, 360s, walkthroughs, and animations that will engage your audience, increasing online excitement that matters. By adding 3D property elements to your offering you bring the essence of the real world into the digital world. 

Show the characteristics and spaces that you and your clients care about, by allowing them to be experienced online from anywhere in the world.

Visually package your property’s USPs

Every one of your properties/projects have unique value, whether it be location, surroundings, layouts, size, materials, or flexibility, you can use 3D to visually explain your vision before development, refurbishment, or fit-out takes place. Ultimately, you will be able to quickly create interest and put on display the true value of your property.

Drive future value

We all know that the value of a property is not only immediate, in fact, its intrinsic value appreciates with time. But further value can be planned and even put on display through additional plans that may not be in phase 1. Does your property have the potential for future development? Make your plans visionary and at the same time concrete by showcasing the potential to drive future value.

Define unique characteristics

As the old adage goes, the devil is in the details. Every property/project is built around a few major values, which in the end, drive the interest in purchasing a property. However, increasing property value, and ultimately closing a quality buyer, lies in the details. By using 3D to push an average presentation into a game-changer, you can also put on display those unique individual characteristics that you have envisioned, which ultimately can skyrocket property value. Red granite lobby tabletops instead of wood? 3D allows you to capture every unique characteristic, which ultimately separates quality buyers from others.

Target great buyers/tenants

Like any great presentation or pitch, the tailoring of all information is key to its success. Imagine you’re a buyer/tenant, and you are viewing a property image that is in all white and beige, with floor plans laid out and neutral furniture peppered about. Sure, it’s in a great part of town and the commutes are easy for your employees. But aren’t you a little worried about the level of service and relationship you would receive from an owner that only values their property with some basic 2d layouts and image overlays? Now picture an owner that took the time to create an image that could actually show your company and teams in the office, with desks and furniture to subtly match your company feel and vibrance, virtually moving you into the space before you’ve even signed the contract.

Have meaningful conversations with clients

Have you ever joined a meeting where someone wasn’t prepared and decisions needed to be made? During this meeting, you end up using the time to draft what should have been ready for the meeting to discuss. 

3D visualizations are quite literally the version of being the most prepared for a client or investor meeting possible. By delivering 3D visualizations of a concept you show your audience that not only have you thought the entire property concept through and sketched it out, but you have fully committed to what it will be. Confidence in an idea is a major cornerstone to buyer confidence and commitment. 

Stand above your competition 

Keeping up with the competition” is a relic of the past. “Staying relevant” is a graveyard for slow decision-making. You either continue defining the future and pushing your competition to keep up, or you enjoy what’s left when they are done cherry-picking the best buyers and tenants out there. 

 We all know that for larger deals, each potential tenant or buyer of a property has multiple options to move to or invest in. Choosing a 3D partner that will not only deliver images for you on time but truly drive the creative process, create value, and deliver things that you didn’t know possible is what will keep you ahead of the competition and in the good graces of potential clients. 

Increase your potential buyer reach

It’s simple, in today’s ease of global movement and competitive property markets, people buy and rent property sight-unseen. With every development, refurb, or office let your potential reach is global. How do you reach a global audience with a very fixed-in-place product, property? You take the mountain to Mohamed.   

Save the client effort, time, and travel by creating an overwhelming digital showcase of your property, which will increase your buyer circle (overseas), cut transaction costs, and impress your prospects.