Project Description

A significant project for us over 18 months in 2019/2020 was working with the John Lewis Partnership on digitising their central London Head Quarters. Keen to embrace building technology, the client asked us to create a complete digital twin of the 15-storey tower, enabling them to assess working arrangements and maximise the use of 250,000sq ft available office space.

The John Lewis Partnership have occupied 171 Victoria Street since 1989. Over the years, the property has undergone numerous design changes to meet the demands of the business. By conducting a full 3D laser scan of the interior, we were able to establish the extent of any ‘hidden’ alterations and the effect of these on current office organisation.

With 15 floors of heavily occupied and furnished offices, accurate surveying and modelling proved complex, and a full 360 photographic virtual tour of each floor helped form the completed picture.

From this data, we developed four separate BIM-ready models (divided by discipline to ensure optimised workflows) and liaised with the client’s interior design team to convert the fixtures, fittings and equipment into BIM, creating a separate model for each level.

John Lewis’s ongoing refurbishment programme means that office use and layout is continually evolving and adapting. The creation of a digital twin provides the client the tools to review new office set-ups, identify the most efficient arrangement, and determine the impact of any further modifications – plus a myriad of other future benefits of digital estate management.