Penta Real Estate: VR Helps Fine-Tune the Details of the Luxurious Victoria Palace

Penta entered the real estate sector in 2005 and since then it has become a leader in the Czech and Slovak markets. The Virtuplex has been a trusted partner in past projects, such as Nová Waltrovka and the renovation of the Masaryk Train Station. This time, Penta decided to take advantage of its benefits once again in one of its most high-end residential projects to date: the Victoria Palace.

Views of Prague Castle and Its Surroundings

The developers at the Virtuplex transposed the entire building into virtual reality with an emphasis on the façade and its distinctive slats that are the building’s defining feature as designed by Jakub Cigler Architekti. The courtyard was also rendered in VR, along with the lobby, the interiors of residential units on the top floors, and the terraces that offer panoramic views of Prague. To create these views, Virtuplex used 3D models from The Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR Praha) and data from Google Maps that underwent a certain optimization to ensure the VR view corresponds to reality.

“We first worked with Penta Real Estate four years ago shortly after the opening of the Virtuplex. We’re proud that Penta once again contacted us for its next project. Using the latest technologies in virtual and expanded reality provides our customers with competitive advantages, improving their effectivity in a broad range of activities,” Virtuplex’s Lenka Kriššáková said.

Benefits for the Client

1. A Detailed View of the Project

Every developer strives to perfect their project before launching construction. Most designs are only available in 2D graphics that imperfect distort the reality to a significant extent. VR allows the client to examine the design down to the finest detail. Not only can they stand outside and feel like the project has already been completed, but they can walk around inside, climb to the top floor, and enjoy a panoramic view of Prague. The ability to use any scale allows the client to see the smallest details as well as how the building fits within the surrounding urban environment.

“It expands your imagination. It’s like you were in a finished flat. When you buy a unit, you hope it will look good and that you’ll feel at home there, but you can’t be sure from a 2D floorplan. But virtual reality allows you to walk through and see every detail, and you just know,” Penta Real Estate residential sales head Jan Kalaš said.

2. Presenting the Projects to All Key Groups

Penta used the virtual Victoria Palace in presentations to several groups. First came the project team, which made sure everything worked the way it should, and that the building had a logical and working floorplan. They also examined it from an architectural point of view. The model was also presented to the internal team made up of both employees and management. Finally, the future owners of the most luxurious apartments could tour their future homes and be sure it met their demands.

3. Making Adjustments Before Construction

The Virtuplex allows the client to uncover elements in the project that needed to be adjusted, in this case this includes the placement and surfaces of the slats that are the chief feature of the façade.

Other minor changes were on the terraces, in the lobby’s design, and to the landscaping in the courtyard. Another bonus was that a nine-member team could move throughout the building at once, allowing them to discuss ideas, deal with issues, and collaborate in virtual reality.

4. Optimising Unit Pricing, Saving Hundreds of Thousands

The pricing of individual units is key in every development project. Using virtual reality, Penta was able to optimise the pricing of its apartments accordingly. While some prices were reduced because of views or near-by buildings, some saw prices rise. Other savings were also achieved, such as reducing the design elements on the roof that prevented views into the courtyard. In other words,

the amount the client invested into using the Virtuplex was returned several times over.