Finland Times

Developed by Adminotech, an Oulu-based IT company keen on providing 3D virtual solutions, among other IT innovations, Meshmoon runs on their own Rocket client or via web browser without using any plug-in installations.

The service is accessible to all without any cost, unless the owner of the virtual world decides otherwise.

According to Adminotech Business Development Manager Tiina Hynninen, the Meshmoon platform currently has about 30,000 users and 3,000 sites and, since it is based on open source RealXtend software, the number is growing steadily. “Everyone can easily add their own virtual space,” she explained.

As it stands, most of central Oulu has already been modelled, partly by laser scanning and partly by standard modelling, revealed Hynninen. The work is still ongoing and in the future indoor spaces can be incorporated into the model.

UKI Arkkitehdit, an Oulu-based architect’s office responsible for several large construction designs in Finland, is a company that has taken the use of Meshmoon aboard.

Mikko Heikkinen, CEO of UKI Arkkitehdit, rates the value of Meshmoon highly, especially when it comes to interacting with clients and using one’s own designs, such as Arkkitehdit’s Valo concept.

“We decided to involve clients and the people actually working in the space more deeply in the design process, but we needed to improve the interaction. For that purpose, we built a 3D cave system in our offices and now use the Meshmoon platform to interact more effectively with our clients,” he said.

Cost and client’s feedback are two areas in which Meshmoon is proving its worth. “Every stage is carefully planned and we collect extensive feedback to hone the experience further. With this method, we’ve drastically reduced client costs, because the old way was to make adjustments once the building was being built – and that’s expensive.” Now, with a 3D cave experience, the corrections are made prior to construction, and their version of Meshmoon is modified to meet their needs – walls can be removed, people added and versions browsed with a click of an icon,” Heikkinen explained.

Heikkinen said Arkkitehdit already has proposed a city planning model using the company’s own Valo method together with the affordances Meshmoon offers.