4Projects
Case studies
Microsoft headquarters
Challenge:
In March 1998 Microsoft received planning approval to undertake further development at their Thames Valley Park headquarters in Reading, UK. Three buildings comprise Phase I of the proposed Campus scheme. Phase II development will consist initially of a 4 storey building fitted out to suit Microsoft's business needs. The building occupies a site of just over three acres from the total 33 acres of the combined Phase I and II developments and will provide approx 65,000 square feet of open-plan, flexible office space.
Solution:
Having experienced problems with speed and accessibility using their original project extranet provider, Microsoft selected the 4Projects™ web-based project collaboration tool. The 4Projects™ solution is being used to increase communication on this project including drawing issue and document management.
Converting from a competitor solution meant that support was a key issue for project managers AYH. All project information needed to be seamlessly and quickly transferred across to the 4Projects™ solution so as not to cause any delays.
Speed of connection had been one of the main problems that users had experienced when using the original provider. To ensure that all users gain maximum benefit from using a project extranet it was important that they were not put off by the time taken to upload drawings and documents. Using 4Projects™ users found they no longer had problems with connection or speed and were able to use their project site to maximum effect.
Team:
Microsoft, AYH Plc, TP Bennett and supply chain
"The support provided by 4Projects has been second to none. We had to get it right second time around and I'm glad to say we have."
Philip Day - AYH
"Our opinion of collaborative extranets has changed totally since moving to the 4Projects solution - it's definitely a major asset on this project. Using 4Projects has definitely beena lot quicker."
Sebastian Webster, TP Bennett Architects
Features:
Provides team with a one-stop-shop for the very latest up-to-the-minute project information, resulting in significant savings in time, allowing the team to keep to a tight schedule.
Greatly improves the distribution of information - team members are confident that they are not working from outdated drawings or documents.
Training requirements are minimal because the solution is designed to be extremely user friendly. Certain features are immediately familiar to people who work in the construction industry e.g., online versions of traditional drawing issue sheets replicate the paper equivalent and are generated automatically.
National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
The capital cost for this 36 month project was £19.5 million. It was managed by Heery International. Identified benefits were £30,000 savings in distribution and printing costs and over £10,000 by increased efficiency. DLE quoted savings of £40,000 on the same project
Los Faros de Panama
Challenge:
Chapman Taylor announced their alliance with Grupo Mall and Arup, to build one of the largest residential buildings in the world Los Faros de Panama. Overlooking the Panama Canal, Los Faros de Panama will have three towers which will dwarf the surrounding sky scrapers. The central tower, Torre Central will measure an impressive 346 meters. The side towers, Torre Oeste and Torre Este will measure and equally impressive 254 meters high. The 1752 residential units will be accompanied by a 5 star luxury hotel, with 300 rooms, a casino, spa, sporting facilities and shopping mall.
The urban landmark is costing a phenomenal $450 million and will be completed by the first quarter 2010. The project in Punta Pacifica portrayed as the city's emblem is being constructed by the Spanish developers Grupo Mall. They appointed the Spanish office of leading international architects Chapman Taylor who in turn invited engineers Arup to work along side them. Chapman Taylor's major concern was that working as an international team, can prove costly and time consuming. Exchanging and updating information can prove very complex but if done harmoniously can deliver excellent results. Chapman Taylor España recognised that an improved method of communication was vital. Jan Dijkema, Project Director of Chapman Taylor España commented. "As the team grew in size and the number of locations increased adding Panama, San Francisco and Melbourne, it became obvious to us that we needed a more reliable and functional product to help us communicate more efficiently."
The Solution:
Chapman Taylor España, on recommendation from Arup, chose to work with 4Projects to provide its Software as a Service (SaaS) extranet solution. The service offers a comprehensive project management system, where an unlimited amount of users are able to securely view up to date drawings and document, saving time, money, and avoiding possible communication problems. Jan Dijkema comments on the value of the 4Projects collaboration solution. "Working on an international level when there is time and language barriers, is not always easy." He says "The best bit for us about the extranet is having easy access to the system of any internet ready computer, we can be literally anywhere and have direct access to the latest information at anytime." Dijkema continued "The cost and time savings have been significant for us, by using the collective solution we have been able to work across 3 continents, as well as locally here in Spain with our client and the ability of the extranet to maintain a fast and accurate record of issues have proved invaluable to us and the team."