Trends Summer 2015 | Page 20

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID Merrill WI PERMIT NO 24 3433 Oakwood Hills Pkwy Eau Claire, WI 54701-7698 Address Service Requested FROM RENDERINGS TO REAL-TIME Intuitive program paints more realistic picture for clients Clients have recently started seeing more vivid, realistic, and interactive presentations from Ayres Associates’ staff thanks to a specialized software that better brings graphics and design elements to life. LumenRT, the new software Ayres purchased this spring, works with SketchUp, MicroStation, Revit, Civil 3D, and other design software the staff had been using – but allows them to take the final product to the next level, explained Chris Silewski, a landscape designer trained in the program. “You can add three-dimensional plants, you can add fish swimming in the water, you can add people talking and walking around, you can add seasons to the vegetation... There’s almost no limit to what we can do and how we can show it,” Silewski said, noting that the software can help show final products within many disciplines, including transportation, traffic modeling, civil, and architectural. At a recent meeting with a client looking to make accessibility improvements at Glen Loch Lake in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, staff members were able to use the presentation they’d created to more easily discuss specific project features with stakeholders. “We’re able to settle on things and get confirmation on questions that you wouldn’t normally do at that stage. You’re able to clear things up beforehand and maybe even skip meetings because of it,” Silewski said. “You’re able to dive into the nuances of making decisions right up front.” To see his LumenRT design and assisted demonstration of the Glen Loch project, visit http://tinyurl.com/ nh79h5j or scan the QR code at right.