Reliable Solutions, On-Time Delivery and Great Service

Urban Circus produced a 3D digital animation for Roads and Maritime Services of the Princes Highway Foxground and Berry bypass.  Our concept design came to life when it was created on this interactive platform.  This tool has helped people visualise the most significant road infrastructure project on the NSW South Coast, by creating a dynamic visualisation through the eyes of both travellers and local property owners. It has helped us to more clearly communicate the design and impact of our project with external and internal stakeholders.  We are extremely pleased to have invested into this technology and look forward to using this useful tool into the next stages of construction.

I have found the interactive model that Urban Circus provided for City – Maribyrnong River a valuable tool for stakeholder engagement. It allows us as the alliance constructing the project the opportunity to show affected stakeholders a virtual and accurate tour of how the project will look and feel.

I've now used a number of packages for 3D modelling, including those in use by other Councils and Government departments. I have found the Urban Circus software by far the easiest to navigate and manipulate. The features and tools are all intuitive; the advanced analysis functionality that it can provide, such as instant shadow and view line calculations have saved a great deal of time. The software has proved invaluable at many high-level meetings with developers and architects. Being able to view a building proposal within its context, and to test heights, setbacks, floor areas and shadows with a few clicks of the mouse mean huge savings in time and resources, as well as being able to provide instant answers to questions. Whilst Urban Circus are a Brisbane-based company, on-call staff who access the software remotely mean that support is always instantly available.  

Ben leads a great team that allows us to bring our complex services to life. Creative and focused - a recipe for great outcomes.

We have had great success with the videos. It has been a real asset, helping people to get their head around the changes going on - some people have come back 2 or 3 times. We will definitely use it again.

This has been a high value communication solution for the RTA across several infrastructure projects. Urban Circus provide a very professional service.

The team are excellent to work with. They really understand what is going on and add value. I have referred them onto several other John Holland projects. Through the visual process they offered, we could see more, change our mind, and develop an optimal solution efficiently. We could then communicate this to the client in a compelling and simple way with the great graphical skills.

I personally have recommended Urban Circus to the National Planning Inquiry in Canberra, as a leading innovator and provider of planning methodologies as a new model for producing great outcomes in Australia.  The ability to integrate teams, civil, planning, and urban design across multiple options to achieve the best spatial outcomes on the ground is a necessity in modern complex urban projects. Urban Circus provided world-leading services for the Airport Link job that helped provide a design driven result. Urban Circus' interactive presentation in a major bid was an innovative and fabulous way to communicate a complex solution in relation to urban design, engineering and community outcomes.  I gave them special mention on the day of the presentation to the government in recognition of their efforts and fabulous outputs.

This solution helped clearly demonstrate to the client the construction methodology. Previously it was all plans and words - and they didn't understand.

When I first saw Urban Circus' work, it was the best I had ever seen and I knew that involving them would give us a leading edge. What surprised me however was how they actually contributed to our award winning design rather than just leading the presentation of it. Urban Circus provided great value support through the full D&C tender process and now into the delivery of the project.  Their live 3D interactive presentations were amazing, playing an essential role in designing, integrating and communicating the project to the client right the way through the process.

I'm always impressed with the team at Urban Circus and their ability to turn around urgent jobs quickly. On a number of occasions we have needed things like images captured at short notice and they always manage to exceed our expectations. This has helped us be responsive to community and media requests which is important when managing issues on major projects.

The charrette drawings looked nice – but were so wrong when made real. Urban Circus rebuilt the whole masterplan properly, then created a clear plan for understanding and funding.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for the excellent service you have provided us for the project. I have been very impressed with the way your company has carried out its business with us. It has been a pleasure.

I gave them a unique and special mention on the day of the presentation to the government - in recognition of their efforts and fabulous outputs.

The Urban Circus 3D representation of Airport Link, the Northern Busway and the Airport Roundabout Upgrade projects revolutionised the way that BrisConnections (a consortium of Macquarie Bank, Thiess and John Holland) communicated its design solutions to the client, the Brisbane community and investors.  Being able to show all stakeholders exactly what driving, community impact and/or urban experience they will have from the projects is an invaluable tool - which we use extensively and continuously. Ben and his team were also fantastic team players, fully integrating themselves into the culture and fabric of the Airport Link bid team and contributing across the whole project and above their weight.  I have no hesitation in recommending Urban Circus or in using them for future John Holland projects.

Urban Circus was engaged by the Thiess / John Holland Joint Venture (TJH) for the Airport Link Northern Busway (ALNB) tender.  TJH wanted to communicate their ideas clearly to the client in an interactive manner and to facilitate the transmission of information between the various disciplines (designers, architects, urban designers, etc). The use of the model throughout the tender phase assisted to integrate new personnel into the design team, to identify clashes, and to verify visual aspects or impacts of the design.  It also provided an aid to non-technical people such as the community liaison groups where it assisted them in describing the project to others and to clarify potential impacts. ALNB is a complex infrastructure project of approximately 6.7 kilometres in length.  To describe the project other than visually would be a disservice to the amount of effort and innovation provided  by the design team for this project.  Consequently, on completion the final interactive model was used to convey the design elements to the client, the media, and the public at large. Currently, there are a number of advertisements run by the Queensland Government expounding the benefits of ALNB and using the interactive model that Urban Circus provided.  We also envisage the model to be of benefit in the future.  We believe it will be a valuable tool in showing the public the impact of the project during the construction phase and the benefits to them when the project is completed.  As the interactive model facilitated the client's understanding of our proposal, we believe that the model provided was a factor in assisting us to win this important tender.

This  solution has reduced five meetings down to one across the board. Complaints and ministerials have stopped. We don't need to take engineers out to explain issues – we get to do our job now.... We would also like to mention the great service from UC. It is very personal and very responsive. Not just from a technical level, but from a general service level. We feel very supported. Working remotely has not been a problem at all.

From day one Urban Circus were responsive, professional and all outputs were delivered on time and to our exact requirements. Urban Circus understands the infrastructure industry and use cutting edge technology to achieve outstanding results.

When it comes down to it, the Urban Circus team 'get it'. They know what they're doing, chase all the data, do all the legwork, bring everything together on time and produce great outcomes. As a client, I feel confident it will be done and done well.

They  produce a remarkable level of accuracy in a short space of time. The fly-through has been very effective at both a political and community level. It has portrayed the spatial character of the proposal as well as the intended atmosphere of the place. I have no hesitation in recommending Urban Circus.  

The Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI) was keen to ensure that the local community fully understood the impact of the tram overpass project on their urban environment. DTEI had presented plans and artists impressions to the community, however it was not until we were able to engage Urban Circus and work with their team to develop a fully interactive model of the overpass that we gained the support of the local residents. With the interactive model, residents and users were able to fully appreciate the extent of our project and its impacts on their local street.  They were able to identify existing landmarks and vistas through the model and all questions and concerns were able to be addressed. The Urban Circus model is a tool that allows the accurate detail of the project to be clearly presented.  DTEI also used the tool to identify and explore areas within the design where improvements were required.  This further contributed to the development of a final design for a project which will be both safe in operation as well as a pedestrian friendly space. The team at Urban Circus were client focused in the development of the model and provided regular updates of expenditure against budget.  The project team would be pleased to engage Urban Circus for future projects where a high level of community understanding is required.

Urban Circus was not only responsive and met our critical deadline, but provided additional value and service above and beyond my expectations. Their team communication and management, in-house modelling expertise, attention to detail and production quality was excellent.  The fly-through has been a very valuable tool to help people understand and visualise the Masterplan concept and build project support.

SA Health required a communication and design development tool to advance a critical social infrastructure project. The team at Urban Circus were able to quickly understand the scope of the work required and provided a high quality product that exceeded our expectations.  Importantly, they were able to do this within tight time and budget constraints. Urban Circus were able to create a model that gives people a "real life" view of the developing design, facilitation a broader understanding of how a new approach to providing mental health care might look. The team at Urban Circus were responsive and client-centered, and the quality of the end product represents genuine value for money.

We have now removed the guesswork in infrastructure placement, traffic management, crowd movement and contingency planning for this important event.

We are using the software to assess significant planning permit applications in Central Melbourne in terms of built form visual impact, shadowing and view lines. We have nothing but praise for the professionalism of Urban Circus and are impressed by the assistance and collaboration provided.

... the model is a fantastic design tool - thanks!  Makes life much easier when designing such complex projects as the M5. The model is great to work with.

I am trying to revolutionise the planning system into a new digital era of transparency and great spatial design.  Urban Circus has really helped me move toward this goal.  In my view, they are leaders in the implementation of Sensory Law and on the cutting of this new and essential era of planning and design process. We've tried other services, but the 3D interactive Canberra with all its options and tools provided by Urban Circus has been second to none.  The service has been great with plenty of support for my staff post-contract.

They provide a great value service, backed by people that understand architectural materials and deliver to their promised deadlines. I have no hesitation in stating that we will use them again.

The live 3D interactive presentations were amazing, playing an essential role in designing, integrating and communicating the project to the client right the way through the process.

This has become a vital tool in our assessment of development both in the initial discussion stages through to the final approvals process and therefore saving significant time.

With Urban Circus we are doing a construction methodology review and demonstration.  We can now measure out each of the event sequences and confirm exactly how we will build it.  It lets me test the contingencies and alternatives.  We can add assets and change scenarios quickly and easily to test and demonstrate how we add value in construction. It has helped clearly demonstrate to the client, Exxon Mobil, the construction methodology.  Previously it was all plans and words - and they didn't understand.  Now they can see it all clearly, as plain as day. It also gives our client the opportunity to say "they know what they are doing at Leightons" - by us clearly demonstrating the time-saving designs, smart alternatives and Value Engineering processes we are offering. Urban Circus bring the concept drawings to life to help us see exactly what's going on.  It clarifies what we have had to do in our heads previously.  This 3D construction phasing shows that it will work right through to completion and to our schedule. For tenders we do at Leighton for marine, oil and gas etc we will be using your company and technology format to produce the presentation and simulate the construction of major marine works etc.  Between us, we shall bring them into the 21st century.

Dr Ben Guy and his team at Urban Circus are pioneers in the new sensory law that replaces static "black letter" zoning codes with motion picture quality virtual experiences of the places we wish to create.  Through Dr Guy's "Urban Engine" developers are inspired rather than merely regulated into implementing planning authority and community visions for their localities - it's an investment prospectus and regulatory tool that effectively leverages 21st century thinking with technological innovation. Dr Guy's sensory law platform provides a unique vehicle for effective community consultation... to make an informed assessment of planning policy and development projects. Having worked throughout the world, it is a source of great pride to me, that it is a young Australian and his company that is bringing sensory law from its theoretical foundation to real world application in such a cost-effective manner.  A vital tool to create more livable communities and real estate value from sustainable development in our rapidly urbanizing world.

In previous professional roles I have worked closely with Urban Circus as a Client.  The scope of works included the generation of 3D models for large complex urban infrastructure projects in dense urban areas.  The ability of Urban Circus to produce 3D modelled data effectively and efficiently was evident in the tight time frames provided and achieved by the team. Interaction and communication with the designers enabled Urban Circus to translate the designs into a 3D world which communicated the design to the Project Team and to the community, and allowed the project design to progress with full support and a clear understanding of its form and visual impacts from all stakeholders. With very tight project time frames and constantly evolving design modifications, Urban Circus proved to be flexible and adaptive to the project needs and provided very fast turnaround times to update models as the project progressed. They take a practical approach to client service which means you can work with them to achieve the right outcome efficiently and effectively.

SAFElink Alliance which is a collaboration between the Department of Main Roads, Leighton Contractors, BMD Major Projects, Maunsell AECOM and ARUP, has been commissioned to design, build and maintain the upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway from Wacol to Darra. SAFElink commissioned Urban Circus to develop a 3 dimensional computer model of the proposed design which includes a complex motorway to motorway interchange, 6 kms of motorway upgrade, extensive motorway signage, and intelligent transport systems such as variable message and lane usage signs. The model was used by the alliance as a tool to present the scheme to both the client and the public through our extensive public engagement process.  It has also been used as an excellent tool for checking the design for driver experience and road legibility. We found the finished product an excellent tool which was easy to use.  Urban Circus provided exemplary service and were responsive to our needs and changes in a timely manner.

The interactive model was a huge success in allowing people a better understanding of the finished product. Ben, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for the excellent service you have provided us for the project.  I have been very impressed with the way your company has carried out its business with us.  It has been a pleasure from my end and I hope that we continue to work together on future elements of the project.

Acumen Partners sought out and engaged Ben and his team at Urban Circus for a couple of decent long range masterplanning and development tasks for clients. The Urban Engine modelling capability means we can ask "what if?", model it, see and understand it, and make decisions quite quickly with everybody in the room.  Forgive the cliché, but it's a good collaboration tool. Humans are evolved as visually and spatially literate - we like pictures and dynamic 3D images to help us make risk/reward decisions - ask any PC gamer why they like what they do.  The cathedral masons of Europe always had wooden models at the quarries where stone was shaped to describe intent to illiterate but highly skillful workers for projects that often occurred over 3 or 4 generations.  I believe the Urban Engine tool brings us back to that sort of directness in translating complex ideas to lots of people easily.