As a project manager or contractor in charge of installing corporate interior environments, you need studios that can fabricate and install increasingly complex design elements with speed and accuracy.
Most studios, however, tend to have specialized skills. That means you need different studios to meet the needs of different projects. Or, just for a single project.
Managing multiple vendors is challenging enough, but when they begin outsourcing to subcontractors, efficiency and accountability are lost.
This leads to one very important question: Which fabrication services will you need for your next corporate interior project, and how many studios might need to be involved?
The answer may be a “multidisciplinary” studio (one with numerous capabilities), that can both streamline the fabrication of corporate interiors and provide superior results.
In this article, we’ll cover the 12 key services a multidisciplinary design and fabrication studio provides for corporate interior projects. You’ll learn what to look for in a partner that can take your next project to the next level.
A high-caliber studio with the following design and fabrication services will be able to produce any interior solutions a corporate environment requires:
While not all of these fabrication services are necessary for the manufacturing and installation of corporate interior projects, the more fabrication services a single studio offers – and the more expertise they have – the more versatile they will be.
Plus, with a multidisciplinary studio in charge, you’ll have fewer vendors, a single point of contact, and a more streamlined process.
CAD files are an essential tool for corporate interior projects of all kinds. A design and fabrication studio with expertise in the use of CAD files across the project lifecycle should be a top priority.
Computer-assisted design (CAD) files are used to simulate the spatial constraints of an environment. Through a series of drawings and blueprints, a CAD file is used to document a final pathway to construction. Project managers often use CAD files for the entire duration of a project, from planning to installation.
Aside from generating physical concept sketches, architects use CAD files to:
CAD files are also used to safely plan for corporate interior construction. By digitally testing different iterations of an installation process, for example, a studio can optimize the way parts come together in a space. Architects can also program advanced physics into a CAD file, allowing studios to run simulations that identify and eliminate potential points of failure before the parts are actually machined.
Often, CAD files aren’t utilized to their full potential in corporate interior projects. The best studios will use your CAD files to ensure the optimal design, fabrication and installation of all corporate interior elements.
Tip: Data can be lost when CAD files are transferred between multiple stakeholders. Project managers and architects relying on a single studio will preserve CAD file integrity throughout the process.
Design and fabrication studios use CNC equipment to cut, carve and shape elements like this signage for a Facebook corporate office interior.
Like CAD files, CNC services are essential to the design and fabrication of corporate interiors. Studios with a wide range of CNC services, knowledge and equipment will be an invaluable resource.
Computer numerical control (CNC) machines are used by studios to cut, carve and otherwise construct 3D interior design elements. They are much faster and more accurate than an artist working by hand, and usually more cost-effective.
CNC machines automate labor-intensive processes, but to program them requires a unique blend of technical and creative expertise. Data is transferred from a CAD file to a computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM) file. This data, which is obtained through 3D modeling and testing, is what CNC machines use to manufacture an element to exact design specifications.
The CNC services offered by a studio are most often defined by their equipment. CNC equipment that can move across multiple planes can perform a wider range of tasks.
Most studios have 3-axis CNC fabrication services, but if a studio has advanced CNC machinery, and offers 7-axis CNC fabrication services, they will be able to complete large corporate interior projects faster. With a larger, multi-axis CNC machine, studios can produce sculptures, specialty furnishings, and other sizable components quickly, often in just a few days.
As technology becomes more affordable and available, project managers are taking full advantage of advanced fabrication and design services to meet the complex demands of modern corporate interior designs. The advantages of CNC services, combined with structural safety testing made possible with CAD files, has architects increasingly turning to full-service studios that can produce everything in-house.
At Bridgewater Studio we leverage a full suite of digital design and fabrication tools to deliver custom corporate interiors from bespoke furnishings to company history walls. Discover how we can help you elevate your company interior by booking a no-obligation strategy-session with Bridgewater today.