Ideate Software Tools Help UK Architect Reimagine and Enhance Neighborhoods

Three neighborhood plans receive national awards for architecture firm Pollard Thomas Edwards, London.

From concept to design to construction, BIM and other software tools enable architects to reinvigorate neighborhoods with structures designed for wellness and sustainability. (Image courtesy of PTE.)

In a world with growing populations, housing shortages and crumbling infrastructure, some architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms offer hope with homes, buildings and neighborhoods that focus on sustainability and wellness. Pollard Thomas Edwards (PTE), based in London, is once such firm tackling contemporary designs with the aid of Ideate Software, an Autodesk AEC Industry Partner and authorized developer of Revit software plug-ins.

“I have been a fan of Ideate Software for several years,” said Steve Deadman, PTE head of BIM. “Their tools simplify a lot of Revit tasks the team and I perform every day. From simple data management tasks like updating sheet information and editing schedule information to project setup tasks such as creating views and sheets and placing views on the sheets, Ideate BIMLink does it all. We simply would waste so much time without it.”

With its products, ranging from Ideate Explorer to Ideate SmartDelete to Ideate Clone and other plug-in tools, the software company has a mission to help the AEC industry save time, elevate their designs, enhance accuracy and deliverables, and allow control over data. PTE’s collaboration with Ideate earned it recognition for three of its projects at the 2020 British Home Awards.

(Image courtesy of PTE.)

Knights Park is part of a broader new community project within the University of Cambridge. An ongoing project located two miles northwest of the city center, the first homes were completed in 2019. The total number of homes will be 240. Designed with sustainability in mind and green spaces, the community features an array of housing options, from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom villas, all designed to be environmentally friendly. Designers incorporated smart meters, green roofs and triple glazing, as well as recycling systems for water and refuse. The new community also has a market square, health center and bike paths.

(Image courtesy of PTE.)

Although not entirely a net-zero community since its design began in 2010, New Garden Quarter, located in Stratford, comes close. Here, a derelict brownfield was transformed into eco-friendly place to live. It was designed with a sustainable drainage system, including a rain garden ecologically enhanced with native plants and trees. Along with most of the buildings being outfitted with solar panels, there is a combined heat and power plant on-site providing hot water and electricity to the development. The fourth phase, which PTE was recognized for, includes 471 mixed-tenure (both rented and owned) apartments.

(Image courtesy of PTE.)

Completed in 2020, City Park West in Chelmsford is a new mixed-tenure neighborhood that was started in 2008. It features 645 homes, retail, community facilities and five new residential buildings, one of which is 14 stories. Additional highlights include four new public squares and three refurbished buildings. It incorporates pedestrian routes and communal areas that encourage low-carbon lifestyles.