Read on to discover how T2S Architecture use VU.CITY Geometry to enhance their designs and secure planning approvals for projects in London and Portsmouth.
How ts2 architecture Utilises VU.CITY's geometry service bring their designs to life
T2S Architecture, a forward-thinking architectural practice led by Tom Slater, handles a diverse range of projects, from small building extensions to large-scale masterplans. With an expertise in creating contextually sensitive and impactful designs, T2S faced the challenge of working in dense urban environments with complex planning requirements. To tackle these challenges efficiently, they turned to VU.CITY’s Geometry Service for accurate, reliable, and context-driven insights.
project applications
Versatility Across Scales
Small-Scale Projects: For smaller extensions and refurbishments, VU.CITY's geometry service provided detailed information about the surrounding urban context, ensuring that designs respected neighbouring structures. Whether aligning with an adjacent building’s windows or understanding the shape of nearby facades, the geometry service made it possible to design more intelligently and integrate seamlessly with existing environments.
Large-Scale Masterplans: On larger developments, the service was invaluable in providing detailed street-side views that showed how the proposals would sit within the broader urban landscape. This allowed the team to visualise the development’s impact on the surrounding area and present accurate, realistic depictions of their projects to planners and stakeholders.
"For smaller projects, VU.CITY is useful in understanding how a building connects to the existing urban grain. For example, our proposal may need to respond to an existing window or building shape adjacent to our site.
Equally, we have used VU.CITY to prepare large scale masterplan type projects where is is important to understand how our proposals sit within the wider context. We can take street side views from roads around our site, which allow us to present how visible, or not, the development is."
Tom Slater, Founding Director
solving key challenges
Facilitating Planning Approvals and Stakeholder Engagement
For T2S, one of the most significant benefits of using VU.CITY’s geometry service was the ability to gain the trust of planning authorities. The service offered highly accurate, reliable data that allowed the team to design with confidence, ensuring proposals would blend harmoniously within their surroundings.
Contextual Accuracy: The precise information allowed the team to respond directly to the site’s context—an essential consideration in a dense city like London. By using VU.CITY’s geometry, T2S Architecture developed designs that were in line with the built environment’s existing characteristics.
Enhancing Stakeholder Buy-In: By using accurate 3D models, the team could present a clear picture of their proposals, reducing ambiguity and helping to address concerns at early stages of the design process. This proactive approach facilitated smoother engagement with stakeholders and increased the likelihood of securing approvals.
"VU.CITY seems to be the leader in the field and is recognised and trusted in this regard. Planning authorities trust this information which is very important during the planning design and determination process."
Precision, Speed, and Flexibility
Seamless Integration with Design Tools The ability to receive geometry in different formats allowed T2S to integrate the data easily with their existing software tools, such as SketchUp and Vectorworks. This ensured that the geometry could be used both for early-stage conceptual designs and for detailed BIM-based models.
Rapid Turnaround for Agile Workflows VU.CITY’s geometry service provided models within three working days, which was a significant advantage for T2S Architecture. The quick delivery of accurate data enabled the team to meet tight project timelines, ensuring that they could continue their work without delays.
Leaside Road Project
"It helps that we can request different versions of the geometry as we use different programmes. Our design-based information is produced in Sketch up. Our more accurate BIM style modelling and drawn information is prepared in Vectorworks... We find that the models are made available within 3 working days, which suits our programme."
achieving success
Hackney Mixed-Use Development
One notable project where VU.CITY’s geometry played a crucial role was a mixed-use development in Hackney. For this large-scale project, T2S used VU.CITY’s precise townscape data to test the impact of the proposal from various key viewpoints, including a nearby park and canal.
By testing the design against these views, the team demonstrated that the new building would have minimal visual impact on protected areas, which helped to alleviate concerns from planners early in the design process. This data-backed approach played a key role in securing planning consent and advancing the project.
Find out more about the project here
"The townscape assessor used their VU.CITY model to test the new form within these views which proved that there was limited impact to the park side... This helped to appease concerns by the planners at the early stage of the design process."
why t2s architecture chooses vu.city
T2S Architecture’s decision to use VU.CITY’s geometry service is grounded in its accuracy, reliability, and efficiency. The service offers:
Industry-Leading Precision: Trusted by planning authorities and professionals in the built environment, VU.CITY provides highly accurate urban context models that help architects design with confidence.
Seamless Integration: The flexibility to tailor geometry to specific design tools like SketchUp and Vectorworks ensures smooth workflows from concept to detailed design.
Critical Support for Planning Approvals: With the ability to provide clear, accurate visualisations, VU.CITY enables architects to demonstrate their proposals’ impact, helping to secure stakeholder buy-in and facilitate the planning process.
"VU.CITY seems to be the leader in the field and is recognised and trusted in this regard. Planning authorities trust this information which is very important during the planning design and determination process."
What Other Professionals in the Built Environment Can Learn
Whether refining small-scale designs or navigating the complexities of large masterplans, VU.CITY’s accurate 3D models help professionals make informed decisions, gain planning approval, and ensure that their projects blend seamlessly with the built environment. Speak to one of our experts today to find out more.
See how our geometry service can bring your projects to life. Request a tailored quote today by clicking below.
