In conversation with Studio Multi: How VU.CITY helped streamline the feasibility and approval process for St Olav's Court

1. Before using VU.CITY, how long did feasibility studies typically take, and how did this impact your smaller team in terms of time and resources?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi
When helping a client with a site acquisition, we typically complete a feasibility study within a week for an initial capacity test and refine it over the next fortnight. The timescale largely depends on how realistic a site vendor’s price 
expectation is, and how tight the viability margin is in terms of development quantum. For St Olav's Court, the initial stage took about a month. We use VU.CITY primarily towards the end of the process to assess emerging massing impacts when the consultant team is onboarded and we need to assess massing and daylight impacts for pre-application work. 

2. What were the key challenges you faced during the approval process for projects like St Olav's Court, and how did VU.CITY help overcome these?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi:
Part of the St Olav's Court site boundary lies within the wider setting of the London View Management Framework 
(LVMF) Strategic View 5A.2 from Greenwich to St Paul’s Cathedral. This sets horizontal and vertical parameters for 
development and has informed the massing of the proposal. 
 
As the LVMF views are included in the VU.CITY London model, we used the platform to test and shape the emerging 
massing. We relied upon the VU.CITY model as an accurate representation of the view parameters, using the VU.CITY 
alignments to shape the tower in plan, and to limit incursions above the ‘floor’ of the view plane.

3. How did VU.CITY’s instant 3D context and planning data influence your early-stage studies, particularly in developing the tower design and planning strategy for St Olav's Court?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi:
To assess the impact of the strategic view, we took a 2d plan view from the VU.CITY model, with the LVMF layer on,
and aligned this with the OS mapping bought via Promap. The overlay was close enough to set an alignment in plan to develop initial floor plates. We also measured the height from the ground plane to the ‘floor’ of the strategic view using the tools in the VU.CITY model to get a sense of how many storeys would fit below the portion of the view plane that overlapped the site.

4. Can you share how VU.CITY accelerated the feasibility study for St Olav's Court, especially regarding design iterations, client communication, and gaining approval?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi:
The main time benefit was establishing an initial sense of impact with the Client and planning consultant Rolfe Judd, 
before the appointment of the wider consultant team, meaning that the client’s fee budget could be expended 
more strategically. In turn, once Montagu Evans joined the team, quick studies in VU.CITY allowed them to better 
prepare a brief for Millerhare, without needing them to spend increased time generating mock-up views. 

Thomas Bender, Montagu Evans:
VU.CITY provided a single, reliable platform for us and Studio Multi to refine viewpoints, assess impacts in real-time, and work efficiently together. Having access to the same 3D model ensured clarity across the team, making collaboration smooth, effective, and truly joined-up.

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5. Did VU.CITY change how your team managed client expectations and approached decision-making, enabling quicker, more confident choices with real-time data?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi:
Being able to import our initial sketch studies was beneficial in terms of assessing key design parameters and site 
constraints more quickly before engaging with a wider consultant team and Southwark Council. Advance analysis 
of constraints also helps de-risk future discovery of constraints that would otherwise require redesign at a later 
stage. 

6. As a smaller practice, did VU.CITY help you compete with larger firms by improving project speed, planning outcomes, or presentation quality?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi:
It is helpful to have the tools that are available to larger firms, and as a smaller more agile practice led by principals 
with large-practice experience, we’re able to service clients in the same way. 

7. What advice would you give to other small architecture practices considering VU.CITY for similar projects?

Seth Rutt, Studio Multi:
Having access to VU.CITY is very useful for larger, urban schemes, especially in sites with proximity to neighbouring 
buildings and heritage assets, that require analysis from distant viewpoints as well as street views nearby. For small practices, particularly those with experience in large-scale projects, the investment in VU.CITY is worthwhile for the efficiency and accuracy it offers.

What Other Professionals in the Built Environment Can Learn

Studio Multi’s use of VU.CITY for St Olav's Court highlights how digital tools can streamline feasibility studies, improve client communication, and navigate complex planning approvals. By incorporating VU.CITY’s 3D modelling and real-time data, the firm was able to accelerate the design process and make informed decisions faster, all while competing effectively with larger firms. By embracing VU.CITY, Studio Multi was able to deliver high-quality results more efficiently and confidently.