We can tell you a lot about The Quechee Club’s clubhouse. Want to know where the indoor pool is? We will point you there. The elevator? Just around the corner. The ceiling height in the fitness center? Sure, no problem.
We don’t know all this because we are its architects. Nor have we seen the club’s floor plan. And just between us—we have never even been to Vermont.
Such things are now possible thanks to spatial-capture software that creates—now quickly and affordably—a 3D, immersive digital copy of any real-world, physical space. That may sound a bit heady, but just imagine on your laptop’s screen a dollhouse floating in space that you can examine and digitally explore, room by room, with a few clicks of your mouse.
3D virtual tours in real estate are old hat in 2021, but what’s new here—and now catching private clubs’ attention— is the attractive price point, their easy availability and a rash of new applications.
THE QUECHEE CASE
Located two hours from Boston and four from New York City, The Quechee Club is remote. Even before the pandemic, club leaders knew they had to find a way to bridge the gap between their community and potential future members in more distant locales.
Enter the suitably named company Over and Above Photography (O&A), whom the club engaged in 2019 to create a “digital twin” of their clubhouse, one of industry’s first. O&A visited the club and positioned a Matterport Pro2 infrared camera every 6-8 feet throughout the club. The device takes 16 photographs per revolution, all of which can later be stitched together seamlessly using Matterport’s proprietary software to create the digital replica.
Matterport software is compatible with 360-degree cameras and smartphones, so you can now bootstrap a 3D mockup of any space at a budget price. The final product is hosted on Matterport’s website and embedded into yours, capable of being viewed from several devices, including 3D headsets.
When the pandemic struck in March 2020, the charming Quechee clubhouse was online and accessible virtually to the many cooped-up urbanites yearning for greener pasture.
BROADER IMPLICATIONS
But how are other clubs using this technology and what are its implications?
In-Bound Marketing. Private clubs have long sought to straddle the line between public and private in their marketing strategy. A digital online replica of the club’s physical space—one that is customizable to each particular clubs’ desired level of discretion—entices without being overt. It allows would-be members to see exactly what you want to show them, matching their interest to your visual message. This online presence might be particularly appealing to the digitally savvy millennial cohort.
The Member Experience. A digital twin can link with the services and offerings of the space it represents. The Quechee Club digital twin of their dining room has an icon in it that, when selected, opens the dinner menu on your browser. The services and information associated with a club space (tee times, events, specials, etc.), could someday soon be imbedded in the digital twin and offer functionalities for users wanting to engage with those services.
Facility Planning/Maintenance. A digital twin can serve as the basis for interior design and architectural planning. The 3D visualization company RoOomy has entered this space, taking 3D composites like Matterport’s and filling those digital spaces with furniture and staging. Architectural firms are likewise tapping into 3D models, using them as a basis for conceptualizing renovations and additions that previously may have been a harder sell.
Looking further ahead, managing the clubhouse asset and other structures and equipment will be made easier by the digital twin. A 3D model can be inspected more easily than the physical object it represents, which allows for testing and tweaking—of heating/cooling systems, electrical and plumbing—without real-world consequences.
YOUR CLUB’S DIGITAL TWIN
While digital twin technology is still in its infancy, its adoption looks inevitable. The benefits to adopting a digital twin for your club will not just end with the wow factor, but will extend into a smarter, more efficient future of facility stewardship.