Architectural Animation experts, Designhive, were commissioned by Atkins to help bring to life the proposed regeneration scheme of Oxford Circus. 

In order to create a powerful and technically accurate public consultation video, real simulated data was used to create stunning 3D animations. This helps to picture the impact on future pedestrian and traffic movement, making it a believable vision of a future reality. 

The animation showcased the current Oxford Circus situation and then the improvements the removal of street clutter would give. This was replaced by the proposed street scheme which used comparative before and after footage.

Designhive created a 3D Studio Max model which displayed Atkins’ two – dimensional traffic and pedestrian models. Combining the models in the simulation not only made the finished product particularly compelling, but it was also one of the first times that this technique had been used.

A particle-based system was used to model the pedestrians in the architectural animation for Oxford Circus. This ran seven different layered simulations and controlled 5000 virtual people in order to match the data produced by Atkins Intelligent Space. When the final simulation was rendered, the 'particles' were replaced with animated people to make the model even more realistic. They were programmed to walk while the points were moving and stay idle when the points stopped for traffic lights.

The end result of this architectural animation project was difficult to distinguish from a real piece of video footage. As it was based on the technical models which were developed to test the proposals prior to the development, architects and developers had the benefit of being able to envisage what building the model would entail.

Public consultation is all about the communication of ideas and proposals to a lay audience in way that is accessible, engaging and believable. In this respect the work commissioned for Oxford Circus makes a major contribution to the place-making process. Paul Fraser, Atkins Public Realm Ltd (for Technology Space & Place Nov 08)