Right in the heart of Wilmington, the Custom House project showcases what happens when you mix historic renovations with today’s tech. Our AMP Consulting Team has been busy using some pretty cool tools to make sure we respect the building’s history while prepping it for modern use.
The Custom House isn’t just any building; it’s packed with history and tons of unique architectural details that we needed to understand as it prepares for a 50,000 square foot wrap-around addition, and complete renovation of the existing 15,00 square foot building. Originally built in 1855, it is one of the country’s first federal buildings outside of DC and New York City. Here’s what we’re doing:
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- Laser Scanning: First up, we scanned the whole building with lasers (yes, it’s as cool as it sounds). This gave us super detailed 3D images so we could see every nook and cranny—super helpful for planning without any surprises.
- Model Coordination and Clash Detection: Before the actual construction, we coordinated the virtual models from the architects and engineers. We gave this coordinated model a comprehensive review and identified all of the places the architecture conflicted – or clashed – with the MEP systems, structural elements, and more. This let everyone involved check out and fix things without the mess of changing things mid-construction. During the build, we’ll keep using this model to make sure everything is lining up just right.
- Field Point Review: We’re all about the details. As construction progresses, we’ll constantly check that everything is still matching up the plans. It’s like double-checking your answers on a test—making sure everything stays spot-on.
- Drone Deploy Ground for 360 Walkthroughs: We’re also flying interior drones through a designated path to create virtual tours of the construction site. This isn’t just fun; it lets us and everyone else see the progress in real-time and make sure everything is going smoothly.
Thanks to some pretty awesome tech and a team that’s all about precision and accuracy, the Custom House project is a perfect example of how we blend the old with the new. We’re excited to keep pushing the limits of what we can do, making sure places like the Custom House are around for generations.