Project description
The Noorderlijn (northern line) is a part of the Flemish Master Plan 2020 designed to create an efficient tram connection between the centre of Antwerp, Het Eilandje, and the north of the city. The project includes the reconstruction of the Noorderleien and Noorderlaan, Operaplein, Teniersplaats, and a Park & Ride at the Noorderlaan-A12 junction.
The Operaplein is an important motorway interchange in Antwerp. Additional open space will be created by bringing the traffic underground, while still retaining accessibility. This will make the Operaplein a central location for modern Antwerp and create a contrast with the historic city centre. There will be three underground levels for almost 400 parking spaces, a car tunnel, and a pre-metro tunnel. The existing pre-metro station at the opera house will also be renovated and a second station will be built at a depth of 15 metres. Daylight reaches the lower floors thanks to a 24-metre-wide light shaft.
Infranea created a Virtual Reality (VR) environment on behalf of the Municipality of Antwerp to introduce the new Antwerp motorway interchange to the public. They can experience the different pedestrian routes going to and from the pre-metro station and underground facilities. The basis for this VR environment was created using the design data from Autodesk Civil3D, and Revit, among others, which was then imported into the Unity game platform.
What is Virtual Reality?
A Virtual Reality (VR) is created when someone puts on VR glasses and enters a computer-generated virtual world. Each of your eyes see a different image, which makes it is possible to see depth in the virtual world. You are actually viewing that ‘world’ in 3D. The latest technology makes it is possible to use hand gestures to ‘grasp’ and control objects in the virtual world.
This is how: 1) customers can technically validate and adjust the construction project at an early stage, 2) future users can already experience what everything will look like before it is actually built, and 3) we can create simulations by, for example, creating links to other data sources, such as software components or sensor information. So, our VR solutions add value within the different phases of projects and offer great extra value as part of the project life cycle.
