The 6th grade class of Dickinson Public Schools recently experienced a virtual sneak peek of what their new middle school will look like. With the help of Mortenson’s in-house Virtual Design and Construction capabilities Integrated Construction Coordinator Jenn Corazzo created a 3-D model to give the students a visual understanding of their new building. Over the course of four days, Jenn and the project team navigated 270 students in small groups through the model, starting with the entrance and moving through courtyard views, classrooms, lockers, and the gymnasium.
“It was great seeing the kids’ reaction when I was projecting the live model of their building” said Jenn. “It’s not often that 6th graders get to see such behind the scenes work—I’m sure this visit adds to the excitement of starting school here!”
For nearly 20 years, Mortenson has helped pioneer the use of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) in all phases, from preconstruction through operations and maintenance. Our VDC process enables better designs and reduces the time and cost of construction. From planning and communication to safety, quality and productivity, the use of VDC has proven to benefit of our customers, partners, and team members.
The new $65 million middle school will accommodate up to 960 students in grades 6-8. The facility was designed by DLR Group, with civil engineering by KLJ and technology by Johnson Controls. The project will complete July 2017.
The students will be the first class of 8th graders to begin using the new school when it opens for the 2017/2018 school year. In addition to the virtual tour, the they were able to take a tour of the exterior site as well as learn about the construction process and career opportunities in the industry.
“It was great to see that the future 8th grade class is as excited about their new building as we are” said project manager Josh Gustafson. The students noted that they are most most excited about the new gym, library, and courtyard.
Click here to see a sampling of the virtual model.