ISSUE 04 - November 2018
WWW. NANOPIXEL . BE RE AL ESTATE
INDUSTRY
ENTERTAINMENT
NANOZINE A Nanofirm concept, intelligence of the future
Nanopixel | 3D visual | for Compagnie Het Zoute
“Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.� Winston Churchill
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Nanozine – published by Nanopixel REAL ESTATE
INDUSTRY
ENTERTAINMENT
3D visuals
product visualization
virtual reality experiences
animation movies
product configurators
augmented reality experiences
product configurators
sales tools
product configurators
virtual reality experiences
virtual reality experiences
product visualization
augmented reality experiences
augmented reality experiences
360° tours
mydesigner (product)
branding (digital) advertising showreal (product) mydesigner (product)
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Nanopixel was born in 2007. Since then we’ve developed ourselves in Belgium as the premiere partner for ‘high end experiences’ within real estate. Our core has always been 3D. This hasn’t changed. What has changed is the range of clients we’re helping to conquer the market with 3D. Our achievements are no longer limited to the real estate industry, and we want to make this very clear. These days we focus on three broad verticals: real estate, industry and entertainment. Always in the broadest sense of the term, because we think outside the box. Our services defy all imagination and our technology is limitless. This applies to our vision as well: this is the key to Nanopixel’s success. I’d hereby like to invite you to be inspired by our Nanozine. In this magazine we share our creations, and also our vision of the future and that of people that intrigue and inspire us. It’s the story of Nanopixel which we’d like you to be involved in, and which we’d be happy to make you a part of. Enjoy reading,
Dietrich De Blander CEO Nanopixel
© Diego Franssens
Nanozine – preface
Dear reader,
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Nanozine – Index
008 THE SKYLINE OF OOSTENDE: TRIPLE A-LOCATION WITH STUNNING VIEWS
060 LET THEM PLAY: CHILD-SIZED INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES
016 A WINDOW, A VIEW, A VISION
062 CO-LIVING IN BRUSSELS: A NEIGHBOURHOOD IN A BUILDING
024 FLANDERS’ NEW HOME FOR VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES
066 DUO: REINHART VIANE & GWEN VANHEE - THE FUTURE IS CONNECTED
032 COLUMN: DARING TO EXTEND THE DIGITAL WORLD TO THE ANALOGUE POINT OF SALES
072 VR FOR AI: WHEN TWO TECHNOLOGIES FIND EACH OTHER
038 DUO: PIET GODDAER & PROF. DR. WIM VAN PAESSCHEN HEALTH HOUSE
076 LOUIS DE CORDIER. VR ART MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
044 FROM COLD SHELLSTATE BUILDING TO INTERIOR DREAM
082 SPOTLIGHT: AN OVERVIEW OF IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS
054 THE DIGITAL ANSWER TO ‘PERSONAL EXPERIENCE’
086 AN AUTUMN FULL OF AWARDS
060 LET THEM PLAY: CHILD-SIZED INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES
088 NANO JOBS
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Nanozine – Index
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
“The eyes are useless when the mind is blind” NO SIGHT WITHOUT INSIGHT, THAT’S OUR MOTTO. THAT’S WHY WE PUT THIS ON A PEDESTAL: A PROJECT AND A PRODUCT FROM OUR PORTFOLIO WHICH AROSE FROM THE SAME VISION. THE SKY WAS NOT THE LIMIT, BUT THE BEGINNING.
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Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
SKY TOWERS OOSTENDE
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THOSE WHO LOOK FURTHER THAN THE ARBITRARY CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH-RISES IN REAL ESTATE ENTER INTO A DIALOGUE WITH THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS. THAT’S WHAT VASTGOEDGROEP DEGOORTE DID DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKY TOWERS, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY OOSTENDE’S ARCHITECTURAL APEX IN THE MAKING. MUCH MORE THAN A BUILDING, THE REAL ESTATE PROJECT BETWEEN THE STATION AND THE MERCATORDOK IS A NEIGHBOURHOOD, A CITY IN A CITY, A REDEVELOPMENT OF A RUN-DOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD, BUT ESPECIALLY A UNIQUE LANDMARK THAT WILL CHANGE THE SKYLINE OF OOSTENDE FOREVER.
Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
Triple A-location with stunning views
REAL ESTATE
Two towers, – one of 97 and one of 85 meters – or 29 and 26 floors respectively, 485 flats, a four-star hotel, shops, open green spaces and a publicly accessible sky bar will from 2028 on together form SKY District in Oostenende. The site between the station and the Mercatordok will as such, much more than a loose collection of buildings, be a contemporary site which creates connections. Vastgoedgroep Degroote and Arcas Architects have been doing the heavy lifting for the project for a few years now. “We’ve been building in Oostende for more than forty years”, explains David Degroote. “It’s our birthplace and with SKY Towers, we want to help shape our city. In order to limit the varied real estate profile - the mix of residential, recreational, and work spaces - in terms of square meters, we had to build skywards. If there’s any place in Oostende to build vertically, it’s the strategic location between the historical city centre, the Hazegras neighbourhood and the Maria-Hendrikapark. It’s a triple A-location that we’re saving from degradation. And the panoramic views will be memorable.”
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Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
David and Jan Degroote
Vastgoedgroep Degroote (photo) & Nanopixel can still look back on a very fruitful collaboration. We completed the SKY Towers project from A to Z with 3D visualisations, animations, the SHOWREAL sales application and the accompanying project website. Additionally, Nanopixel visualised other projects for the construction promotor, for example, ‘The Waves’ (Oostende).
“IT’S A TRIPLE A-LOCATION WHERE THE PANORAMIC VIEWS WILL BE STUNNING.” David Degroote, Director Vastgoedgroep Degroote 013
Arcas Architects is specialised in residential real estate
The horizontal bands of the terraces are made of white
in collaboration with project developers and they
architectonic polished concrete with marble granules in
knew very well in which direction they wanted to take
mixed colours. Another special element is the opened
SKY Towers: “An apartment in this location will always
corners of the towers. These reinforce the sleek
be scarce. That’s why we went for contemporary,
architecture and above all provide a memorable view
timeless architecture which will stand the test of
of the city centre, the sea, the port and the Oostende
time. If there is a reconversion in a distant future, this
skyline. “Because SKY District will have a large impact
will be possible without touching the outer shell”,
on the view and the appearance of the city, we of
says architect Bart Chielens. The two towers are
course want to make all residents of Oostende and
furthermore distinguished by their white, uniform
visitors feel welcome. In this context, the courtyard
appearance, the enormous windows, ditto terraces
is of great value. It will be publicly accessible during
and a vertical layering contrasted with horizontal
the daytime and only closed in the evening to respect
dynamics. “Extending terraces and the shifting rhythm
the privacy and peace and quiet of the residents. In
of colours provide a playful appearance. Furthermore,
addition to the courtyard, the sky bar will also be a
the living terraces are positioned alternately so that
meeting place. With a restaurant and bar at 100 meters
there are always two living layers between the terraces
elevation and with a view of the sea, we’re offering
and to ensure optimal sunshine in all apartments.”
a sizable attraction”, in the words of Chielens.
Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
TIMELESS ARCHITECTURE
REAL ESTATE
“FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, WE WERE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE OOSTENDE STADSATELIER FOR TWO YEARS, A FIRST” 014
David Degroote, Director Vastgoedgroep Degroote
was worth it. We received a medium that always
Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
kept the wellbeing of the city in mind between management and the client, and this clearly had a positive impact on the spatial planning and the wellbeing of the site and the city residents.” Furthermore, SKY District is one of the first large projects that will be connected to the Oostende
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
heating grid. “The first and second construction
The close collaboration with Stadsatelier
says David Degroote. “This allows us to contribute
Oostende is what really got the project soaring
the development of a more environmentally
to great heights. “We were in discussions
conscious neighbourhood. Excess energy is
about the development for three years, a first”,
converted into heat, the site residents will enjoy
David Degroote says. “The city for instance
energy prices up to 20% below the market price
stressed the importance of open spaces with a
and there is a 100% guarantee of having electricity.
lot of greenery. As such, some 58% of the total
Choices like these are essential in developing a
surface will not be built upon. The flat roofs
project that will still be up-to-date in ten years.”
will be green roofs with local dune vegetation. Another organisational requirement was that of underground mobility and parking. The squares in front of SKY Towers will be entirely free of cars.” SKY District clearly strives to be more than a standard construction project. Bart Chielens: “The participation of the Stadsatelier in the development of the project led to delays, but it
phase of the heating grid have been licensed”,
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Nanozine – The Skyline of Oostende
TEN YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION The work will in total take eight years and will be completed in four phases. The start is scheduled for September 2019, because the school is currently still in use. “The first phase, including the construction of SKY Tower ONE along the Mercatordok and SKY Bridge, should be finished by the end of 2022. The prices will range from 200,000 to 1.5 million euros”, says David Degroote. “The total investment over the ten years will be more than 260 million euros and will together with the urban renovation solidify Oostende’s position as the Queen of Seaside Resorts.” www.skytowers.be
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – A window, a view, a vision
© Brigida Gonzalez
SKY-FRAME
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ALUMINIUM SLIDING WINDOWS AND DOOR DESIGNS INVOLVE MUCH MORE THAN FITTING GLASS IN A FRAME. THIS BECOMES CLEAR AFTER A MEETING WITH SKYFRAME, THE SWISS COMPANY THAT IS DELIVERING A FINISHED PROJECT IN ITS SLEEKEST AND MOST SUSTAINABLE FORM TOGETHER WITH ITS PERMANENT BELGIAN INSTALLATION PARTNERS. SLIDING WINDOWS IN THIS WAY EVOLVE FROM A PRODUCT TO A CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT WHICH CREATES ADDED VALUE. “THE VALUE OF THESE MUST CONTRIBUTE TO THE SALE OF REAL ESTATE IN A POSITIVE WAY.”
Nanozine – A window, a view, a vision
A window, a view, a vision
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – A window, a view, a vision
Bouwgroep Versluys, One Carlton, Knokke
“The less you see the window, the clearer the quality,” Dick Boeckx begins. He represents Sky-Frame in the Benelux and does this from the ‘Kanaal’, the special living and working complex in Wijnegem owned by art and antiques guru Axel Vervoordt. “If you want to present the highest quality in sliding windows and doors to the public, your operational base must be of equal quality.” The Antwerp resident exudes Swiss finesse and correctness with his neat, corporate outfit and driven speech, although his sneakers underneath do reveal a rebellious side. “We’re not a manufacturer of profiles, but a supplier of finished concepts. We’re also not a company that tries to make its windows fit in every possible opening. A Sky-Frameaccent or a mix with authentic or classic joinery can still be very beautiful. And we certainly don’t take orders to develop a product from this. We like to work the other way around.”
“THE LESS YOU SEE THE WINDOW, THE CLEARER THE QUALITY.” Dick Boeckx, representative of Sky-Frame Benelux.
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Nanozine – A window, a view, a vision
SLEEKEST CUSTOM WORK The stripped-down appearance makes a Sky-Frame eminently suitable
And without much ado, Walter Zwiersz, the commercial
for building elements in minimalist architecture. Two beautiful creations
manager at FMPplus from Duffel, gets to the core
are One Carlton in Knokke and Blanke Top in Cadzand, both examples
of the company immediately. “The special quality
of contemporary projects on behalf of Versluys Groep. “We think the
of Sky-Frame is mainly the technical thoroughness.
aesthetics of our products are evident”, Boeckx explains, while he
Initially a construction business, the company wanted
welcomes one of his most important Belgian engineering partners
to take on all challenges in the field of production,
to the showroom. After a selection and training at the Swiss mother
fitting and replacement of sliding elements.
company, their tasks do not only consist of engineering, fitting and
They made it their mission to find solutions for wear,
installation, but also pricing and advice from the architect and client.
poor maintenance, possible breakage of glass, etc.”
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – A window, a view, a vision Bouwgroep Versluys, Blanke Top, Cadzand Sky-Frame is the only sleek-window designer which supplies hardened glazing as standard in every project.
CLIMATIC QUALITY The result is a sustainable product. “We’re very often held back because our products offer resistance in difficult climatic conditions. After all, Sky-Frame is the only sleek-window designer which supplies hardened glazing as standard in every project. This type of glazing is resistant to both mechanical and thermal shocks”, according to Boeckx. He cannot mask his pride when sliding his hands over the refined design. “The minimal profiles provide maximum visibility”, he continues. “The sunken frame with rails is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very practical because there are no barriers. All you can see is the 20mm vertical overlap between the two sliding elements.” And this unique substructure is the key to Sky-Frame’s success. Zwiersz: “A lot of attention is paid to this ingenuous system. Sliding windows are most susceptible to condensation between -5 and 5 degrees. Sky-Frame entirely eliminates this risk.”
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Nanozine – A window, a view, a vision
Dick Boeckx and Walter Zwiersz
Beautiful quality usually comes at a cost. “We reach people who can accurately assess the value of the product and take the sustainability into account. We want the client to enjoy optimal comfort in terms of wind and water resistance, thermal and acoustic insulation values, security and potentially shading. When we get together with a client who values quality above price, they don’t need much convincing. In Sky-Frame they don’t see a product, but a construction element providing added value.”
INDUSTRY
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Nanozine – Portfolio
Melexis 2018
Complex technology
Melexis is one of the top suppliers of microchips, and we developed a VRÂ application for them. The experience with high-quality visuals explains how microchips are used in present and future vehicle technology.
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Nanozine – Portfolio
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Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
A look inside Flanders’ newest home of virtual experiences THE CLICHES ABOUND WHEN TALKING ABOUT VIRTUAL REALITY. A COMMON VIEW IS THAT IT’S A THING FOR LONERS, NERDS, PEOPLE WITH LITTLE SENSE OF REALITY. BUT IN ROESELARE, THE CLICHES WERE QUICKLY BRUSHED OFF THE TABLE. THE BILLIARDS TABLE THAT IS, BECAUSE THE NEW NANOPIXEL OFFICE COMBINES MAD MEN WITH MANCAVE VIBES. BOTH MALE AND FEMALE 3D ARTISTS, INTERIOR ARCHITECTS AND ANIMATION EXPERTS FEEL AT HOME ON THE TWO FLOORS WORKING ON THE NEWEST VR EXPERIENCES IN A TEAM. PHOTOGRAPHY: ILLIAS TEIRLINCK
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Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
The speakers are playing ‘Walk This Way’ by Aerosmith, because a birthday is being celebrated. Also on the programme for the day: a BBQ party on the parking lot to get the weekend started. Plenty of atmosphere, and this is maintained consciously. “I was working as a freelancer in 2007, but I quickly ran into the ‘grow or stay small’ dilemma. Nanopixel went from 1 to 52 employees between 2011 and now and relocated twice due to lack of space”, says CEO Dietrich De Blander. “This growth spurt was accompanied by a search for the right people. We can choose from a large pool of creative millennials and this involves a lot of challenges. We want talented people who are on the same wavelength. This means that we sometimes have to go further afield and have to make our workplace sufficiently attractive.”
LEISURE AND PLEASURE Nanopixel found this workplace on the Meensesteenweg in Roeselare at the beginning of the year. And although the building doesn’t immediately appeal to the imagination, the eclectic interior makes up for everything. The top floor houses the reception, the kitchen, various meeting rooms and the open workplaces of the ‘Interior’, ‘Exterior’ and ‘3D’ teams. Graphic designer and 026
art director Eveline Thijs (34) works here as well. She’s been there from the beginning. “Some three years ago, I made the transition from advertising to
Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
Nanopixel because I’d had enough of making ads without any artistic added value. Architecture has been my passion for years and the 3D images I’m supplied to work with here inspire me. I’m an old timer here, both in terms of age and years of service. (laughs) I’m given the confidence to plan my work myself and to combine it with my private life and children. That does it for me.”
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games console is screaming for attention, the cinema room is ready to break through the slog, the gym is the place to get fit during the afternoon and the house bar is shrouded in red LED light on Fridays for after-work drinks. Dietrich: “Alcohol on the work floor is a taboo, but I honestly don’t see the problem. And that applies to all relaxation facilities here. They’re here at the request of the employees and came into existence in mutual consultation and maybe that’s why there isn’t any abuse.” It’s not all ‘leisure and pleasure’ on the lower floor, because in addition to the cubicle for administration and project management, it also houses the web and VR developers. One of them is Meindert Stijfhals (23). With his black metal t-shirt, sleek black hair and pale skin, he sets off the nerd alarm, but his ambitious tone quickly misspells this illusion. “I’ve been working here as a web developer for half a year. The projects appeal to me because I don’t develop regular websites here. They are often web configurations which allow the client to personalise or visualise a product, design or interior during his online visit, and this is hugely interesting and challenging to me.”
Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
On the lower floor, the billiards table beckons, the
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Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
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The younger team on the upper floor includes Marieke Mestdagh, Ellen Taelman and Eva Maes. Together they make up the ‘Interior’ team and this is very useful in a fast-growing company. “We designed this office together, and a lot of ideas were actually implemented. We only didn’t get the slide”, Marieke (26) laughs. As an art director, she monitors the quality of the productions. “You spend more time at work than at home, so it’s a big plus if you can work in an attractive environment. Your colleagues also make work fun and provide job satisfaction.” Cooking and eating together in the afternoon, working overtime out of solidarity because a colleague has a deadline to meet: plenty of collegiality at Nanopixel. And this includes stimulating each other professionally. “We work with the ‘Slack’ app, a kind of professional WhatsApp. We upload all our work on this and give each other feedback”, says Thomas Deleu (39). He has been part of the ‘Exterior’ team for two years and likes the fact that colleagues help each other reach a higher level. “We don’t see the feedback as criticism, but as a positive way of challenging each other. In any case, there’s no lack of humour here. This makes all the feedback on Slack easy to digest.”
Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
GETTING TO A HIGHER LEVEL TOGETHER
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Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
SEEMING NONCHALANCE A workplace with flexible hours, where you’re judged on your results, not your hours. What kind of management does this require? Dietrich: “I am indeed not a classic manager and put myself on the same level as my employees. My job is to grow the company, and this requires quality. All employees here receive maximum flexibility to structure their work themselves, but this is met by a critical artistic assessment.” ‘Walk This Way’ has by now finished playing, but the message is clear. Here, the nonchalance is an illusion and the ambition is real. As ‘real’ as Steven Tyler’s physical condition.
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Nanozine – Nanopixel Clubhouse
COLUMN Daring to extend the digital world to the analogue point of sales 032
INFORMATION OVERLOAD DAY WAS HELD AGAIN ON 20 OCTOBER, AND RIGHTLY SO. CONSUMERS ARE THESE DAYS BOMBARDED WITH MUCH TOO MUCH INFORMATION,
Nanozine – Column
FROM THEIR JOBS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMPANIES TRYING TO OFFER THEIR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. TO STAY AFLOAT IN THIS TIDAL WAVE OF INFORMATION, YOU NEED MORE THAN A PERSONALISED EMAIL. DON’T PUT EVERYTHING IN A PROSPECT’S INBOX, BUT DIGITISE YOUR STORE OR OFFICE AND MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
Organisations are collecting more data than
Therefore, organisations have to focus on what’s really
ever, while consumers are being inundated with
important, and this is good customer experiences
personalised ads and emails. However, none of
and the accompanying conversion. Today, everyone is
these are more or less customised than the version
overwhelming prospects with too much information,
of the next competitor. In practice, data is still too
there are websites where you can customise cars,
often used as an excuse to fire information at a
kitchens and bicycles, but as soon as a customer
prospect. The problem of data overload has less
goes to a physical shop, all this data goes into the
to do with the volumes of data in circulation and
rubbish bin. We have to move away from collecting
more to do with the way in which it is deployed.
data for sport or sending marketing emails out of principle, and we have to extend the digital world to the analogue point of sales. Putting a screen showing your website in the shop is of course not enough. The digital world has to offer significant added value in this physical point of sales by offering the customer something they cannot experience at home.
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This approach increases the chances of conversion, and simultaneously provides very valuable data if the the analogue shop, you generate valuable data about the prospects’ decision-making process. They will in turn speak highly about the experience offered by your business, even if they didn’t buy anything, which then provides word of mouth advertising.
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES When a customer who just configured a car on the website of a car brand steps into a licensee’s office, he has to start from the beginning. There’s no trace of the car configured online. Imagine that the seller can offer added value, for example by allowing the customer to take a virtual seat in his configured car using VR goggles. Or a real estate agency allowing the buyer to experience the view he’ll enjoy from the newly constructed apartment he’s considering on the spot. In both examples, earlier client preferences are translated into a personalised experience which offers clear added value. A buyer will even go to the office or licensee for this, where he or she will be immediately guided by a salesperson.
Nanozine – Column
buyer does drop out. By adding a digital experience to
DON’T COUNT ON IMAGINATION I’m convinced that organisations have to fully bank on such experiences. These days, their attempts at personalised communication still contain too much static, which we’re happy to rebel against on Information Overload Day. Furthermore, sellers are still counting on their customers’ imagination too much, while this is not actually necessary with current technology. It’s therefore a good idea to take a step back, look at the data which is already in the database and to analyse which problem is to be addressed. You then look for the most suitable technology to solve that problem, and at the same time give the customer an astounding experience. This can be VR or AR, but could just as well be a very strong web app or a mobile application with high-end 3D content. As long as you take the problem as a point of departure instead of the other way around. Developing a VR experience which doesn’t contribute to the company objectives is the same as throwing money away. In the end, I don’t think the problem is too much information, but trying to find a way through too much unstructured data without taking the end goal into account. This in turn is because we don’t extend the conversion process to the actual purchase in the shop. By doing this and providing interesting digital experiences, both the customer and the seller benefit. By Jochen Van Lysebettens, VR-inspirer & business developer at Nanopixel.
TOUCH. SHOW. SELL. a new way of selling real estate 035
Nanozine –
w w w. showreal . b e
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – Portfolio
Waterfront 2018
Waregem
For the prestigious residential project Waterfront in Waregem, we zoomed in on the special building structure for project developers ION and STEENOVEN. The architecture is characterised by enormous cantilevers, an uncommon natural stone facade finish and spacious winter terraces which extend the living space.
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Nano ad
Nanozine – Portfolio
DUO 038
Nanozine – Health House
OUD INDUSTRY
PIET GODDAER | PROF. DR. WIM VAN PAESSCHEN
THE EXPERIENCE CENTRE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HEALTH IN HEVERLEE SHOWS PROFESSIONAL VISITORS A SERIES OF STATE-OF-THE-ART INNOVATIONS AND IN DOING SO PROVES THAT THE FIELDS OF HEALTH AND CARE ARE INCREASINGLY BEING DEFINED BY TECHNOLOGY. YOU CAN AMONG OTHER THINGS ENTER A HUMAN BRAIN AND EXPERIENCE HOW AN EPILEPTIC ATTACK OCCURS AND FEELS. IT’S A SPECIAL VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE WHICH WE CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH PIONEER AND 3D SOUND SPECIALIST PIET GODDAER AND EPILEPSY SPECIALIST PROF. DR. WIM VAN PAESSCHEN.
Nanozine – Health House
THE ‘HEALTH HOUSE’ OPENED ITS DOORS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
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In ‘Health House’, virtual reality shows an epileptic attack in the human brain
INDUSTRY
Piet Goddaer “I rolled into the development of 3D sounds by chance, but I’ve been exploring it for five years now. I started as a pioneer, but have now given lectures all over the world as a specialist in the field. Three years ago I was invited by Google and what I saw there was really an eye opener. What I’m doing now isn’t the distant future, it’s the here and now. Back home I immediately started drawing out my own 3D sound studio.”
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Nanozine – Health House © Diego Franssens
“Sound is everywhere, we’re surrounded by it. Our brain
“I’m convinced that we will in the future transition from stereo to 3D
constantly scans the environment for sound, this is our built-in
sound. ‘Health House’ asked me to create a 3D brain sound during
defence mechanism. But this can also be very tiring in places
an epileptic attack. While recording, I for instance sent my blood
with a lot of stimuli. 3D sound is easier on your brain, because
pressure sky high, as often happens during an attack. I monitored
you’re not surrounded by it, but rather inside it. It allows you
and recorded the sound. I also envision other applications in the
to reproduce sound in its natural form and create models
future, such as palliative care, pain management, etc. 3D sound can,
with the same qualities. I’m most interested in the last point.
thanks to its ability to transport someone into a different world, help
This has been my primary occupation for the last two years.”
move the focus of the pain and reduce the need for medication.”
Prof. Dr. Wim Van Paesschen “A lot of people see epilepsy as ‘the falling disease’. But it is of course much more than that. There are various types of attacks and causes and I’d like to provide clarity about this. Furthermore, I’m very interested in modern conceptions in order to do this, including the VR experience in ‘Health House’.”
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Nanozine – Health House
© Diego Franssens
“Technology can support us in our daily research. By bringing
can’t touch (the language centre for example), etc.”
images together, we can perform much more nuanced diagnoses.
“Digital and online detection methods are also
We use MR, PET, SPECT, ... to each time analyse a component
emerging. UZ and KU Leuven, Byteflies, Pili Pili and the
of epilepsy, like the structure or circulation of the brain at the
biopharmaceutical company UCB are currently working
time of the attack. We’ve gotten a much better view of the big
on a wearable system that allows patients to detect their
picture recently by training a person in charge to compile 2D
attacks in real time and to personalise their treatment.
images into a 3D image. This allows us to map where the epileptic
There’s a lot of work to do, but we’re on the right track.”
focus is, how we can remove it by means of surgery, what we
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – Portfolio
Ensor Tower Penthouse 2018
Oostende
The skyline of Oostende, and the maritime feeling of the sea, the dunes and the marina: for Groep Versluys we focused on the view. The visuals furthermore attest to a special luxury feel which appeals to the right target group.
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Nanozine – Portfolio
REAL ESTATE
CHAMBON-PENTHOUSE FROM COLD SHELL-STATE BUILDING TO INTERIOR DREAM
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THE CHAMBON PENTHOUSE IS LOCATED IN THE HISTORICAL CENTRE OF BRUSSELS. THE SPECIAL RESIDENCE ON THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH FLOOR IS PART OF THE BUILDING OF THE SAME NAME, A FORMER BANKING COMPLEX IN THE SHAPE OF A HORSESHOE WHICH WAS DESIGNED BETWEEN 1910 AND 1918 BY BRUSSELS RESIDENT AND ARCHITECT ALFRED CHAMBON. THE CHAMBON COMPLEX IS SHOWING OFF WITH ITS ART DECO ELEMENTS, WAS RESPECTFULLY RENOVATED BY PROJECT DEVELOPER IMMOBEL AND ARCHITECTS JASPERS-EYERS & PARTNERS AND A2RC ARCHITECTS INTO A CONTEMPORARY TOP BUILDING AND WAS GIVEN AN MIPIM AWARD IN 2017. BUT HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT OWNER FOR AN EXCLUSIVE GEM LIKE THE CHAMBON PENTHOUSE? IN COLLABORATION WITH NANOPIXEL AND THE BELGIAN COUTURE ARCHITECT VANDER VELPEN, A GREY, COLD SHELL-STATE BUILDING WAS TURNED INTO A VIRTUAL INTERIOR DREAM.
The Chambon project is the largest conversion ever of
seventh floor is literally and figuratively the pinnacle.
an empty, outdated office building in the centre of the
“The penthouse has two floors and is an absolute
city into an ambitious multi-use ensemble of preserved
style statement. Because there are many decoration
and restored historical buildings and transformed
options, we offer it in shell state. But that does create
and new buildings. They were all given a place around
some initial resistance in this price segment. So we
a newly developed 3000 m² garden promenade, the
ultimately chose to set a clear course. Together with
largest in this area in the last five decades. Renowned
Nanopixel and Dieter Vander Velpen we designed a
gardening firm Wirtz carried out the development of
virtual interior that immediately shows interested parties
the promenade. The site now houses 248 apartments,
what the penthouse is all about. And this is nothing less
134 student studios, offices, a five-star boutique hotel
than exquisite grandeur,” says Roeland Vandenbrande,
and an easyHotel. The penthouse on the sixth and
Marketing and Communication Manager at Immobel.
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Nanozine – Chambon-Penthouse
REAL ESTATE
046 © Patricia Goijens
Dieter Vander Velpen (photo) was designated as an upcoming Belgian talent by Sabato this year. He is appreciated at home and abroad for his luxurious style and for choosing warm, sustainable materials, but whereas the couture architect normally works according to the client’s specifications, we worked the other way around this time. “We were given a carte blanche by Immobel to design the penthouse for a fictional future client. This on the one hand means that our design had to be accessible enough to appeal to a broad audience, but on the other hand, we were more able to put our own signature on it. I think our design is ultimately a bit more daring than what we normally deliver, because we had a certain client in mind during the design process: a client without children looking for a (second) home with a high entertainment value. We went for large spaces, a lot of room for receiving guests and spectacular eyecatchers. Show elements include the statement wall with a fireplace and the large wine display in the dining room.”
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penthouse. Behind it there is a floating staircase which is illuminated perfectly at night. Around the table: Warren Platner velvet lounge chairs (1966) which fit perfectly in an art deco inspired interior with their steel frames.
The context is of course also very important during a renovation. “In this case art deco played an important role”, explains Vander Velpen. “In the penthouse, the two floors display influences of patinated bronze, dark wood, shiny design, sleek lines, rich upholstery, dark colours, etc. Nanopixel doesn’t only employ 3D artists, but an interior team as well. This makes it easier to communicate when you want to put the right accents on texture, material, accessories, etc. For many people, these interior views are the ideal way to imagine the possibilities of a large, empty shell space and to not have to examine the entire interior design and all the choices and coordination this involves. As soon as we get a green light we can – potentially with the desired adjustments – finish and complete the desired penthouse in six months.”
Nanozine – Chambon-Penthouse
The large wine display in the dining room is one of the showpieces of the
REAL ESTATE
The Chambon complex is directly opposite De Munt, the renovated Martelarenplein is just around the corner, the Grote Markt is within walking distance and to stroll through the majestic Sint-Hubertusgalerij you need only cross the street.
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The lower floor of the penthouse is set up as a living and reception area. The various spaces flow into each other with the dining room to the left of the living room and the library/bar to the right. The eyecatcher in the living room with double seating corners is the statement wall with a 7 meter fireplace made of steel, walnut veneer, patinated bronze and cafĂŠ au lait marble for a dramatic art deco effect. The floor consists of wall-towall oak planks. To somewhat counter the selection of cold materials, large carpets (Thibault Van Renne) and upholstered furniture in a light, soft colour were chosen.
The boutique dressing with oyster-coloured wall-to-wall carpeting shows off with a marble gem island with suede leaf finish. The wooden niche to relax and glass displays to show off your favourite shoes and clothing give the dressing room the appearance of a luxury boutique.
You can relax luxuriously in the wellness area made of Belgian natural stone. The magnificent wellness space is equipped with a sauna, double shower and jacuzzi and has a view of the inner courtyard.
The masculine library/bar is a combination displaying books or liquor and a round glass horizontal wooden slats provide subtle privacy.
Nanozine – Chambon-Penthouse
table (design by Vander Velpen). Wall panels with
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of dark walnut veneer, bronze niches for
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Nanozine – Chambon-Penthouse On the lower floor, space was reserved for a home cinema with a retractible screen. Here as well, bronze and marble with flowing organic lines were used. The emerald green velvet sofa is customised (Vander Velpen).
*UPDATE THE IMMOBEL MARKETING CAMPAIGN WAS IN FULL SWING BETWEEN THE TIME OF WRITING OF THIS ARTICLE AND THE PUBLICATION OF NANOZINE. THE PENTHOUSE HAS NOW BEEN SOLD SUCCESSFULLY AND THE POWER OF THE PERSONALISATION OF THE SALES PROCESS THROUGH VISUALISATION HAS BEEN PROVEN.
White Calacatta as the trump card on the upper floor. It lightly dresses the bathroom with a double washing basin, hidden toilet, free-standing bathtub and enormous double steam shower.
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island. This is a three-volume pile of marble, golden messing and dark walnut wood.
Nanozine – Chambon-Penthouse
The open kitchen area has a sculpted kitchen
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – Portfolio
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Nanozine – Portfolio
Dumobil 2018
Gent
A sleek image of stylish residential architecture and timeless material combinations. This visualisation of a Dumobil apartment in Gent focuses on a luxurious atmosphere partly thanks to the inside terraces.
REAL ESTATE
THE DIGITAL ANSWER TO ‘PERSONAL EXPERIENCE’
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Nanozine – The digital answer to ‘personal experience’
“ You offer a ‘personal experience’ and marketing needs this more than ever these days. After all, people don’t just want an experience, but meaning as well. So let’s get personal.” (FUTURIST AND TREND WATCHER TOM PALMAERTS, TRENDWOLVES)
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BOSTOEN LIVING CONFIGURATOR
23.O CT. 201 8
Would you like to experience your new home before a single brick has been laid? The living configurator by residential project developer Bostoen makes this possible. Before the purchase of a house or apartment, clients can use this app to compare and select the interior finish in a virtual environment. From floor to wall tiles, from sanitary equipment to lighting, from material to colour: all living elements are in the cloud and are continually updated. This allows you to make your ideal personalised combination and really bring your dream house to life. Bostoen configured the VR app for several show houses bringing together the best of both worlds: clients experience a virtual sense of home and then become convinced thanks to the realistic finish quality and tangible samples. Because they get a better idea of the possibilities and with it the final result, interested parties will decide to proceed with a purchase more quickly. We developed the virtual living areas and digitised the finishing materials. 400 square meters in one app? The living configurator brings the showroom to you.
Nanozine – The digital answer to ‘personal experience’
VISUAL EXPERIENCE STIMULATES PURCHASES
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – The digital answer to ‘personal experience’
PERSONALISED KITCHENS FOR A UNIQUE BUYING EXPERIENCE OBUMEX SALES APP
23.OCT.2018
Select and configure a kitchen to your specifications: the dream of every foodie slash interior enthusiast. The sales app made by the interior specialist Obumex creates a simulation of a client’s dream kitchen. Users of the app can choose from a number of concept kitchens – these are developed by Obumex itself or are design kitchens in collaboration with leading interior architects like Joseph Dirand or Grégoire de Lafforest – and can customise these to the desired style. Do you want your kitchen island in hard limestone or polished marble? And the tap, do you want it to be made of copper, brass or bronze? The app allows for all kinds of combinations and shows the personalised kitchen in daylight and in the evening, when spotlights and lamps illuminate the interior. Thanks to the zoom function, you can see the perfectly simulated material textures up close. Obumex contacted us with the request to create an app that takes potential buyers along in a unique experience and in doing so increases the brand commitment. The result? A better competitive position and more sales: check and check!
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RUBIO MONOCOAT
A beautiful new wooden floor in your house? You of course want to keep it as beautiful as possible. Rubio Monocoat is a special maintenance oil for wood in – wait for it – no less than forty standard colours and seven unique colours. That’s too many to represent separately. Enter the Rubio configurator. Our creation allows you to choose from various very realistic spaces with furniture with various wood finishes which allow you to fully experiment with Rubio’s colours. Comprehensible and fun: win-win!
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Nanozine – The digital answer to ‘personal experience’
EXPERIMENTING WITH WOODEN FLOORS
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Nanozine – Portfolio
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Infinity Penthouse 2018
Luxemburg
High ceilings are the eyecatcher in the visuals for Infinity, the penthouse in the Immobel project with the same name. Nothing but grandeur for this iconic project by the Luxemburg-based project developer.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Nanozine – Let them play
LET THEM PLAY child-sized interactive experiences VR AS A VALUABLE CLASSROOM TOOL? PEDAGOGICAL EXPERTS SAY ‘YES’! A CHILD THAT ISN’T ONLY TAUGHT ABOUT A CORAL REEF BUT ACTUALLY EXPERIENCES IT WILL REMEMBER THE STUDY MATERIAL BETTER. TELL US SOMETHING NEW!
Fact: VR improves children’s learning: the more senses that are stimulated, the better the student can focus his attention on the lesson and the more information that is stored. Another fact: VR experiences ensure that information is stored in the brain as a personal memory, not as external information. This allows children to learn more, more quickly. But does this make them better people? Yes again! Because someone who for instance sees the living conditions of child refugees through a VR app empathises with their situation more than those seeing this on a regular screen. By adopting someone’s perspective in such an intensive way, empathy is stimulated. Kids become more social and are less likely to engage in bullying.
VIRTUAL SANDBOX Children are very fascinated by VR. And it’s this fascination combined with education which is the basis of our Sandbox. Our augmented reality application even goes a step further, because it projects topographical models on real sand which are then supplemented in real time with a digital height chart, topographic contour lines and simulated water. A 3D depth camera then ensures that the software acquires a view of the height of the sand. If the sand is virtually brought below sea level, you’ll also see water and mountains of sand will rise like volcanos. Fun guaranteed! Sandbox brings children into contact with the latest technology in a fun, playful way by morphing it with a traditional sandbox. A toy that teaches children to handle both the physical and virtua world, that’s actually the best of both worlds.
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Another example of this type of transcendent playing experience combining new and old? The Interactive Wall for Kids. The colouring page is the central focus here, a classic if there ever was one. In this Nanopixel spinoff, children colour templates of sea creatures. Their drawing then goes into a scanner. This recognises the animal and creates a texture on the basis of the specific drawing. This whole is digitally projected onto a 3D screen, bringing the drawing to life including all the colours used on paper. They see their own creation become reality: the fish they just coloured is swimming around in the aquarium, bubbles burst apart. The thought process behind the Interactive Wall? Giving kids an iPad is easy but to add value with new technology, that’s next level: precisely the challenge we’re taking on.
Nanozine – Let them play
INTERACTIVE COLOURING PAGE
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – Co-living In Brussels
CO-LIVING IN BRUSSELS
PROJECT ‘THE DOME’ IS GOING A STEP FURTHER WITH THE NEW HOUSING CONCEPT ‘CO-LIVING’. ON THE BEURSPLEIN, THE ICONIC, FORMER ACTIRIS OFFICE BUILDING WILL IN COLLABORATION WITH RENOWNED ARCHITECTS COUSSÉE & GORIS BE BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WITH A VARIED PROGRAMME IN ONE BUILDING. WORK, LIVING, SHOPPING AND RECREATION: SOON WE’LL BE DOING EVERYTHING TOGETHER UNDER ONE ROOF.
The popularity of cities, rising cost of living, the increase in
The working and living concept in Amsterdam offers flexible
population, the growing group of singles, the rise of flexible
workplaces/apartments which are mainly popular among
family compositions, ... All these factors contribute to the
digital nomads. This group is always on the road and plugged
emergence of a new living trend: co-living. This didn’t go
in. And although Belgium in general is still a bit reluctant,
unnoticed by Tom Palmaerts, futurist, trend watcher and
The Dome in Brussels is one of the first to get on the co-
founder of trend agency Trendwolves: “We see some shifts
living bandwagon. The characteristic building is situated on
in economic, emotional and demographic terms, which is
the corner of the Beursplein, Anspachlaan, P. Devauxstraat
leading people to move to the city and to, in addition to having
and the Kiekenmarkt and is aimed at freelancers, creative
a small, comfortable apartment, also share space with others.
entrepreneurs and expats who want to live together
Co-living won’t turn out to be a hype, but an evolution on
comfortably and affordably. The challenge will be the same
the path towards a compact, flexible world of singles who
for all new co-living projects: maintaining privacy, however
want to be together, but not really, or not permanently. Very
compact it is. “Millennial or not, people will always value their
interesting.” Design hotels set the example in previous years
privacy. We all need our own spot, away from everything
with luxurious micro rooms and large meet & connect lobbies.
and everyone, to binge watch our favourite Netflix series.”
Zoku Hotel picked up on the trend in the Netherlands in 2016.
Nanozine – Co-living In Brussels
NOW THAT CO-WORKING HAS BECOME FULLY INTEGRATED, THE RECONVERSION
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A neighbourhood in a building
REAL ESTATE
VERTICAL ACCENTS BY COUSSÉE & GORIS With a varied and contemporary programme of work, living, shopping and recreation, The Dome is intended to freshen up the neighbourhood around Brussels’ Beursplein from 2023. The renowned Belgian architects Coussée & Goris, known for the city Library De Krook in Gent, the visitor centre of Het Zwin in Knokke-Heist and the warehouses of the Kanaal site in Wijnegem, are supplying architecture with strong branding. In The Dome, the architecture agency is combining vertical accents, sleekly designed dormers, a powerful canopy and historically valuable elements which will be repainted.
EATALY & FOSBURY The residents of The Dome have one thing in common: they all fit in the concept of the building perfectly. Eataly will be moving in. The culinary Walhalla for Italian cuisine enthusiasts is a global success. And this has everything to do with the branding of the concept which is 064
going for artisanal, affordable products. The metamorphosis which Delhaize will go through after the reconversion is also very special. The supermarket has been doing good business
Nanozine – Co-living In Brussels
for years, but will upon request of the project also integrate an urban concept focusing on experience in addition to its classic shop. Work takes place on the upper floors. The uber-hip Fosbury & Sons will be operating a new 7500 m2 co-working space there. You’ll undoubtedly find the residents of the roughly sixty co-living apartments there. They rent an apartment (between 45 m2 and 95 m2) in The Dome for 900 euros a month with their own living space, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, and additionally have access to a range of common areas such as the lobby, bar, laundromat, roof terraces and vegetable gardens. Those looking for a memorable view should go to the dome. This cherry on the cake is publicly accessible.
THE DOME TEAM VPP Project Development focuses on a contemporary repurposing and revaluation of valuable historical sites and prime locations. By focusing on trendsetting architecture, the quality of life of residents, sustainability of materials and energy and the creation of added value for the environment, VDD transforms buildings into monuments for the future. VDD partner Thibault De Vos: “We’re proud that we were selected out of a competition between the sixteen biggest Belgian developers to put our weight behind The Dome. It’s an anchor building in the heart of Brussels. And the project precisely reflects our expertise and mission. As opposed to other countries, Belgium still has a conservative don’t-touch-it mentality when it comes to historical buildings. Our vision is that a building should be able to be permanently in motion, as long as this is done in a highquality and thoughtful way. The best time of a building should always be yet to come.”
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Nanozine – Co-living In Brussels
Nanozine – The future is connected
OUD
DUO 066
REINHART VIANE | GWEN VANHEE PHOTOGRAPHY: DIEGO FRANSSENS
The future is connected FUTURE OF THEIR BUSINESS IN A TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD IN WHICH PEOPLE AND DEVICES ARE CONNECTED 24/7? THEIR VISION IN FOUR QUESTIONS.
Nanozine – The future is connected
AUTHORITIES IN THEIR FIELD. HOW DO THEY SEE THE
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REINHART VIANE AND GWEN VANHEE ARE TWO
Gwen Vanhee, nøcomputer WHICH TECHNOLOGY WILL YOUR INDUSTRY NEED MOST IN THE FUTURE?
“We work together with Nanopixel in developing interactive installations and experiences that create unique moments between brands and their clients. We’re especially looking towards artificial intelligence and augmented reality because both have the capacity for mainstream adoption. They will even become as ubiquitous as Facebook. We also look further, to a new generation of technologies where devices – such as headsets and smartphones – will no longer be necessary and where we will drape transparent digital layers over the physical world. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is in full swing and we’re following it with an eager but critical view.” TECHNOLOGY MEANS THAT WE’RE CONNECTED DAY AND NIGHT. DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING?
“On the one hand, it’s fantastic: the world has become a lot smaller. It’s unbelievable what kind of evolution the arrival of the first iPhone – only ten years ago – set in motion. Technology is by now omnipresent. We can do everything on-the-go and with the greatest of ease. On the other hand, we hand over more and more personal information to large corporations without any idea of how this is processed. On a small scale, the instant 068
gratification of social media causes social isolation. Turning off now and then is becoming more difficult, but also increasingly important.”
Nanozine – The future is connected
DEVICES ARE ALSO INCREASINGLY CONNECTED. HOW DO YOU DEPLOY THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR BUSINESS?
“For us, IoT is a means to an end. We focus on creating an experience using the most suitable technology, such as AI, AR/VR, IoT, robotics, ... The current business value of IoT is mainly in monitoring and remotely controlling things like energy use, home automation, freight transport, etc. This is also a first-generation technology. Tomorrow’s intelligent systems will after all be able to make decisions autonomously with far-reaching automation and efficiency as a result.” WHICH IMAGINARY TECHNOLOGY WOULD GREATLY HELP YOUR INDUSTRY?
“Personally I’m waiting for the mainstream adoption of autonomous cars. Aside from the theme of safety, increasing traffic is leading to a lot of wasted time. Furthermore, I want a device that makes everything I come up with.” (laughs)
Reinhart Viane, KCC Entertainment Design WHICH TECHNOLOGY WILL YOUR INDUSTRY NEED MOST IN THE FUTURE?
“KCC designs indoor theme parks, and in this industry an immersive experience is the key to creating a unique, unforgettable experience for the guests. In doing so we push the boundaries of imagination and that which is technically feasible 069
and this distinguishes a theme park from a fair.” TECHNOLOGY MEANS THAT WE’RE CONNECTED DAY
“Being able to be constantly connected doesn’t mean we have to be. It’s not the constant connectivity but expectations that cause problems. Being connected is a choice that you have to dare to make consciously.” DEVICES ARE ALSO INCREASINGLY CONNECTED. HOW DO YOU DEPLOY THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR BUSINESS?
“Data collection! This allows theme parks to generate an inestimable amount of data about visitor behaviour and the dynamics of a visit to a theme park. And continuous updates of this information also allow for immediate reactions to evolutions in this.” WHICH IMAGINARY TECHNOLOGY WOULD GREATLY HELP YOUR INDUSTRY?
“Hoverboards (cfr. Back to the future)! The added value for our sector remains to be seen, but they’ve been promised to us since 1989.”
Nanozine – The future is connected
AND NIGHT. DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING?
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Refuga 2018
Hasselt
A pleasant escape from the bustle of the city: you’ll find this in our visuals for Kolmont. We followed their special vision on urban greenery and created interior and exterior images that unite the works of various artists.
INDUSTRY
VR for AI: When two technologies find each other HOW DO YOU CONVINCE POTENTIAL CLIENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS OF THE POTENTIAL OF AI APPLICATION WHICH IS AS INNOVATIVE AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEMONSTRATE? NALANTIS, A YOUNG ANTWERP-BASED SME, SEARCHED FOR AND FOUND THE ANSWER IN A VR APPLICATION. SINCE THEN, THE INVITATIONS TO PRESTIGIOUS TRADE FAIRS AND DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN STREAMING IN, ATTESTS CEO FRANK AERNOUT.
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Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days, from robotics to advanced technology for controlling machines, but you’re
Nanozine - VR for AI
going in a different direction with the development of an especially high-performance AI for text recognition?
Frank Aernout: “Our intelligent algorithms
you: “I have to go to the bank to make a transfer.”
understand natural speech. They don’t just
You immediately understand that I’m referring to
recognise words, they understand and place these
the financial institution, not the sofa in my garden.
in the context in which they are written or spoken.
Traditional software doesn’t understand this
The ‘contextual’ concept in particular is innovative
difference, our algorithms do. This is about artificial
here and as such of great importance, because
intelligence. On the basis of these algorithms we
that’s the big difference between the way in which
then developed applications that can extract certain
software on the one hand and humans on the
information – on the basis of definable parameters
other understand and interpret language. If I say to
– very rapidly from both spoken and written texts.”
Do you have an example? “We specialise in the lightning-fast analysis of unstructured texts. We can for example analyse and organise a quickly recorded CV and extract the relevant information for a certain vacancy. Or take the application that we developed for Stad Gent. This allows the city official to query their own local legislation – an enormous amount of often legal data and texts – in ordinary vernacular. So our algorithm retrieves exactly the sought-after information from all these texts.”
Flanders, probably not by chance as a small language area, has a significant tradition in the field of language technology. Is it a coincidence that Stephen Lernout – son of – is working for you? “Stephen is our business development manager, and there are a few people around who at some point learned something at L&H, but the connection doesn’t go much further than that. L&H was a speech technology company, while our focus is on text comprehension. Of course this can also involve spoken language which is converted into text, but we don’t use any L&H technology for this and we don’t develop it ourselves. We just use what’s already on the market for this at the moment. On the other hand, it’s not by chance that Flanders has been at the top in terms of language technology for years, and a company like L&H did do some pioneering in this field. Globally, there aren’t too many companies active in this area, and I can agree with you that there is indeed quite a lot of action at that level in Flanders. We hope to continue on the chosen path with Nalantis.” 073
from the reputable fairs to which you have been invited over the coming months: from the HR Technology Conference & Expo in Las Vegas to the AI Summit in New York. But: to quickly explain the application possibilities to a broader audience, a VR tool was necessary?
How innovative are you in this?
“Yes, that’s true. How do you explain to potential clients which process you have to go through to go from a job description and then – on
“All the big players, from Google to Facebook and Amazon, are
the basis of our AI – very rapidly get to the five most suitable CVs?
working on this. The main difference with our technology is
This turned out to be trickier than we thought, so we turned to
that they work on the basis of raw ‘machine learning’ power.
Nanopixel. We didn’t just want a video that explained the various
So this is analysis on the basis of enormous amounts of data.
stages: clients had to be able to experience the entire process in real
Our technology is based on pure semantic analysis. So we
time. This seems self-explanatory, but it wasn’t: Nanopixel had to
really work on language – half of our team are linguists – and
really delve into our technology. But the result speaks for itself.”
we focus on a smaller number of sectors. This makes us a lot more accurate. We also ‘speak’ seven languages: you can for example search a Spanish code of laws perfectly on the basis of search terms in Dutch. At the moment almost ninety percent of our applications are in HR, but I see as lot of potential for this technology in the legal and medical sectors or for chat boxes.”
Nanozine - VR for AI
© Diego Franssens
The fact that your technology is very innovative is clear
INDUSTRY
How and with what purpose do you use the newly developed VR application now? “With goggles in hand, we’re going to fairs or clients to convince them of the innovative aspects of our technology. I’m also surprised at how many doors this has opened. Thanks to this VR we’re now even getting speaker slots at very large trade fairs. These are for us of course incredibly important sales and marketing moments.”
What is the exact added value of VR in quickly
The key question is of course: who
and clearly explaining your technology?
will pay for this technology?
“At first glance VR is a very impactful experience, much more
“In the HR sector, these will be companies that are looking for
convincing than demonstrating something using slides or a
very clearly defined profiles, in the legal world these will mainly
video. Furthermore, you’re simply much more impressed by
be law firms or other legal service providers who deploy this
the greatness and impact of our technology in 3D. So it’s just a
technology to optimise their earning model. Citizens will in
really good marketing instrument. The live aspect in particular
turn often be given the technology for free because it is part
really turns this VR experience into something special: you
of the service that a public administration offers its citizens.”
really experience the whole process as a client or interested party. This is also the main difference with a video.” 074
Nanozine - VR for AI You’re mainly still active in HR and the legal
When do you see this technology
sector: to what degree can your technology
really breaking through?
grow into a real societal game changer?
“Especially in HR and for legal purposes, this is at most a few years away. The number of trade fairs and
“I think we have a technology that’s potentially disruptive in
conferences to which we’re being invited says enough:
a lot of sectors. HR for instance: companies that purchase
in a few years’ time the demand has exploded.”
our technology can look for the most suitable candidate for a vacancy much more quickly and efficiently. In other words: this technology saves a lot of time, and thus money. The same applies to the legal sector, where an algorithm can offer an answer to a complicated legal question in no time. In time I also see applications in a lot of other sectors: our technology is after all also usable for financial data or in all possible sectors that deal with a lot of unstructured data.”
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“THANKS TO THE NANOPIXEL VR APP, OUR CLIENTS CAN EXPERIENCE THE WHOLE PROCESS OF OUR VR TOOL IN REAL TIME” Frank Aernout, CEO Nalantis
ENTERTAINMENT
LOUIS DE CORDIER
VR art making the world a better place
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Nanozine – Louis De Cordier: VR art
HOW HUMANITY’S DOING? AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF REFLECTION, RESEARCH AND PHILANTHROPIC ART INITIATIVES, LOUIS DE CORDIER HAS A SOMEWHAT POSITIVE VIEW OF THE FUTURE. WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN HUMANITY’S SOCIABLE NATURE AND UNDER THE COLLECTIVE NAME ‘COSCO’, THE BELGIAN ARTIST IS ENTERING INTO ARTISTIC PARTNERSHIPS. ALSO FOR THE VR VERSION OF HIS ‘METATRON’, A FUTURISTIC EXPERIENCE WHICH BRINGS YOU BACK TO THE PRESENT.
THE METATRON The ‘Metatron’ has been around for a while, because De Cordier developed the first analogue version of the installation in Bredene at the request of art project Beaufort on the Belgian coast. The name and shape of the artefact made of Corten steel refer to the mystical ‘Metatron’s Cube’ which is regarded as the symbol of all beginning and end of life. Renaissance artists such as Piero della Francesca, Leonardo Da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer expressed the timeless shape in their era, it is related to the ‘Golden Ratio’ and De Cordier adds an extra dimension to this, because for him, the Metatron is the messenger of our intellectual capacity. “The Metatron is a time capsule. How great would it be to send the work into space, containing a small, bronze, indestructible miniature and to tell other, distant civilizations now or in a distant future about us?”, asks the artist.
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Nanozine – Louis De Cordier: VR art
HUMAN CONDITION Today the work of art is displayed in the
confronts humanity with its transience,”
graphic artist. But whereas the destructive
Provinciedomein Raversyde in Oostende, filled
he explains. It is this humanity, this ‘human
nature of humanity at the beginning of his
with concrete and with a firm foundation.
condition’, that De Cordier has made his
career mainly darkened the work of De Cordier
It’s not surprising that the geometrical
philosophical life’s work. Call it a family trait,
junior, he today primarily sees the opportunities
sculpture is close to the sea. The link between
because father Thierry De Cordier has also
to create a better future. “I’ve read a great
nature, architecture, art, technology and
explored humanity and has added builder of
deal and studied ancient civilizations, from
science is never far off in De Cordier’s work.
installations and poet-philosopher to his list
ancient Egypt to the Maya culture. I have
“With all its overwhelming power, the sea
of occupations, including sculptor, painter and
faith in the collective power of humanity.”
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Nanozine – Louis De Cordier: VR art
BACK TO THE PRESENT De Cordier relocated from Oudenaarde to a village in the Alpajurras in the Spanish province of Andalucia with his family in 2011. There he dreams and creates work about a 079
sustainable future. He operates under the name ‘Cosco’ and does this for a very clear reason. “I work on various projects with various people and want this to be reflected in humanity.” In 2017 the event RE-art connected Louis De Cordier with Nanopixel for the creation of a collective project. “Using virtual reality, I wanted to move the
JAN VAN EYCK Those who think that VR doesn’t fit in the worldview of an artist who moves heaven and earth for a social future are very wrong, because Louis De Cordier will integrate
Metatron to Mongolia, where a shamanistic culture far
virtual reality in his work in the future as well. “Internet is
removed from Western civilization, uses nothing more
already social and democratic, so I’m in favour. (laughs)
than repetitive noise to achieve the trance necessary
You can ‘share and care’ without it costing you too
to travel to other realities and to find solutions which
much money. Virtual reality goes a step further, because
can lead to harmony. It’s comparable to the ideas of experts in quantum physics who are convinced that our
who would want to ‘have’ the new Porsche if you can experience it with VR goggles from the comfort of your
reality is no more than a hologram. And virtual reality
living room? I thus view technology as an essential tool on
also finds a connection with the creation of alternative
my path to a better world.” Next year, Gent is celebrating
realities here. This fascinates me. But I didn’t expect
the great Jan van Eyck year and in this framework, the
the result to be this good. The Mongolian landscape
expatriate Belgian was asked to make VR work related to
was simulated in detail as a futuristic landscape with a floating ‘Metatron’ that takes you into an image of a distant future. It’s about distancing ourselves in time to reflect on today. Metatron VR encourages contemplation and provides a very special experience. Those who see and experience it are glued to their seats.”
Jan van Eyck, the grandmaster of Flemish painting and 15th century innovator and pioneer in representing reality.
Nanozine – Louis De Cordier: VR art
in my name. Cosco represents this collective, this belief
INDUSTRY
Janssen Pharmaceutica 2017
A VIRTUAL TRIP THROUGH THE HUMAN BODY
How you explain the effect of a complex medicine on the body to interested parties? With virtual reality, what else? At the request of Janssen Biotech we created an impressive VR experience for a new medicine against blood cancer. Thanks to the scientifically correct explanatory visuals, doctors, professors and specialists can within minutes understand the ins & outs of this medicine, from the unique mode of action to the way it works on the body. VR and the medical sector: a match with many possibilities.
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Nanozine – Portfolio
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Nanozine – Portfolio
SPOTLIGHT
An overview of several creations
PIONEERING WITH VIRTUAL REALITY: THESE COMPANIES PRECEDED YOU. WE PUT THEM IN THE SPOTLIGHT: FROM ONLINE MADE-TOMEASURE CLOSET TO YOUR OWN PLAYGROUND.
CUSTOMISED DREAM CLOSET IN 1-2-3 MAATKASTEN ONLINE
Interiors differ. Customised closets are therefore not a luxury, according to Maatkasten Online. Thanks to our configuration module, clients can very quickly and easily configure their dream 082
closets. Do you want a closet with two walls, a freestanding closet or an open dresser? Start your own creative process with a basic
Nanozine – Spotlight
design and fill in the dimensions of the space. Afterwards you’ll go through a few more steps to determine the layout, design and finish. The result? The ideal custom-built closet.
PROJECTING SUNSCREENS IN YOUR OWN HOME RENSON
Augmented reality is not the same as virtual reality - whereas in VR the user is transported to an entirely virtual world, AR adds virtual elements to reality. Soon you’ll be able to discover in real time how the Renson range of sunscreens will look in your own home.
VIRTUAL REALITY ENRICHES TRAINING PROGRAMMES EANDIS
Eandis is a Belgian grid operator for the distribution of electricity and natural gas and employs a great deal of people. They provide their employees with an internal training. The company wanted to create added value with a VR experience to support the theoretical course. We developed a virtual reality experience to simulate the actions that workers must be able to carry out ‘in the field’. This for instance allowed employees to replace the fuses in large steam rooms without the risks involved in practice.
YOUR OWN PLAYGROUND IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE ELI PLAY
ELI Play, a company that designs playgrounds, came to us for the creation of a real trampoline configurator. This handy tool provides clients who want their own, tailor-made leisure park place the desired components – like a trampoline, a jumping area and price are immediately made clear. This design process, that used to take months, has thanks to the configurator been reduced to one hour. Cheaper, quicker and more efficient.
LED SCREEN IN SIGHT HEISENBERG
Heisenberg is a high-quality LED screen which is retractable, can rotate 180 degrees and which can be adjusted in height. A still image to explain the operation wouldn’t do justice to this PRG product. A spectacular explainer video? That of course would. In the atmospheric animation we made, Heisenberg is illuminated from all sides in a very atmospheric setting. An explainer video that’s informative and entertaining? Done and done.
Nanozine – Spotlight
or a foam pit – in the available space. Layout, colour, perspective
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with a 3D image of the design. Together with the designer, they
REAL ESTATE
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Nanozine – Portfolio
Cadzand 2018
Cadzand
For Compagnie Het Zoute we created visuals with timeless interiors, sleek and warm at the same time. The high-end appearance matches the prime location of the Cadzand project, right in the dunes and near the beach.
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Nanozine – Portfolio
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Nanozine – Awards
An autumn full of awards FROM NOMINATIONS AT HOME TO AWARDS ABROAD: NANOPIXEL WON PLENTY OF PRIZES THIS AUTUMN. SILICON VALLEY IN WESTFLANDERS? THE FIRST STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
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SME OF THE YEAR WEST-FLANDERS PROVINCIAL
It was an exciting battle between physical and virtual – the other four contenders were from the industrial sector. The jury spoke especially highly of our company structure (“entirely Belgian” and “is clearly bearing fruit”) and our growth over the last two years. From 14 to 50 employees, who are all real experts in their field: something Unizo can be proud of. As the West-Flanders laureate we were in the running for the national title. Did we bring it home?
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VR AWARD INTERNATIONAL
Internationally we’re also recognised for our future-proof solutions. The evidence? The award at the International VR Awards 2018 in the category ‘VR Architecture and Real Estate of the Year’. The VR Awards honour the best products, solutions and creations in VR worldwide. We left the other nominees - top players like Rewind and ILMxLAB behind us and won the award with a VR tool that can be used by a real estate company during the purchase of a project house or apartment. 087
NOMINATIE DELOITTE TECHNOLOGY FAST 50 NATIONAL
Nanopixel achieved 1st place for West-Flanders and a 7th place nationally in Technology Fast 50 by Deloitte and this is thanks to 4-year growth of 679,44%. This is how we conquered our place in the fifty fastest growing and most innovative tech companies in Belgium. The jury praised our strategy and continuous growth which led to a strong position in the market. If a thumbs up was an award, this would be it.
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TRENDS DIGITAL PIONEERS 2018 NATIONAL
Together with Google and PwC, Trends went in search of the Trends Digital Pioneers 2018: companies and organizations that have created a digital project which is innovative and pioneering, which has an impact on the company and society as a whole.
DIGITAL PIONEERS 2018
Nanopixel was nominated in the ‘Sales’ category with its innovative real estate sales tool ‘SHOWREAL’. By the time you’re reading this, the winner in the category will already be known! Did we make it?
Nanozine – Awards
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Nanozine – Jobs
NANO JOBS As a fast-growing company we’re always looking for new employees. WWW.NANOPIXEL.BE/JOBS
Senior 3D Artist Do you have a passion for 3D & animation? We’re still looking for passionate people to make animations and visualisation videos.
Web Developer Is coding your passion and would you like to help make innovative websites and products configurators? We always have room for strong profiles. For both the front end and the back end!
Business Developer Are you fascinated by what we do and would you like to help us develop new business? It never hurts to apply! 089
Nanozine – Jobs
Real-time 3D Artist We’re still looking for creative profiles with 3D skills... and certainly if you can link these to game development!
Unity Developer To support our robust growth, we’re looking for a Unity Developer.
HQ ROESELARE
Meensesteenweg 332 8800 Roeselare Belgium — info@nanopixel.be +32 (0) 51 62 64 69
090 REGISTERED OFFICE
Nanozine – Colofon
Sint-Amandsstraat 38 8800 Roeselare Belgium DESIGN
Maister Nanopixel ART DIRECTOR
Eveline Thijs EDITORS
SAVVY - Leslie Vanhecke PUBLISHER
Nanopixel bvba, A Nanofirm Company
All rights reserved. ©2018, Nanopixel Nanopixel takes the greatest care in composing this magazine. It doesn’t accept any liability for damage of any nature which is the result of incorrect listing or printing errors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an automated database or made public in any form or by any means, be it electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any other way without prior written permission from the publisher. With regards to what has been included in this publication, attempts have been made to ascertain the copyright holder insofar as these were known. Insofar as there is an incorrect mention of the copyright owner, this is based on information obtained in good faith. The publisher accepts no liability for any lack of permission from copyright holders.
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