Collaborative Ultimate Building Environment (CUBE) integrated Scalable Display Technologies to power its BIM CUBE — a 40-foot by 10-foot four-projector immersive visualization environment for architecture, engineering, and construction teams, delivering seamless human-scale collaboration on 3D design and Building Information Modeling without headsets or glasses.
Collaborative Ultimate Building Environment — known as CUBE — is an immersive visualization platform purpose-built for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Founded by Cody Nowak, an architect by background, CUBE was created to solve a specific problem: the collaboration gap between design and construction that emerges when complex 3D models exist only on screens that don't convey human scale.
In 2018, CUBE introduced the BIM CUBE — Building Information Modeling CUBE — a mobile, popup immersive environment that allows teams to experience architectural designs and construction models at near one-to-one human scale, collaboratively, in a physical space.
The BIM CUBE is a 40-foot by 10-foot projection environment divided into two walls, driven by four projectors and surround sound. One wall displays the 3D design; the other displays the BIM model. The simultaneous display allows participants to compare the job site to different models in a 360-degree view, aligning models with BIM data to identify design discrepancies in real time.
"The BIM CUBE is designed as a 40-foot by 10-foot projection that's separated into two walls and data points," explained Nowak. "Our traditional setup includes four projectors and surround sound to create a seamless, immersive experience. The BIM CUBE incorporates an interactive 3D design so that, as changes are made to the design, it's updated and reflected in real time on the human scale. The tradespeople are familiar with the content in the field; this enables them to collaborate on a much larger scale."
Before introducing the BIM CUBE, many AEC firms relied on stereoscopic glasses or VR headsets to visualize 3D content. CUBE eliminated those barriers — the environment is headset-free, glasses-free, and large enough to accommodate groups while maintaining social distancing when required.
"My background is in architecture and construction, so I understood the need for technology as a solution to streamline the collaboration between tradespeople throughout the construction process," said Nowak. "Before introducing the BIM CUBE, many architecture, engineering and construction companies utilized a 3D environment with stereoscopic glasses and virtual reality headsets. The glasses and headsets can often be a distraction and barrier to collaboration. BIM CUBE eliminates the need for glasses and headsets. It also creates an immersive experience on a near one-to-one human scale."
With four projectors covering a 40-foot continuous surface, seamless edge blending was non-negotiable. A single projector could never deliver the scale required for a human-scale collaborative environment — and without precise blending, the multiple projectors would produce visible seams that would undermine the immersive experience.
"The simultaneous display would not be possible with one projector," noted Nowak. "With Scalable Display Technologies, we're able to incorporate four projectors with seamless edge blending. Without Scalable, the BIM CUBE would be restricted to a single projector, which would eliminate the human scale and immersive experience."
Scalable's stitching technology also addressed a practical challenge unique to an interactive, collaborative space: people standing in front of the projectors.
"Tradespeople can also touch the wall with the projection without affecting the display," Nowak added. "Scalable eliminates the dark points with their stitching technology. Anyone can view the content, even if someone is stepping in front of the projector."
A critical requirement for CUBE was that the system be operable by clients who are architects and construction managers — not AV specialists. Scalable's one-touch recalibration made that possible.
"We've worked with Scalable to create desktop icons, which allows anyone utilizing the BIM CUBE to calibrate the system with a single button," said Nowak. "The ease of use on a pre-calibrated system is outstanding. It works well for our clients because it allows them to utilize the baseline from the initial calibration anytime they need to recalibrate their system."
The result has become a core business driver for CUBE — not just a display tool but a client engagement platform that construction firms use to draw clients into their space for design review meetings. "Ultimately, our end users connect with the technology," Nowak said. "Many of my clients will build a BIM CUBE as a tool to pull clients into their space for meetings."
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