University Campus 360 Walkthrough in Montreal
A web-based virtual walkthrough that let a distributed planning committee review existing conditions without travelling to campus.
The Challenge
A Montreal university was planning accessibility upgrades across a three-storey campus building. The planning committee included members from three departments and two external consultants - most of whom were not based on campus. Coordinating in-person site walks was proving difficult and delaying the planning process.
The university needed a way for all committee members to review existing conditions remotely, at their own pace, without requiring specialised software or technical training. The solution had to be accessible via a standard web browser and intuitive enough for non-technical stakeholders to navigate independently.
Time was also a factor. The committee's next scheduled meeting was just over two weeks away, and the university wanted the walkthrough delivered and distributed before that date so participants could arrive prepared.
Our Approach
The building was captured over 2 days, covering all three floors including corridors, classrooms, washrooms, stairwells, and elevator lobbies. Capture positions were placed at regular intervals to ensure smooth navigation between spaces, with additional positions in areas of particular interest for the accessibility review - such as door thresholds, ramp transitions, and washroom entries.
The 360 walkthrough was processed and published to a web-based hosting platform accessible via any modern browser on desktop, tablet, or mobile. Navigation was organised by floor, with labelled waypoints for key areas including main entrances, elevator lobbies, washroom facilities, and lecture halls.
The walkthrough link was delivered to the planning committee along with a simple user guide explaining navigation controls, floor switching, and waypoint labels. No software installation or account creation was required - committee members simply clicked the link and began exploring.
Deliverables
- Web-based 360 walkthrough (hosted, shareable link)
- Floor-by-floor navigation with interactive floor selector
- Labelled waypoints for key areas (entrances, elevators, washrooms, lecture halls)
Results
Within the first week of delivery, all committee members had reviewed the building independently. The walkthrough was accessed more than 40 times in the first 10 days, with an average session duration that indicated thorough floor-by-floor exploration rather than quick glances.
The next planning meeting was the most productive to date - participants arrived already familiar with existing conditions and were able to focus on solutions rather than spatial orientation. Discussion time was spent evaluating upgrade options rather than describing current layouts, which the committee chair noted saved at least one full meeting cycle.
The walkthrough continued to serve as a reference throughout the design phase and was eventually included in the accessibility grant application as supporting documentation, providing reviewers with a clear visual record of the conditions being addressed.
“This was the first meeting where everyone actually understood the building before we started talking. The walkthrough paid for itself in reduced meeting time alone.”