Aurecon has acquired the digital agency Studio Magnified to diversify its digital and advisory offering.
The acquisition means the studio’s team of 25 digital designers and creative strategists will join Aurecon.
Aurecon has increased the number of its digitally skilled staff by 58 per cent over the last two years and aims to continue diversifying its workforce and growing its advisory business.
The new digital design team aims to fulfil demand for digital and virtualisation services to help governments and developers see the value of infrastructure investments.
Aurecon’s Global CEO Giam Swiegers said the growing use of technology has impacted the booming Australian infrastructure sector that is being driven by the Federal and State Government’s $75 billion worth of nation building projects.
“Augmented reality, gaming technologies, AI as well as 3D modelling are powerful tools that are changing the way we analyse and solve our client’s increasingly complex urban design and infrastructure challenges,” said Mr Swiegers.
“We are also using them to assist owners and investors better visualise how infrastructure assets will perform, in advance of being built.”
“This is critical to the set up and execution of major projects. It can cut time and costs during design and construction, improve decision making around investment, while assisting Governments and asset owners to present a far more engaging story to their key stakeholders and communities,” he said.
Dr Andrew Maher anticipates the creation of ‘digital studios’ will be a game changer for engineering and design firms, as they are able to incorporate film, imagery, apps, and installations to make projects more appealing.
“Studio Magnified’s innovative expertise will play a key role in allowing our clients to experience their projects in a way they never have before – completely reimagining an end-to-end experience, from visualisation to planning, construction and launch,” says Maher.
“Gaming technology, augmented and virtual reality as well as 3D are having a huge impact on how the vision for major infrastructure and built environment projects are being communicated to project stakeholders, including Government, investors and the public,” he said.