At Royal HaskoningDHV (RHDHV), innovation and collaboration drive their design process. With a global footprint and a diverse portfolio, they take on complex challenges in architecture, engineering, and infrastructure.

Managing large-scale, multi-disciplinary projects with multiple stakeholders isn’t easy. That’s why they turned to Speckle—the go-to tool for easier collaboration and smarter decision-making in AEC.

RHDHV Tackling Complexity in Multi-Disciplinary Projects

RHDHV is a global engineering consultancy with 6,400+ experts tackling projects across industry, buildings, water, maritime, and infrastructure.

With a digital-first mindset, they focus on creating high-performance, future-proof designs. Computational design is at the heart of their process, helping them tackle complex projects that are always evolving.

Leading the charge are Pieter Schreurs, Senior Architect & Knowledge Coordinator, and Merijn de Leur, Associate Director of Architecture & Building Technology. Their work on a major European airport pier shows how Speckle keeps complex design processes streamlined and stakeholders in sync.

Watch their full case study presentation at SpeckleCon in London below:

Speckle: The Backbone of Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration

Designing the airport pier meant juggling input from architects, engineers, and client reps—all using different tools. Without a smooth way to work together in one place, key information could slip through the cracks, and hours would be lost untangling mismatched data.

Speckle exists precisely to help out with that, acting as the central hub for real-time data sharing, scenario analysis, and smarter decision-making—keeping the project on track.

How Speckle Was Used

Parametric Coordination Model

RHDHV developed a Grasshopper-based parametric model that served as the baseline for all design activities. This model was aimed at the exchange of data, generating, combining, and sharing data across all disciplines involved. It included space reservations for architectural, structural, and MEP components, providing a unified reference for all stakeholders.

Scenario Management

The project involved numerous design iterations and scenarios. Speckle’s data management capabilities allowed the team to store, organize, and retrieve different design scenarios efficiently, crucial for comparing options and making informed decisions.

Data Enrichment and Visualization

Speckle enriched design models with quantitative and qualitative data, such as square meterage, functional layouts, and material performance.

Stakeholder Engagement

‍Speckle-based Power BI dashboards were used for scenario evaluation and selection, so that stakeholders can visualize and compare designs effectively. This made sure everyone involved had a clear understanding of the design options and their implications to the project.

Why Speckle Worked for RHDHV

The airport pier project highlighted Speckle’s ability to boost collaboration and drive smarter decisions. This is what worked great in this project:

• Content is leading: Computational design was an integral part of the design approach, ensuring that data-driven decisions were at the forefront.
• Inherent need for informed decision-Making: The project’s scope required a high level of informed decision-making, which Speckle facilitated through its data management and visualization capabilities.
• Computational design skills: The team had the necessary computational design expertise to leverage the full potential of Speckle effectively.
• Align project planning with model development: This ensures timely and relevant data exchange.
• Record process agreements in advance: Process agreements and principles were documented early, providing a clear framework for collaboration.

Conclusion

How the Royal HaskoningDHV team leverages Speckle proves that smart AEC tech can streamline even the most complex design processes.

As RHDHV keeps innovating, Speckle is right there with them, making design more sustainable, efficient, and collaborative. By simplifying complex workflows, we help their team work more smoothly and focus on what they do best.

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