Permit Dispute: Why Windoor Used 3D Visualization to Win Over the Municipality

The Challenge

Dockporten is a residential building whose tenant association (BRF) had a clear goal: install Windoors balcony glazing across the facade. The product was chosen, the contractor was ready — but the municipality pushed back.

One of the concerns was visual impact. Officials believed the glazing would make the facade look bulky and out of character with the surrounding streetscape. Without a way to show otherwise, the permit was stalled.

The municipality wanted more than simple 2D drawings. They needed visual proof.

The Approach

We captured the building using drone photos together with our algorithm, generating a precise 3D model of the existing facade. From there our Qubik software, with one click, modelled all the glazing systems directly onto the balconies — true to actual dimensions and proportions.

Because Qubik includes a specialized rendering engine that can transform any 3D model into a photorealistic scene, we were able to provide a visualization that showed exactly what the finished building would look like. Not a sketch, not a rough impression — a faithful visualization based on real geometry.

We also used the model to test multiple glazing module configurations, giving the BRF the ability to compare options and select what worked best for their building before committing to anything.

What we Delivered

Beyond the visual argument for the municipality, the 3D model produced practical value for the project:

• Total length and area of glazing — accurate quantity takeoff from the modelled glazings for Windoors production cost
• Per-module breakdown — data structured for cost calculation and procurement
• Configuration testing — multiple module layouts evaluated on the actual facade
• PDF report — a client created deliverable for the BRF and the owners

The association could walk into their annual meeting with real numbers and real visuals, not estimates.

The Outcome

The municipality now could let go of the visual requirements of the permit.

The renderings demonstrated clearly that the Windoors glazing did not compromise the facade's character. The visual evidence resolved the dispute that words and permit drawings couldn't.

Windoor also now had complete measurement dataset, ready to go straight into procurement and contractor negotiation.