Phil Dixon talks to AT about the Sonify 3D Studio configurator from Zentia

Listen to the Ask the Expert podcast, in partnership with Zentia, exploring Sonify 3D Studio, a powerful online configurator for the company’s innovative new discontinuous ceiling system. In association with Click here to listen to the Ask the Expert podcast One of the principal aims of Zentia’s new Sonify discontinuous ceiling system is to combine high levels of performance with creative freedom using a ‘kit-of-parts’ approach. Panel shape and spacing, along with a palette of 35 different colours are just some of the design parameters available to specifiers. To help architects both visualise their designs and maximise the potential of the system, Zentia has introduced a powerful online configurator: Sonify 3D Studio. So what are the key functions and benefits of Sonify 3D Studio? What makes it different from other ceiling configurators? How does it contribute to the golden thread? And how should architects approach the design and specification process using the software? These questions and more were explored in the second of three Ask the Expert podcasts on ceiling design with Phil Dixon, Head of IT at Zentia, in conversation with AT’s Technical Editor John Ramshaw. What do we mean when we talk about a configurator and where does it typically fit in the designer’s work flow? A configurator, in the generic sense, is a tool that can be used to manipulate the various options of a given system. Configurators are frequently used in the car industry, enabling customers to select different options for a specific model. This type of tool can be used at the beginning of the design process, to explore different configurations, without investing significant time in understanding the complexity of the product. It can also be used to quickly build up a mood board to show clients and engage in early feedback. How does a configurator help an architect deliver design intent and meet specific performance requirements? Like a car configurator, our ceiling configurator is a tool that helps architects to quickly, simply and playfully explore products and configurable options in the Sonify range – without really having to understand how all the systems and fixtures fit together. What is Sonify 3D Studio configurator and why did Zentia build it? One of Zentia’s core beliefs is innovation, so we naturally wanted to create a tool that would add value to our customers by doing something that nobody had done before. 3D Studio is a multifaceted tool, that introduces architects and designers to Sonify, and lets them explore the range’s almost infinite design possibilities quickly, simply and visually. The Sonify 3D Studio configurator combines parametric design and creativity with simple integration into digital workflows What are the main functions and benefits of Sonify 3D Studio for the specifier? There are a number of key elements. The configurator is super simple to play with, enabling users to manipulate shapes, colours and different environments with ease. We also built it to be highly photorealistic, so the system understands materials,