Ardennes-Etape continues its innovation process, and this time with 3D floor-plans of the holiday homes in the selection, causing great contentment and even admiration among home owners and holiday makers.
Over 170 holiday homes have already been 3D simulated, little over one hundred are already shown on the website. In the long term, it’s Ardennes-Etape’s objective to process the most part of the holiday homes in the selection. Julien Chariot and Antoine Desmaisieres, the 3D designers, are charged full-time with this task.
Unique
The idea is unique in the Belgian tourism industry. 3D simulation goes through three phases: selection of the holiday home through Ardennes-Etape’s Facebook community, measuring on site and the virtual construction of each house.
Julien was responsible for the technical preparation of the project. Antoine joined the 3D 
team more than a year ago. Both are charged with modelling the holiday cottages in three dimensions. The result is every time a work of art. “Our work is quite comparable to that of a construction worker,” Antoine explains. “We start with the walls, floor by floor. Then we add the layout for each floor and all the details, such as an open fire or the water in a sink.” It’s an “extraordinarily meticulous job”, Antoine concludes with a smile.
Motivation
Challenges enough for the 3D team, and the project has had its ups and downs. But Julien and Antoine kept their motivation up. “It’s a huge investment, but it’s just great to, after all the work is done, behold the end result online,” both designers say.
The duo has some anecdotes to share. Antoine tells us about a holiday home with a chair in the shape of an egg. This piece of furniture cost him a whole lot of time to recreate on the screen. As for Julien, it’s mostly the human encounters he will remember. “I was visiting a holiday home and the owner’s enthusiasm was growing as I explained the details of this project. After taking all the measurements, I was ready to take off, when he asked me to wait a bit longer. A few seconds later I was so surprised when he came back with a bottle of champagne. He just wanted to thank us.”
“The satisfaction of home owners and holiday makers encourages us to continue,” Antoine shares. “We are today more motivated than ever.”
Feedback
Reactions from owners and holiday makers are unambiguously positive. “It’s fantastic”, “What a team you guys are”, “Excellent idea! […] We cannot wait to see our own house in 3D”, “Congratulations on the presenation of the cottages in 3D.”
For holiday makers a lot has changed as well. Imagine: your kids have already chosen their favourite bedroom before having set foot inside the house. You know beforehand where everything is to be found, what the layout looks like…
Because that’s Ardennes-Etape’s number one objective: the perfect vacation for all holiday makers, in order for everyone to enjoy the very best the Belgian Ardennes have to offer. These 3D floor-plans are just another means to this end.
Want to know more? Visit the 3D page on www.ardennes-etape.com or call Valérie Geron at Ardennes-Etape: +32 80 29 24 00.