Summary
Divine Designs Consultants Ltd | 3D Virtual Tours, Photography & Aerial Footage
Striking Places Photography has worked closely with Steve Johnston at Divine Designs to bring his architectural projects to life through 3D virtual tours, professional photography, and aerial imagery. From initial property scans to complete renovation documentation, our work showcases the quality of Steve’s designs while providing versatile visual content for websites, social media, and client presentations.
Highlights:
- Capturing pre- and post-renovation stages with Matterport 3D tours
- Aerial photography for context and impact
- Professional commercial photography for marketing and portfolios
- Headshots for personal branding and online presence
[Scroll down to see the full case study with interactive tours and visual highlights.]
Introduction
I’m a very sociable person, some might even say a natural networker. While working on time-lapse and virtual tours for Olympus Build, I wanted to connect Shaun from Olympus Build with architects and architectural consultants, as they work well together.
I discovered Steve Johnston on LinkedIn and was interested to find he lives in my neighbourhood. We connected, and I started the conversation by asking if he’d be happy to be introduced to my client, Shaun.
Steve was happy to be introduced, but he was also very interested in the 3D virtual tour services I offer. We arranged a meeting to discuss how these could support his practice.
Steve had used Matterport before and appreciated its capabilities, but his busy schedule left him little time to apply it effectively. He was also in the process of rebuilding his website and wanted to showcase a particular property in St Albans in 3D.
I was excited to work with Steve, whose designs speak for themselves.
About Divine Designs
Divine Designs Consultants Ltd, founded by architectural technologist Steve Johnston, is a St Albans-based architectural consultancy with over 40 years of experience in design, planning, and building control applications. The firm operates across North London and Hertfordshire, specialising in transforming clients’ visions into reality through a comprehensive and personalised design process.
Divine Designs offers a range of services, including pre-application advice, surveying, and design for projects such as extensions, loft conversions, conservatories, garage conversions, outbuildings, and new builds. Their approach focuses on understanding each client’s unique needs and aspirations, ensuring every project is tailored to meet specific requirements and budgets.
With a commitment to delivering high-quality designs and managing the complexities of planning permission and building regulation approvals, Divine Designs provides clients with a seamless journey from initial consultation to project completion.
Projects & Visual Highlights
Steve’s skill shines through in his designs. Here’s the first virtual tour I created for him back in 2021:
Since this first project, Steve has called on me regularly to document local St Albans residential building projects using Matterport 3D virtual tours, commercial photography for his residential properties, professional headshots and aerial photography:
Major Renovation Project
The largest project I have worked on with Steve to date is the renovation and extension of a substantial 6-bedroom property on a highly sought-after road in St Albans. Steve wanted to document the project from start to finish.
We began with a 3D virtual tour of the property before the renovation, which coincidentally took place on the day the new owners moved in. There was a tiny window of opportunity to capture the scan. Here is what the property looked like before the renovations.
Phoenix Construction Herts carried out the work. Here is the 3D virtual tour after the renovations:
Conclusion
Working with Steve and Divine Designs is a rewarding experience and highlights the value of long-term client relationships. Over time, our work has evolved to meet changing needs, adding new 3D virtual tours, photography, and aerial imagery as projects have grown in scale.
We also adapt content for various platforms, ensuring it displays well on websites, social media, and client presentations. New technologies, such as updated Matterport features or advanced drone capabilities, are seamlessly integrated to provide fresh, relevant content whenever needed.
Repeat collaborations like this reflect the trust and flexibility that come from understanding a client’s goals, anticipating their needs, and being ready to provide innovative solutions as those needs evolve.