Conceptual Basis

Specific domain knowledge

One of the major strengths of 43D is its firm understanding of the domains in which its products are to be used, and its commitment to maintaining that firm understanding. From careful analysis we know that the main need, desire, and opportunity for Topos currently arises within the domains of

• Architecture

• Landscape architecture

• Large development projects

• Land Planning

Close user and customer involvement

In order to maintain a firm domain knowledge, innovate and test the products, and deepen our understanding of customers’ needs, 43D is committed to a high degree of user and customer involvement. This takes several forms including:

• Pilot installations

• Consultancy

• Feedback

Close relationship to research

43D was born from work accomplished in advanced research, especially in the fields of participatory design, cooperative systems, and ambient computing. We maintain a close relationship to research:

• in the local context, in particular the research environment in the Alexandra Institute’s project hotel, the Computer Science department at University of Aarhus, and the IT-city Katrinebjerg.

• through engagement on the European and world stage, for example in EU funded interdisciplinary research and technical development projects within the area of Information Society Technologies (IST).

Designing for flexibility

Rather than trying to construct “intelligent” applications, 43D focuses on producing support for intelligent work, i.e. we aim at producing powerful tools supporting professionals.

• We construct flexible tools rather than fixed solutions.

• We are supporting work rather than trying to control or automate work.

• We help people to work together by providing them with new ways to work with their materials.

Fututre developments

43D’s systems have potential in a wide range of further domains and aspects of “spatial computing”. These form part of the longer-term development strategy of the company.