The Challenge
The architecture industry is rapidly evolving, with digital transformation becoming a critical factor in maintaining competitiveness. A mid-size architecture practice faced several hurdles: disjointed communication, restricted access to design files, and inefficient collaboration among its 200-seat workforce. Traditional on-premises solutions lacked the scalability and flexibility needed to accommodate their growing needs, particularly with the increased demand for remote work and cross-functional collaboration.
The Solution
Adyantrix approached this challenge with a comprehensive digital transformation strategy, anchored in transitioning the practice to a cloud-native collaboration stack. Our team initiated the process by conducting a thorough assessment of the existing IT infrastructure, identifying key pain points and areas where cloud solutions could deliver the most impact.
We selected a suite of cloud-based tools that facilitated seamless collaboration among architects, engineers, and stakeholders. By implementing cloud solutions such as Architectural BIM Services and Cloud DevOps, we ensured that design files were readily accessible from anywhere, at any time. Our team streamlined workflows by integrating collaborative platforms that supported real-time updates and communication, drastically reducing the time spent on revisions and approvals.
We also focused on enhancing data security through a robust cloud infrastructure, safeguarding sensitive architectural designs and client information. A critical component of our solution was the training support we provided to ensure all employees were proficient in using the new digital tools, fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.
Key Results
The implementation of a cloud-native collaboration stack yielded significant improvements. The practice reported a 35% increase in project completion speed, attributed to streamlined communication and access to real-time data. Remote working capabilities were enhanced, with over 80% of the workforce capable of efficiently working from off-site locations without experiencing productivity losses.
There was also a notable reduction in IT maintenance costs by approximately 25%, as on-premises hardware demands decreased. The practice found itself better positioned to take on more projects simultaneously, enhancing both employee satisfaction and client engagement.
The transformation led to enhanced creativity, as team members could effortlessly collaborate on design concepts, resulting in superior architectural solutions. With Adyantrix's help, the architecture practice transitioned to a modern, scalable, and flexible IT environment, ready to meet future demands and challenges.
Key Features
- Scalable Cloud Infrastructure: Enabled rapid scaling to meet increasing project requirements and team expansion needs.
- Real-Time Collaboration: Tools provided seamless integration for real-time editing and feedback.
- Enhanced Security: Robust cloud security measures safeguarded crucial design data and client information.
- Cost Efficiency: Significant reduction in IT operational costs while increasing overall project quality and performance.
This case study demonstrates how a customised cloud-native solution can drive significant operational improvements and strategic advantages in the architecture industry. Adyantrix's approach not only modernised their IT landscape but also empowered the practice to embrace a digitally-driven future.
Technical Approach
The transformation was built on Microsoft Azure as the primary cloud platform, a choice driven by the practice's existing Microsoft 365 licensing and the maturity of Azure Active Directory for identity management across a 200-person organisation spread across three offices. Rather than a lift-and-shift of existing on-premises workloads, we advocated for a cloud-native re-architecture that would eliminate the technical debt accumulated in the legacy server estate.
The core of the new stack comprised:
- Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) for BIM and document management: Replaced a network-attached storage system that had been a single point of failure and whose VPN access was a persistent complaint from remote workers. ACC provided granular permission management at folder and file level, version history, and a mobile-accessible interface.
- Microsoft Teams with SharePoint as the document backbone: All project communications, meeting notes, and non-BIM documents were migrated to Teams-integrated SharePoint libraries, with metadata tagging enabling cross-project search that the legacy file server could not support.
- Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) for compute-intensive rendering workloads: Instead of provisioning high-specification workstations for every designer, we deployed AVD session hosts with GPU-enabled VMs that designers could stream to any device. This reduced hardware refresh costs and gave remote workers the same rendering performance as office-based colleagues.
- Terraform and Azure DevOps pipelines for infrastructure-as-code: All cloud resources were provisioned and managed through code, enabling the practice's small IT team to manage the environment with confidence and roll back changes if needed.
- Azure AD Conditional Access policies: Zero-trust access controls ensured that sensitive client data could only be accessed from managed devices or verified locations, satisfying the data security requirements of the practice's professional indemnity insurer.
Implementation Highlights
The migration was executed over 16 weeks, structured to avoid disrupting active project deadlines. We mapped the practice's 47 active projects at the start of the engagement and established a migration sequence that prioritised projects in early stages or between phases — minimising the risk of a mid-project file migration causing disruption to drawing production.
The most complex aspect of the data migration was the legacy file server: 14 years of project data totalling 11.7 terabytes, with an inconsistent folder structure that had evolved organically over time. We used Azure Data Box to perform the initial bulk transfer offline, which reduced the network transfer time from an estimated 23 days to four. Post-transfer, a delta sync via Azure File Sync captured any changes made during the migration window.
A significant cultural challenge emerged during the training phase: several senior architects were resistant to ACC, having invested years in learning the nuances of the legacy folder structure and VPN workflow. We addressed this by engaging them as "champion users" during a three-week pilot phase, giving them early access and incorporating their feedback into the final configuration before the wider rollout. Their endorsement of the finished system carried significant weight with their teams.
One architectural decision we revised mid-project was the choice of video conferencing platform. The initial plan used Teams exclusively, but the practice's structural engineering consultants — external to the practice — used Zoom by preference. Rather than forcing a platform change on external partners, we configured Teams to support Zoom interoperability, allowing internal and external participants to join the same meeting from their preferred client.
Measurable Outcomes
The 35% improvement in project completion speed was most visible in the design review and approval cycle. Previously, a design review required the project architect to prepare a PDF package, email it to reviewers, collate feedback from multiple email threads, and manually reconcile conflicting comments — a process that averaged 4.2 days per review cycle. With ACC's review and markup tools, the average cycle time fell to 1.6 days, and the review audit trail was retained automatically within the project record.
The 25% reduction in IT maintenance costs translated to a saving of approximately £68,000 per year. This came from the elimination of three physical server racks, the reduction in on-premises backup infrastructure, and the removal of two legacy software licence agreements that had been maintained for compatibility reasons alone.
Remote working capability improved most measurably for the practice's Glasgow office, which had historically been treated as a secondary office partly because large Revit model files were slow to open over the VPN. With ACC's local caching and AVD's server-side rendering, Glasgow-based architects reported file open times comparable to the London headquarters — effectively eliminating the performance disadvantage that had constrained the office's project portfolio.
Lessons Learned
The principal lesson from this engagement was that cloud migration in a design practice is as much a change management programme as a technical project. The technology choices were relatively straightforward; the challenge was shifting 200 people's working habits simultaneously without disrupting live project commitments. The "champion user" programme was the single most effective intervention: having respected senior practitioners visibly endorse the new tools removed the resistance that top-down mandates typically generate.
We also learned the importance of establishing a cloud governance framework before migration rather than after. Early in the project, a junior IT administrator provisioned a storage account outside the Terraform-managed infrastructure to solve an immediate problem. The resulting configuration drift caused a minor security policy inconsistency that took two days to diagnose and resolve. Establishing and enforcing infrastructure-as-code discipline from day one — with peer review required for any manual Azure portal changes — prevented recurrence.
Why This Approach Worked
The decision to use cloud-native services rather than simply virtualising existing on-premises workloads meant that the practice gained capabilities it could not have had before — not just the same capabilities delivered differently. The shift from a file server to ACC fundamentally changed how project teams could collaborate: simultaneous model review, structured comment threads tied to specific drawing revisions, and automated notifications when files were updated. These are not incremental improvements; they represent a qualitatively different way of working that the legacy infrastructure could never have supported regardless of how much it was upgraded.
The use of infrastructure-as-code throughout the project also means the practice now has a documented, reproducible definition of their entire cloud environment — something they had never had for their on-premises infrastructure. This gives their IT team a foundation for confident ongoing management and, when the time comes, an easier path to future migrations or cloud-provider changes.
Speak with our IT Consulting team at Adyantrix to find out how we can support your next project.
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If you are looking to tackle a similar challenge, Adyantrix has the expertise to help across the full project lifecycle. Our IT consulting practice covers technology strategy, architecture review, and digital transformation advisory. Our DevOps & cloud solutions practice covers automated pipelines and cloud platform engineering. Our cloud & DevOps practice covers cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, and platform engineering. Our software development practice covers custom software, web and mobile applications. Get in touch to discuss your requirements — no commitment required.
