LandMentor Press Release

LandMentor


Empowering the Next Generation of Planners, Engineers, Surveyors, and Architects to Create a Sustainable Future

How a new disruptive solution (system) will improve the world 

Minneapolis, MN, March 30th – For the past four decades technology has improved nearly all aspects of our life – with the exception of the physical land development patterns of our cities.   The 1960’s suburban pattern, still in use today is unsustainable.  The only solutions taught to students for the past three decades have been to simply go back to the (wasteful and monotonous) grid pattern established centuries ago. Today’s CAD and GIS software has reduced design to replicable keystrokes in a predetermined software function, dumbing down design, promoting the cookie-cutter monotony.

For the past 26 years, our studio developed pioneering technology enabled methods to design over 1,000 land developments with a demonstrated average reduction of infrastructure 25% without a density loss or reducing existing regulatory minimums.  This can provide a density increase without sacrificing space and privacy.  The increased open space allows better models for vehicular and pedestrian connectivity and efficiency, as well as a coordination of architecture and site design to enhance views, curb appeal, value, and livability while reducing environmental impacts!

We developed the first application using Virtual Reality for public land development approval harnessing video gaming which can be mastered in minutes eliminating the high costs and complexity of CAD and GIS that discourage 3D use for site plan submittals.  No longer will planning commission and council member need to imagine what the development will look like when completed – with VR they will feel it!

The design and technological innovations merge engineering, surveying, architecture, and planning eliminating the roadblocks to sustainable solutions in the current uncollaborative design industry.  Currently, these four groups work in isolation.

Instead of concentrating on design, today’s students are taught planning as social engineering and difficult to use software products.  With investment in CAD and GIS, there has been no material improvement in development of the worlds growth.

We began formulating solutions 12 years ago and began to create a new form of software dedicated specifically for commercial and residential development that banished complexity and long learning curves.  Our all-inclusive core system eliminated cumbersome commands harnessing a patented form of user interface.  Our goal was to educate on the use of software, the land development process, and innovative design methods, as well as the use of 3D and Virtual Reality in less than two total weeks.

To test –  we handed over a laptop with beta software and manuals to waitresses, convenience store clerks, and janitors and asked them to use the system.  Our goal was for these beta users to learn the system, before it was introduced to professionals!

We developed the first product of its type, a software imbedded with a complete education on how to improve an industry from status quo.  For this reason we branded the system LandMentor.  LandMentor is available as a single product (no modules or options) or a total targeted solution with pricing from $4995.00 to $99,000.00 (USD).  The price difference being in the packaging and level of ‘mentoring’.

To enter a market saturated with CAD and GIS software is an undaunting task.  Through PlanningTank.com a blog frequented by Urban Studies and GIS students, we are making the complete LandMentor system with specific training available to students worldwide for free for a one year license to create a grassroots movement that will empower the future leaders of growth to make sustainability mean something.  Students in urban studies, civil engineering, surveying, planning, architecture, landscape architecture, real estate, construction, have a single system to learn.

These are the key cures to problems that LandMentor solves:

  • Land Surveying:  We developed the only positional based coordinate geometry.  This allows planners and architects to learn, understand, and use surveying software.  It’s the only system where the geometry is not separate from the drawing.  LandMentor  surveying eliminates point number management.
  • Mapping & GIS: In addition to the above, we have the only Precision parcel based system – ESRI is only polygons, thus  cannot address curved property or elements.
  • Civil Engineering:  Many competitors – ours is the only that is easy enough for non-engineering types (planners and architects) – to learn, understand and use.
  • Financial:  The only precision spatial system that teaches financial modeling and translates to higher level packages.
  • Subdividing:  All others automate to promote the cookie cutter world we live in – ours promotes design where every lot matters replacing automation with good design-sense!
  • Architecture:  The first system that merges planning and architectural design – not intended to replace architectural software, but teach better design and make it easier while planning development.
  • Land Use:  All others promote existing methods that create inclusion we teach new transitions that do not.
  • 3D:   Every other system is so complex, 3D is almost never used for actual planning outside the classroom.  LandMentor makes 3D quick and easy..
  • Intelligence:  All others address a complex and external data base – ours is the only system that instantly queries precise data in real time through calculation.
  • DTM:   The Digital Terrain Model is integrated – all others require a separate data structure.
  • 2D Presentation:  All others would need PhotoShop or third party rendering to match the standard output of our system.
  • Ease of use:  LandMentor is the first non-modular core software eliminating add-ons and complex data communication through modules.  No other CAD or GIS software needed.  It is the first software product using (patented) interactive graphic prompting that can contain motion, a first in the software industry.  This brings about a new era in simplicity.

About Neighborhood Innovations, LLC. Over a quarter century ago Rick Harrison Site Design Studio was spun off from Land Innovation, Inc which was a collaboration with Hewlett Packard to serve software and hardware to civil engineers and surveyors.  The studio’s task was to use technology to discover better ways to develop land and build homes.  Today over 1,000 developments have been contracted by over 300 developers to design innovative neighborhoods in 47 States and 18 Nations, all pushing the envelope of design.  Rick founded Neighborhood Innovations, LLC to create and distribute the world’s best technology and share the discoveries made by his studio with the consultants of the world involved with growth, public, private, (and military) applications.

Download the copy of  Press Release (Pdf.)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *