Spotlight
October 28, 2025
AFRY uses UE5 to visualize heavy datasets for large-scale infrastructure projects
AFRY is a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services. The firm works across a diverse range of projects around the world, from infrastructure and energy to manufacturing and mobility.
Many of these projects are incredibly complex: not just the actual construction element—which is inevitably technically difficult for something like an offshore windfarm—but also the project management, contractor coordination, and regulatory hoops that project owners must jump through.
Developments of this scale involve a multitude of stakeholders, each with their own agenda and set of priorities.
Many of these projects are incredibly complex: not just the actual construction element—which is inevitably technically difficult for something like an offshore windfarm—but also the project management, contractor coordination, and regulatory hoops that project owners must jump through.
Developments of this scale involve a multitude of stakeholders, each with their own agenda and set of priorities.
“One of the big challenges we have is communication,” says Oskar Wallin, Realtime Visualization Artist at AFRY. “There are a lot of different departments specializing in different things, and the communication between those departments isn’t always as good as it should be.”
That’s where real-time visualization becomes invaluable.
By bringing a CG replica of the project into a real-time environment, the visualization team at AFRY can accurately communicate the design intent and progress of the development, helping to explain key aspects of the build and thereby avoid delays.
That’s where real-time visualization becomes invaluable.
By bringing a CG replica of the project into a real-time environment, the visualization team at AFRY can accurately communicate the design intent and progress of the development, helping to explain key aspects of the build and thereby avoid delays.
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
The project AFRY worked on in Halmstad Harbor is a case in point. New train lines, roads, and communication infrastructure were planned that would affect a popular park and green area—something that could raise concerns among residents.
Through animated videos of the proposed designs, project stakeholders and the citizens of Halmstad could explore the potential impact of the expansion as well as how it would be mitigated by the municipality’s efforts.
Measures included the introduction of green noise and visual barriers to protect the park, in addition to efforts to protect the entire harbor from climate change by raising the break waters surrounding it.
Using Unreal Engine together with custom tools, AFRY was able to combine data from multiple sources and projects, including designs from three different engineering firms, into a single coherent visualization.
Through animated videos of the proposed designs, project stakeholders and the citizens of Halmstad could explore the potential impact of the expansion as well as how it would be mitigated by the municipality’s efforts.
Measures included the introduction of green noise and visual barriers to protect the park, in addition to efforts to protect the entire harbor from climate change by raising the break waters surrounding it.
Using Unreal Engine together with custom tools, AFRY was able to combine data from multiple sources and projects, including designs from three different engineering firms, into a single coherent visualization.
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
This made it possible to assess the effect of the proposed green barriers in real time, adjust them as needed, and provide supporting material for decision-making on how to best minimize the project’s impact on the protected area.
“Since we started using Unreal, the inhabitants in the areas that are affected by these large infrastructure projects feel a lot more informed and their worry is reduced, which results in fewer appeals and a quicker and smoother project,” says Wallin.
“Since we started using Unreal, the inhabitants in the areas that are affected by these large infrastructure projects feel a lot more informed and their worry is reduced, which results in fewer appeals and a quicker and smoother project,” says Wallin.
An engine that can handle vast datasets
Sweden’s rail network is expanding to meet the growing demand for transportation. A new railway is planned along parts of the country’s most treasured coastline, passing through small communities and connecting one of the largest cities in northern Sweden.This expansion will affect the surrounding environment and local residents, making it vital to communicate the plans—both to inform the public and to collect feedback from those most directly affected.
“It’s very complicated and it’s very, very long,” says Wallin. “Our aim is to replicate the actual environments around the train line.”
That involves building out a virtual version of the landscape, including forests, landscape features, and roads.
“It’s really geometry heavy,” explains Wallin. “Not a lot of software can handle it in one single place. That’s where Unreal Engine comes in.”
Over the years, AFRY has developed workflows that transform publicly available data (such as land survey information) into accurate, large-scale visualizations, using the world building systems in Unreal Engine combined with processed masks and procedural foliage. These visualizations show how major infrastructure projects would alter the landscape and communities.
Because Unreal Engine has been built to handle massive open world environments for video games, it lends itself perfectly to handling the large datasets required for infrastructure visualization.
Core features like World Partition, Level Streaming, and Nanite virtualized geometry enable the engine to efficiently load, render, and interact with vast spatial datasets such as BIM, GIS, and LiDAR data.
That means entire cities or regions can be visualized seamlessly—without overwhelming system resources.
Over the years, AFRY has developed workflows that transform publicly available data (such as land survey information) into accurate, large-scale visualizations, using the world building systems in Unreal Engine combined with processed masks and procedural foliage. These visualizations show how major infrastructure projects would alter the landscape and communities.
Because Unreal Engine has been built to handle massive open world environments for video games, it lends itself perfectly to handling the large datasets required for infrastructure visualization.
Core features like World Partition, Level Streaming, and Nanite virtualized geometry enable the engine to efficiently load, render, and interact with vast spatial datasets such as BIM, GIS, and LiDAR data.
That means entire cities or regions can be visualized seamlessly—without overwhelming system resources.
Courtesy of Oskar Wallin, AFRY
By providing a physically accurate representation of the environment, stakeholders can assess the feasibility of the design.
Wallin’s team takes the data from the engineers and the land survey department and puts it all together in one place, so they can all see the same uncomplicated view.
“Unreal Engine lets us communicate more quickly,” he says. “We’re able to make iterations and move more data in a faster way than we have been able to before.”
The films AFRY produces in Unreal Engine are made publicly available and presented at town hall meetings, ensuring that everyone—from local residents to stakeholders and engineers—has access to clear, understandable information.
By democratizing this knowledge, they make it possible for all parties to engage in meaningful dialogue and make well-informed decisions that shape a project’s success.
Wallin’s team takes the data from the engineers and the land survey department and puts it all together in one place, so they can all see the same uncomplicated view.
“Unreal Engine lets us communicate more quickly,” he says. “We’re able to make iterations and move more data in a faster way than we have been able to before.”
The films AFRY produces in Unreal Engine are made publicly available and presented at town hall meetings, ensuring that everyone—from local residents to stakeholders and engineers—has access to clear, understandable information.
By democratizing this knowledge, they make it possible for all parties to engage in meaningful dialogue and make well-informed decisions that shape a project’s success.