ULTRA x Vitus
From Bold Concepts to Millimeter-Precise Builds – Fast
Ultra operates at the intersection of branding, construction, and logistics – turning ambitious ideas into real-world structures under intense timelines and in unpredictable environments. To do that consistently (and safely), they’ve rebuilt their process around Vitus: a shared digital environment that connects terrain, design, and execution.
Who Ultra Is And Why Their Work Is Different
Ultra began as a creator of sporting events, then evolved into a consulting and delivery partner that spans creative concepting, 3D modeling, build, and breakdown.
Projects are site-specific, high-stakes, and public-facing: city parks, beaches, forests, mountains – each with its own environmental, regulatory, and safety constraints.
Early milestone: Copenride – a freestyle BMX event co-developed with Red Bull. The format normally relies on steep natural terrain; Ultra had to build a landscape from scratch in Denmark, combining steel, scaffolding, and wood to simulate what nature didn’t provide.
It cemented Ultra’s hybrid role: creative studio ↔ technical contractor.
The old Way vs The Ultra Way
Before Vitus:
Hand sketches, SketchUp visuals, Excel, phone calls, and a lot of face-to-face coordination.
It worked – until it didn’t.
Knowledge was fragmented and locked in people’s heads; misalignments surfaced on site, where they’re costliest.
Now with Vitus:
One shared environment for terrain → model → build plan, used by designers, PMs, field crews, and partners.
Ultra keeps version history to explore alternatives, reuse the best elements, and trace decisions, and they push models to site for millimeter-accurate layout with laser/GPS when needed.
How Ultra Runs Projects (And Where Vitus Fits)
Phase 1 – R&D & Scoping
Define the need, constraints, and tight timeline. Feasibility checks start in Vitus with context models and early terrain data.
Phase 2 – Concept & Design
In-house design shifts quickly from idea to 3D. Where needed, engineers and specialists plug into the same environment. Early models in Vitus are used to align expectations fast with clients.
Phase 3 – Detail & Sign-off
Budget, scope, and deadlines are locked against the approved model. Older options are kept in Vitus to reuse elements and document choices.
Phase 4 – Execution & On-Site
Pre-build in the workshop, then build from Vitus on site (iPad/phone). Crews reference the exact model; design doesn’t need to be physically present. GPS/laser layout hits Vitus points with millimeter precision when the venue demands it. Dismantle & Iterate for next venue or edition.
Case Highlight:
Red Bull “Above the Trees”
For a Red Bull athlete media event in Germany, Ultra had to make a BMX rider appear to jump above the treetops from specific camera angles – E.T.-style. The site: a forest on a downslope.
The deadline: three weeks from first call.
What Ultra did with Vitus:
- Imported terrain and tree positions, then designed a freestanding scaffold ramp adapted to the real slope.
- Deployed two project managers on site with Vitus open on laptops/iPads; ten rope-access/scaffold techs built directly from the model.
- Built from both ends simultaneously to balance structural stability – coordinated entirely through Vitus.
- Used measuring tools in Vitus to ensure the right components (e.g., fence lengths) in the right places.
Measurable Impact
- Speed: Ultra collapses the gap between concept and execution. Complex builds go up days or weeks faster because conflicts are resolved in the model, not on site.
- Precision: Centimeter-level positioning from model to terrain. Component counts and placements are verified in advance.
- Clarity: Vitus is the single source of truth. Designers, technicians, partners, and clients all reference the same geometry and data.
- Confidence: Early 3D alignment reduces rework and accelerates approvals; crews arrive ready to build, not to measure and negotiate.
“We’re working live with data – terrain and design together. That makes budgeting more accurate, execution faster, and alignment easier.” – Daniel, Ultra