Manhattan Times Square Medan Virtual Tour Case Study

Project Overview

Client	Manhattan Times Square
Industry	Luxury Residential Property
Location	Medan, Indonesia
Solution	Privacy-Controlled 360° Property Leasing Platform
Project Completed	2023
Experience Size	Approximately 45 Panoramic Locations
Initial Private Apartments	15 Individually Owned Units
Photography	100% Conducted by InReality Solutions
Scope	Strategy, Photography, UI/UX, Development, Password Protection, Live Guided Tours & Maintenance
Development Period	Approximately 2 Months
Devices	Desktop, Mobile, Tablet & Compatible VR Devices
Special Features	Proprietary Digital Access System, Live Guided Tours, Interactive Floor Plans & Deep Sharing

On This Page (25)

1. Creating a Privacy-Controlled Virtual Leasing Platform for Manhattan Times Square Medan
2. The Challenge: Fulfilling Rental Guarantees in a Slower Property Market
3. Identifying the Business Problem Before Designing the Technology
4. The Solution: A Complete Immersive Apartment Leasing Platform
5. Publicly Explore the Manhattan Times Square Property
6. The Challenge of Virtually Showcasing Privately Owned Apartments
7. Developing a Proprietary Digital Smart Lock for Virtual Apartments
8. 15 Individually Owned Apartments Available at Launch
9. Property Information Before Entering Each Apartment
10. Live Guided Tours: Recreating the Agent-Led Property Viewing Online
11. From Physical Property Viewing to Remote Leasing Experience
12. Supporting Expatriates and Prospective Tenants Outside Medan
13. Interactive Floor Plans and Radar Navigation
14. Deep Sharing for Precise Property Communication
15. Direct WhatsApp Communication with the Leasing Team
16. A Continuously Changing Virtual Property Inventory
17. Ongoing Maintenance and Platform Updates
18. Custom App-Like UI/UX
19. Separate Desktop and Mobile Experiences
20. Photographing Privately Owned Apartments
21. The Biggest Technical Challenge: Developing Controlled Virtual Access
22. From Concept to Deployment in Approximately Two Months
23. The Results: Approximately 50% Reduction in Closing Time
24. Supporting the Developer's Rental Guarantee Obligations
25. A Virtual Tour Built Around a Business Problem

Creating a Privacy-Controlled Virtual Leasing Platform for Manhattan Times Square Medan

Manhattan Times Square faced a property challenge that did not end when construction was completed. The luxury apartment development in Medan had been affected by slower property demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of its strategy to attract property investors, rental guarantees had been offered on selected units. However, these guarantees created a new business responsibility: the privately owned apartments needed to be leased, otherwise the financial cost of fulfilling the rental guarantees would remain with the developer.

The challenge was further complicated by the nature of the prospective tenant market. Many potential tenants were expatriates, lived outside Medan, or were otherwise unable to repeatedly visit the property in person. At the same time, the apartments available for lease and resale were individually owned, differently furnished, and could not simply be made publicly accessible through an unrestricted virtual tour.

InReality Solutions identified the business challenge and proposed a customized solution. We developed an immersive property leasing platform combining a complete 360° experience of Manhattan Times Square, individually photographed private apartments, proprietary password-protected access, Live Guided Tours, interactive floor plans, Deep Sharing, and direct communication with the leasing team.

The result was a digital sales and leasing platform that, according to the Manhattan Times Square marketing team, helped reduce the time required to close serious leasing prospects by approximately 50%.

The Challenge: Fulfilling Rental Guarantees in a Slower Property Market

Manhattan Times Square had developed a premium residential property with extensive facilities and high-quality construction. However, the development was affected by slower demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the strategy to encourage property investment, rental guarantees had been offered on selected apartments. This helped provide greater confidence for investors purchasing units. However, once the property was completed, those guarantees created another challenge: units needed to be successfully leased. If suitable tenants could not be found, the developer remained responsible for fulfilling its financial obligations to investors.

The problem was therefore not simply: How do we market an apartment building? It was: How can we help the in-house leasing team market continuously changing, individually owned apartments more efficiently while making it easier for prospective tenants to remotely evaluate the exact units available to them?

Identifying the Business Problem Before Designing the Technology

Manhattan Times Square did not approach InReality Solutions requesting a password-protected virtual tour. The solution did not exist as part of a predefined client brief. InReality Solutions first identified the underlying business challenge.

The development had a high-quality physical property. It had facilities. It had privately owned apartments available for lease and resale. It had an in-house marketing team. And it had prospective tenants, including expatriates and people located outside Medan, who could not always conveniently visit the property.

The missing element was an effective way to connect these components digitally. Our team proposed creating a platform that could recreate more of the physical property viewing and leasing experience online. Prospective tenants would be able to explore the complete apartment development remotely. But when it came to entering privately owned apartments, access would need to remain controlled by the leasing agent.

This requirement led to the development of one of the most distinctive features created by InReality Solutions for the project.

The Solution: A Complete Immersive Apartment Leasing Platform

InReality Solutions was responsible for the entire project from strategy through deployment. Our scope included:

• Business solution strategy
• Photography planning
• Professional 360° photography
• Panoramic image stitching
• Image editing and post-production
• Complete UI/UX strategy
• Custom desktop interface
• Custom mobile interface
• Immersive virtual tour development
• Private apartment integration
• Proprietary password protection
• Interactive floor plans
• Radar navigation
• Live Guided Tours
• Deep Sharing
• WhatsApp integration
• VR compatibility
• Testing
• Deployment
• Ongoing unit updates and maintenance

The platform was developed around two distinct layers. The first was publicly accessible. The second required authorized access.

Publicly Explore the Manhattan Times Square Property

Prospective tenants and buyers could freely explore the public areas and facilities available throughout Manhattan Times Square. The experience included approximately 45 panoramic locations covering areas such as:

• Swimming pool
• Gym
• Jogging track
• Park areas
• Outdoor seating areas
• Barbecue facilities
• Children's playground
• Karaoke room
• Meeting rooms
• Function room
• Lobbies
• Building entrances
• Show units
• Other public facilities

This allowed prospective tenants to remotely understand the quality, facilities, and environment available within the development. However, the most significant functionality began when a prospective tenant wanted to explore a specific apartment available for lease or resale.

The Challenge of Virtually Showcasing Privately Owned Apartments

The apartments available through the Manhattan Times Square in-house marketing team were not generic show units. They were real, individually owned apartments. Each unit was different — furniture was different, interior designs were different, layouts and features could vary.

This was an important advantage for prospective tenants. Instead of viewing a generic representation of what an apartment might look like, they could remotely explore the exact property available for lease. However, this created an important privacy challenge: the apartments were privately owned, and making unrestricted 360° experiences of every unit publicly accessible would not have been appropriate.

The platform therefore needed to balance two competing requirements: Make individual apartments remotely accessible to serious prospects. While also: Protecting the privacy and controlled access requirements of individual property owners.

Developing a Proprietary Digital Smart Lock for Virtual Apartments

To solve this challenge, InReality Solutions designed and developed a proprietary password-protection system specifically for Manhattan Times Square. The functionality was designed to replicate the concept of entering a physical apartment.

A prospective tenant could see that an apartment was available. However, when attempting to enter the unit virtually, they encountered a digital access point. To unlock the apartment, the correct passcode needed to be entered. The system effectively functioned like a digital smart lock. No passcode. No access.

The passcodes remained under the control of the Manhattan Times Square leasing team. Prospective tenants were not independently given the passwords. Instead, access to the private apartments was managed by the agent during the sales and leasing process. This allowed the marketing team to showcase exact privately owned apartments remotely without making those properties freely accessible to the general public.

15 Individually Owned Apartments Available at Launch

The platform initially incorporated approximately 15 privately owned apartments. Each property had its own individual 360° virtual experience. Because the apartments were individually owned, each had different:

• Furniture
• Interior design
• Decoration
• Features
• Property information

This created an experience that closely reflected an in-person property viewing. A prospective tenant was not simply selecting between generic unit types. They were exploring and comparing the exact apartments available for lease.

Property Information Before Entering Each Apartment

Before virtually entering an individual apartment, prospective tenants could access relevant information about the property through an interactive information window. This allowed users and agents to understand important details about the unit before beginning the virtual walkthrough. The combination of property information and immersive exploration helped prospective tenants more efficiently evaluate which apartments matched their requirements.

Live Guided Tours: Recreating the Agent-Led Property Viewing Online

The password protection functionality became particularly powerful when combined with Live Guided Tours. A prospective tenant could make an appointment with a Manhattan Times Square leasing representative. At the scheduled time, the agent and prospect could join the immersive experience remotely.

The process could then closely replicate an in-person property viewing. The agent could begin by introducing Manhattan Times Square, show the prospective tenant the facilities, walk through the public spaces, explain the amenities, and answer questions. Based on the prospect's requirements, they could then take them to suitable privately owned apartments.

When they reached a protected unit, the agent could unlock the digital access point. The prospective tenant could then enter the apartment and explore the exact property being offered for lease. The agent remained present throughout the experience to answer questions and guide the viewing.

From Physical Property Viewing to Remote Leasing Experience

The Manhattan Times Square platform was designed to digitally recreate important elements of the traditional property viewing process. In a conventional property viewing, an agent might:

• Meet the prospective tenant
• Explain the property
• Show the facilities
• Discuss the tenant's requirements
• Identify suitable apartments
• Unlock those apartments
• Walk the tenant through each property
• Answer questions
• Continue the leasing discussion

The virtual experience enabled the in-house marketing team to conduct a similar process remotely. The significant difference was that the prospective tenant did not necessarily need to be physically located in Medan.

Supporting Expatriates and Prospective Tenants Outside Medan

The ability to conduct remote apartment viewings was particularly valuable for Manhattan Times Square. Many prospective tenants were expatriates or individuals located outside Medan. For these audiences, repeatedly travelling to physically inspect apartments could create unnecessary friction within the leasing process.

The immersive platform allowed prospective tenants to conduct a much more detailed initial property evaluation remotely. They could understand the building, explore the facilities, compare individual apartments, view different interiors, ask questions, and determine which units genuinely interested them before committing to further steps. This helped make the leasing process more efficient for both the prospective tenant and the Manhattan Times Square marketing team.

Interactive Floor Plans and Radar Navigation

The platform incorporated interactive floor plans with radar-style navigation. As users moved through the virtual environment, the floor plan could display their current location and viewing direction. This helped prospective tenants understand:

• The layout of the property
• Their current position
• The relationship between different rooms
• The direction they were facing

This functionality made the individual apartment experiences easier to understand, particularly for users less familiar with navigating immersive environments.

Deep Sharing for Precise Property Communication

The Manhattan Times Square experience also incorporated Deep Sharing functionality. Users and agents could share specific locations and viewing directions within the virtual experience. This was particularly valuable when discussing individual apartment features. An agent or prospective tenant could share a specific:

• Room
• View
• Interior feature
• Furniture arrangement
• Area within the property

The recipient could then be taken directly to the relevant location and viewing angle. This made remote communication about specific apartments more precise and efficient.

Direct WhatsApp Communication with the Leasing Team

Prospective tenants could also contact the Manhattan Times Square leasing team directly through WhatsApp. This created a natural journey from digital exploration to direct communication: Explore the Property → Discover Available Apartments → Speak to an Agent → Join a Live Guided Tour → Explore Private Units → Continue the Leasing Process. The objective was to reduce unnecessary friction between property discovery and direct interaction with the leasing team.

A Continuously Changing Virtual Property Inventory

Unlike a conventional virtual tour, the Manhattan Times Square platform could not remain static. Apartments were continuously being leased, and new units became available. The virtual inventory needed to change alongside the physical leasing inventory.

When a property was successfully leased, the Manhattan Times Square management team could inform InReality Solutions, and the leased unit could then be removed from the available apartment experience. When a new property became available, the unit could be photographed, processed, and incorporated into the platform. On average, the available apartment inventory required updating approximately every few months.

This transformed the virtual experience into a scalable and continuously evolving digital leasing platform.

Ongoing Maintenance and Platform Updates

Following the initial launch, InReality Solutions provided ongoing maintenance and update services for Manhattan Times Square. The platform needed to remain aligned with the changing availability of privately owned apartments. Our team could:

• Remove leased units
• Add newly available apartments
• Update property information
• Maintain the immersive experience
• Manage platform functionality

This ensured that the virtual leasing platform could continue supporting the in-house marketing team beyond the initial project launch.

Custom App-Like UI/UX

The entire Manhattan Times Square user interface and user experience was custom-designed by InReality Solutions. The platform was developed to feel more like a dedicated digital application than a conventional virtual tour. Menus, navigation, information windows, interactive elements, floor plans, digital access points, and other functionality were designed around the specific requirements of the Manhattan Times Square leasing process.

The experience also needed to clearly differentiate between:

• Public property areas
• Facilities
• Show units
• Privately owned apartments
• Locked apartments
• Available properties
• Sales and leasing communication

Every component was designed to make the platform intuitive for both prospective tenants and the in-house marketing team.

Separate Desktop and Mobile Experiences

InReality Solutions developed separate UI/UX experiences for desktop and mobile devices. Menus, navigation elements, popups, information displays, and interactive functionality were adapted for different screen sizes and interaction methods. The platform was accessible through:

• Desktop computers
• Laptops
• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Compatible VR devices

This allowed prospective tenants and agents to use the platform across different stages of the leasing journey.

Photographing Privately Owned Apartments

Creating the platform also required significant operational coordination. The individual apartments were privately owned properties, so InReality Solutions needed permission and access to photograph each unit. Photography sessions needed to be coordinated within limited time periods.

Our team then needed to professionally capture, stitch, edit, and process each apartment before integrating it into the larger virtual experience. Because the units were privately owned, privacy and presentation were particularly important throughout the process.

The Biggest Technical Challenge: Developing Controlled Virtual Access

The most significant technical challenge of the Manhattan Times Square project was developing the password-protected apartment functionality. This was not a standard virtual tour feature — it needed to be conceptualized and developed specifically around the client's business requirements. The system needed to:

• Protect access to privately owned apartments
• Allow different units to have individual passcodes
• Keep access under agent control
• Integrate naturally into the immersive experience
• Function alongside Live Guided Tours
• Allow passwords to be updated when required
• Remain easy for the in-house marketing team to use

The resulting functionality became proprietary InReality Solutions technology developed specifically to solve the project's unique privacy and leasing requirements.

From Concept to Deployment in Approximately Two Months

The initial Manhattan Times Square platform was completed in approximately two months. During this period, InReality Solutions handled:

• Business challenge analysis
• Solution strategy
• Photography planning
• Access coordination
• 360° photography
• Panoramic stitching
• Image editing
• UI/UX strategy
• Desktop interface design
• Mobile interface design
• Immersive development
• Password protection development
• Interactive floor plans
• Radar navigation
• Live Guided Tours
• Deep Sharing
• WhatsApp integration
• VR compatibility
• Testing
• Deployment

Following launch, the platform continued to evolve as apartment availability changed.

The Results: Approximately 50% Reduction in Closing Time

According to feedback provided by the Manhattan Times Square marketing team, the virtual leasing platform helped significantly reduce the time required to close serious leasing prospects. Previously, closing a leasing agreement with a serious prospect could take approximately one to two months. Following the implementation of the new virtual experience, this was reduced by approximately 50%, to roughly two weeks to one month.

The platform helped prospective tenants:

• Explore the property remotely
• Understand the facilities
• View exact apartments
• Compare different interiors
• Access property information
• Communicate with agents
• Participate in guided remote viewings
• Make more informed decisions before progressing further

This helped reduce unnecessary friction and accelerate the property evaluation process.

Supporting the Developer's Rental Guarantee Obligations

The business impact of the platform extended beyond digital engagement. The original challenge was directly connected to the rental guarantees offered to property investors. The developer needed to efficiently find suitable tenants for privately owned apartments.

The virtual leasing platform gave the in-house marketing team a new tool for reaching, presenting to, and communicating with prospective tenants — including those outside Medan. By helping the leasing team showcase available properties more effectively and shorten the closing process, the platform supported Manhattan Times Square in securing actual tenants for apartments covered by its rental guarantee obligations.

A Virtual Tour Built Around a Business Problem

The Manhattan Times Square project demonstrates an important principle behind the InReality Solutions approach. The project did not begin with a client requesting a particular technology — it began with a business problem.

The developer had rental guarantee obligations. Privately owned apartments needed tenants. Prospective tenants were not always located in Medan. The individual apartments needed to be showcased. Owner privacy needed to be protected. The in-house leasing team needed to remain in control of the property viewing process.

InReality Solutions designed the technology around these requirements. The result combined:

• 360° virtual tours
• Property photography
• Private apartment experiences
• Proprietary access control
• Live Guided Tours
• Interactive floor plans
• Remote property presentations
• Direct leasing communication
• Continuously updated inventory

This was not simply a virtual tour. It was a customized digital solution to a specific property leasing and financial challenge.