New Worlds

Just so I have at least one more post this year…I thought I would throw this up.

New job, in a new city, with a new house, new schools, new people.  At least the earth is remaining the same…except for that whole global warming thing. 

Where to Next

I don’t know.  The reasons for wanting to blog haven’t changed.  I will hopefully journal about technology, architecture, sustainability, business, wine, chocolate, LEED, Revit, fashion, design, and food.

But we will see.

One thing I have done recently was talk about technology implementation.  Check it out here:  http://aiacc.org/now-next-future-conference-presentations/

I had the honor of sharing the stage with some very esteemed speakers.  It was a humbling and invigorating experience.

The World is My Oyster

Experienced Architect and Design Technology Consultant very excited about the opportunities that are awaiting me in this great wide world.  For more about me, check out my LinkedIn profile.  I am open to any and all possibilities.

Hello World…Again

Just wanted to post something…anything…since I haven’t done so in an embarrassingly long time.  A lot has happened since my last post.

First of all, I started an MBA program at George Fox University in the fall.  A fantastic program with awesome values and great faculty.  We have also had some amazing guest lecturers including author and TED speaker, Mohan Nair.  That has been keeping me very busy. 

Second, I started a new role at my company.  That has also been keeping me very busy.  It too is awesome! 

Anyway, I won’t drone on and on, but I am hoping to start doing monthly posts.  They will be little posts and likely just inane babblings of an over tired mind, but they will be posts.  So, if you see this post check back soon.  In the meantime, if you want to read something more substantial, check out this through back – How to be a Human Being.  It’s a truth that bears repeating.

2011 AIA Convention - BIM for Residential Architecture

BIM for Residential Architecture A Small Firm Primer (SA402)

 

Speakers

Stuart M. Narofsky, AIA, LEED AP
James A. Walbridge, AIA

 

Session Blurb

This seminar, hosted by CRAN (Custom Residential Architects Network), is designed to address the evolving and complex question of BIM technology and its relevance for mainstream use in the small residential architecture firm. Some of the questions facing the small residential firm in adopting BIM surround performance in producing documents that address client benefits and satisfaction, costs involved with integrating BIM into a small office, staff education and training, legal ramifications of the information produced or shared in BIM and the effective use of BIM models by allied industries and craftsmen. This workshop, although not directly relating to this year's convention theme, is nevertheless a critical topic for enhancing delivery of services. Demand is high from small practices across the nation for topics addressing BIM delivery methods because the technology will continue to evolve and merge into our profession and industry. Questions remain as to how small practitioners can most effectively utilize this technology. The speakers, having adopted BIM into their own practices, will be able to share their unique insights with attendees, thus giving a real world insight into the opportunities and pitfalls in integrating BIM into their offices. They also represent differing computer platforms, PC and Mac, to provide a diversity of perspectives.

 

Notes

This was a very interesting session.  Both speakers own firms that are architect-led design-build.  This was another emphasis on integration as key to getting the most out of BIM.  The first speaker, James Walbridge has Tekton Architecture.  They use ArchiCAD as their BIM tool of choice.  The other speaker, Stuart Narofsky owns Narofsky Architecture and he uses Revit.  Although they highlighted the software used by each firm during the presentation, it was really not that important.  Both speakers had the same essential message to share.

First, they used the Wikipedia definition of BIM, which I had never seen before.  I thought it was interesting that they used that definition instead of the Nation BIM Standard definition or some other industry organization or standards setting entity.

Over the course of the next 50 minutes, they had a few good pearls:

1. They both stated in there own way, only model what you must…just enough.  And always keep your focus on what the BIM will be used for.
2. As design-builders, they brought the subs and consultants on early in the design process.  This was to discuss means and methods of construction and then set up the model in the best way.
3. The tighter the design, the tighter the model needs to be.
4. Both speakers gave examples of how they vary their tools based on the project.  They have a suite of tools available.  This gives them flexibility to use what is best for the project. 

Mr. Walbridge gave a great example of the Ebisu Sushi restaurant project in San Francisco.  It was a BIM project, but not all of it was done with BIM.  Everything in the restaurant was drawn in 2D except the main design feature - a folded wood panel system that was designed to represent a wave curling.  Check out the PDF link below on pages 49-58,  The folding panels were modeled and sent directly to the fabricator to be cut.  The tolerances were very tight otherwise the wave would not fit together.  This was very cool.  The main point of this example was that not all of your project needs to be BIM.  You can use BIM as a tool on even a single design feature.

Link to session PDF.

2011 AIA Convention - Integrated Design to Fabrication

Integrated Design to Fabrication for Urban Housing Solutions (FR326)

 

Speakers

David C. Hovey Jr., AIA
Calvin Kam, AIA, PhD, PE, LEED AP

 

Session Blurb

The restoration of urban infrastructure in cities like New Orleans will require a systematic reexamination of many fundamental methodologies of design and building. These efforts can connect to current trends affecting the architectural profession—ideas connected to sustainability, building information modeling, alternative project delivery, and digital fabrication—through new strategies for urban housing. In this presentation, experts in project delivery, technology implementation, and digital fabrication will explore the intersection of these strategies by proposing approaches for model-based design and construction for housing and by exploring models potentially relevant to urban renewal. Using project examples from practice and research, this session will create a framework for a potential future of housing construction.

 

Notes

The session highlighted a process developed by Optima to go from design to fabrication.  A single family residence of 5000 square feet which they say has been engineered to be assembled in 56 working days.  The way they can do this is by using a completely integrated in-house team. 

The second part of the session reviewed one of Optima’s multifamily developments called Camel View Village.  What they pointed out was that they were able to achieve an increase in landscaping on the site.  The 13 acre property ended up with 24 acres of green space.  They did this by optimizing (no pun intended) every horizontal surface for planting by taking light meter readings as the structure was being built.  This allowed them to know exactly how much light was going to be available and where in order to know exactly what to plant and where.  It was quite nice to see another example of live research data during construction to feed further design refinement of future phases of construction.  There was another great example of this at the 2010 AIA Convention in Miami.  It was a session on The New York Times building.  I blogged about here.  I am always amazed at how much can be accomplished by a truly integrated design and construction team.

Link to session PDF.

2011 AIA Convention - The AIA 2030 Commitment

Measuring Industry Progress Towards 2030 (TH247)

 

Speakers

William J. Worthen, LEED AP

 

Session Blurb

Altering current design and construction practices to reduce the use of natural resources and non-renewable energy sources, to address the problem of waste production, and to promote regeneration of natural resources will require a multiple-year effort. The AIA 2030 Commitment is a growing national initiative for entities working in the built environment to transform the way we practice. It asks these organizations to make a pledge, to develop multi-year action plans, and to implement steps that can advance AIA's goal of carbon neutral buildings by the year 2030.The purpose of this initiative is to transform how we approach practice by focusing on the entire design portfolio rather than on individual, exemplary projects. Rooted in the belief that good design is sustainable design, the intent was to develop a method of tracking and measuring progress towards the 2030 goals that was simple and normalized for firms of all types. Sustainable design goals should be incorporated into every project from the outset, not just those seeking green building certification. William Worthen, AIA LEED AP, will moderate a panel of firm principals presenting the reasons for joining the 2030 Commitment, the sustainable design and business strategies they have implemented within their offices and on their projects, and the challenges faced in transforming how they design projects and operate as a firm to reduce the negative impact of the design and construction industry on the climate. The session will also explore the tools being developed by the AIA to assist firms of all sizes and expertise levels in meeting the challenge.

 

Notes

There are not many notes I can provide beyond the session blurb.  They really just did an overview of AIA 2030 Commitment and how it is different from the 2030 Challenge. Essential the difference is a commitment to provide documentation showing potential project energy use at a very high level on an annual basis.  The predicted energy use is all that is and can be reported. There is not way to report actual from the design side.  There were obvious concerns around whether this is really useful.  Owners and users will inevitably use the building somewhat differently than what the energy modeler assumed.  The first version of the 2030 Commitment Report is available online here.

Link to session PDF.

2011 AIA Convention - Award Winning BIM

Seven Years of AIA TAP BIM Awards (TH224)

Speakers

Stephen R. Hagan, FAIA, BIM Awards Chair
Calvin Kam, AIA, PhD, TAP Co-chair
Tony Rinella, Assoc AIA, TAP Co-chair

Session Blurb

Award-winning building information models and the firms and teams that submitted and have received these awards constitute a tremendous knowledge base and set of case studies on the state of practice and state of the art for Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). This moderated panel discussion, by members of the AIA Technology in Architecture Practice (TAP) advisory group, who also served for the past six years as coordinators and jury members, will explore the progress of BIM and what the future holds by looking back at what can be learned from the winners of the past six years of AIA TAP BIM Awards. Included in the discussion will be case studies from Stellar Architecture, Process Improvement, academic, and sustainability categories. Quotations and commentary from winning teams and jury members will add an additional perspective to the presentations and interactive Q&A with the attendees.

 

Notes

This session, like most awards sessions, reviewed the winners of the various categories.  What was nice about this presentation was that they took the time to highlight some of the trends they have seen in the awards submissions over the past seven years.  The early BIM award submissions were about drawing automation.  Next there was model production to decision and then direct to fabrication.  Now the emphasis is on process – designers, owners, constructors in integrated teams.

A BIM Scorecard from CIFE/Stanford was introduced. The beta version was reviewed and some of the BIM Award winner’s projects were assessed using this new tool. This tool is supposed to be available on the CIFE website, but as of this writing, I cannot find it.  When it does come available, it will be a very useful tool for assessing a project’s usage of BIM and highlighting areas where a project could have done more.

Link to session PDF.