November 5, 2013  by

Work Smarter, Not Harder

This month, I had the distinct privilege of presenting to RTKL’s corporate officers about ways design technology is reshaping our practice. The concept is not a new one, I’ll give you that, but sometimes our strict adherence to old methods can hinder our process. I had the attention of the room, and now was my chance to show them that the industry is changing and how we must change with it. BIM The obvious. The big cheese. The “go-to” when technology in architecture is brought up. As I said, the discussion isn’t a new one, but BIM has brought the idea that technology is actually an aid to design to the forefront.

“BIM” BIM is now the status quo, most firms just don’t realize it. Back in 2003, RTKL began investing time and resources into Revit, and I have spent the last 10 years training, supporting, preaching and cheerleading its merits. I still firmly believe in it, but Revit is not “BIM”. It is a piece of the pie (we can argue later about how big), but it is not the whole enchilada. Food metaphors aside, understanding the reason we invested so heavily in the early days in BIM is key to understanding why technology is playing such a large role in architecture. Was it flawless document coordination that brought us into this brave new world? Was it 3D everything? Or was it something we just knew we had to do? We did it to overcome the tediousness of our old process. We wanted to work smarter. Truthfully, it has only been within the last five years that the full realization that BIM is, most interestingly, bIm (that’s a capital “I”). Data wins. Trumps graphics every time. I’m not saying the graphics are bad as a result, only that they take a back seat to accuracy and data fidelity. More and more, our clients, contractors and partners are interested in the intelligence built into the database and what we are capable of not only presenting to them, but making available to parties downstream.

Automation

With data in mind, I showed how custom tools and even those commercially, like Clarity and Newforma, are reaching their way into the Revit database and reconstituting the data in ways that make sense at theright time. Pushing and pulling massive amounts of data from one source to another is only getting easier. Technology isn’t the barrier we all once believed it was; it’s an enabler. Need a couple thousand room data sheets? They’ll be ready in the morning when you get in. What about printing your DD package to PDF and exporting the floors plans and 3D views out to AutoCAD or Navisworks? Enjoy your sleep because my army of computers will have all of that ready overnight. Are you renumbering every room or sheet in your file? Shame on you if you’re doing that by hand. Time wasted on repeatable tasks is time not invested in quality.

Design, Analyze, Repeat

The iterative design process is still firmly intact. That’s a good thing, but recognizing how simple changes in process can make it less, I don’t know, repetitive, is how we move forward. My parting message to the audience was: Use the right tool for the right job at the right time. It was not the compare/contrast “discussion” so many of my colleagues out there engage in. We have a tool box and like any good carpenter will tell you, you need to use the right tool. Are you doing a full service domestic commercial project? Here are the tools that will get you there most effectively and meet the necessary level of output. A Chinese high-rise competition? A different tool set altogether. If there is one thing I set out to do, it was to expose our leaders to the potential of technology. Yes, we all love the way Sketchup looks, but have you ever asked a power user what they think of it as a iterative tool? I’m too embarrassed to even type it. In the world where data trumps graphics, wouldn’t it make more sense to use design tools that not only allow rapid iterations, but also have a rich data set to pull from? Imagine if these tools even allowed some advanced energy simulation modeling with a click of a button? I’ll give you a hint, it’s free and our competition has access to those same buttons. RTKL’s reputation and what it decides to do with that information is where the power is.

Design=Analyze

Intelligent forms help designers make decisions they otherwise could not. Infusing our forms with our best design parameters and intelligence, then setting it loose on our project yields results that are easily metered and visualized. By crafting as series of inputs that an analysis or simulation can manipulate, we are taking the first step to true generative creation. The value of such a process is based on the fact that while the architect is firmly in control on why the constraints are applied, technology figures how they are implemented.   Intent > Logic > Placement What if environmental conditions truly influenced the shape of our building. Isn’t that what we’re saying when we talk about Performance Driven Design? A specified set of metrics put in motion via simulation that outputs a form or a series of forms meeting our criteria? This is the future of design.

Scripting

Either by traditional coding or current visual process, scripting is changing the way we think about computation and iteration. It enables rapid, global, measureable design changes and knits seemingly disparate computer programs together in new ways. Grasshopper, Dynamo and Python are taking the guesswork out of decision making and rationalizing complex thoughts around easy to understand workflows. Goal seeking and form finding are only available because of scripting. The instant iteration of form and logic, simultaneously, are helping us finally realize our building’s true potential. It helps us find ways to solve problems and innovate outside of our sphere (you thought I was going to say ”box,” didn’t you?) of understanding. In closing, I believe we are at the cusp of something fantastic and radical. A place where design, performance, fabrication, cost, and installation are optimized and rationalized beyond our current understanding of what it even means to be an “architect”. These are exciting times, indeed.

Main Image: DPR Construction via Buildipedia

CallisonRTKL

CallisonRTKL

For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of nearly 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our client’s businesses and enhancing quality of life.
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