Case Studies from Esri User Conference 2023

The leading GIS software company, Esri, held its annual user conference last month, and I was able to tune in to its plenary sessions online, which provided an insight into how its ArcGIS products were being used in multiple ways across the world in varied domains including agriculture, environment, communication and connectivity, urban planning and transportation, communication and connectivity, disaster planning and management, and more. The ability to map out the world and overlay it with data — which is fundamentally what a GIS application does — seems to be one that is being put to work in countless ways across all fields of human endeavor and is likely to continue doing so.

This article provides an overview of some of the user implementations that were presented at the conference, including those from PCL Construction from Canada, Foster + Partners, the City of Cambridge in Massachusetts, the Netherlands’ Kadaster mapping agency, and the PG&E utility from California.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/feature/2023/EsriUserConference2023.html

HKS: Firm Profile

HKS, an interdisciplinary global design firm of more than 1,400 architects, interior designers, urban designers, scientists, artists, anthropologists and more, shares its perspective on AEC technology in this Firm Profile.

Architecture is a collaborative profession that requires many stakeholders before and after the development of the architectural and interior design packages. At each project step, the key stakeholders must share the same core competencies around technology for our contracting and delivery processes to evolve. While the industry is not there yet, we do see a change in many areas of the world and are excited to be a part of the change that is driving the delivery of the built environment.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/profile/2023/FirmProfile-HKS.html

Join: Collaborative Project Delivery Platform

Join is a cloud-based platform that brings together contractors, owners, and design teams to facilitate decision-making throughout the lifecycle of an AEC project. While Join made its start as a preconstruction solution in 2019, its use by construction firms has expanded to both earlier on in the project lifecycle in the planning phase as well as later in the execution phase. Throughout, it provides a shared space where the OAC team (owner, architect, and contractor) can work together to hone in on the details of a project in order to meet the budget and schedule requirements. It also allows firms to get key insights across all of the projects they are deploying Join on, making it a compelling solution for leading construction companies such as McCarthy, DPR Construction, Swinerton, Clark Construction, Barton Malow, and LEMOINE, many of whom are now using it enterprise-wide.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/review/2023/Join.html

Design Case Studies from Graphisoft Building Together 2023, Part 2

This is a follow-up to the article that was published two weeks ago capturing three design case studies from Graphisoft’s recent Building Together Design event, in which it unveiled its 2023 product lineup as well as profiled several of its design customers from around the world who presented an overview of how they were using Archicad, BIMx, and BIMcloud. This article captures the highlights of three more customer presentations from the event: Brenac & Gonzalez & Associés from France, JKMM Architects from Finland, and Earthworld Architects & Interiors from South Africa.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/feature/2023/BuildingTogetherDesign2023-2.html

Design Case Studies from Graphisoft Building Together 2023, Part 1

Earlier this month, Graphisoft held its Building Together Design event in which it unveiled its 2023 product lineup as well as profiled several of its design customers from around the world who presented an overview of how they were using Archicad, BIMx, and BIMcloud in their projects. This article captures the presentations of three of these firms: Reflex Architects from Sweden, Tektonn Architects from China, and The Up Studio from the US. Part 2 of this article, which will be published next week, will profile Brenac & Gonzalez & Associés from France, JKMM Architects from Finland, and Earthworld Architects & Interiors from South Africa.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/feature/2023/BuildingTogetherDesign2023-1.html

AIA Conference on Architecture 2023

The annual AIA conference — the main event for architects in the US — was held in San Francisco last week and I was able to attend it in person after a gap of several years. This was a conference I used to typically attend every year before the pandemic, as it featured all the key AEC technology vendors and provided an excellent venue to quickly get up to speed on the state of the art of the industry. The previous AIA conference I was able to attend in person was in 2019, and while the attendance at last week’s event was far below pre-pandemic levels, it was great to get a chance to see different products and meet their developers in person once again. Hopefully, events like this can soon return to full force and give people a chance to imbibe and be inspired by the collective energy and vitality of like-minded professionals.

This article provides an overview of some of the technology products I was able to see at the AIA 2023 conference, including new tools like Skema, Snaptrude, Autodesk Forma, and CodeComply.AI, as well as feature enhancements to established tools like SketchUp, Enscape, and Archicad.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/newsletter/2023/issue_125.html

Gateway at Millbrae Station: Project Profile

James Woodbury, Pablo Azcona, and Trent Zane of Blach Construction describe the implementation of AEC technology on Gateway at Millbrae Station, a transportation-oriented, mixed-use development in Millbrae, California, that was built as a joint venture between Blach Construction and Cahill Contractors.

One notable observation regarding the use of AEC technology for the Gateway at Millbrae Station project is the significant impact it had on the construction schedule. By leveraging advanced tools such as laser scanning, total station survey, and BIM software, the project team was able to identify and resolve design and construction conflicts at earlier stages. This early detection led to a substantial reduction in rework and change orders, resulting in a highly efficient and streamlined construction process. Moreover, the integration of technology fostered improved communication and collaboration among team members, enhancing their ability to work cohesively towards project goals.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/profile/2023/ProjectProfile-GatewayMillbrae.html

Augmenta: Automated Building Design Using Generative AI

This review explores Augmenta, a new AEC technology solution being developed for automating building design in Revit that is using the breakthrough technology of generative AI. It is focused on the different engineering disciplines — electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and structural — for which it can automatically create detailed, code-compliant, and constructible designs that satisfy the specified criteria. Since it works as a plugin to Revit, designers already using Revit for detailed design and BIM modeling can continue to work within it and still use Augmenta as a smart design tool within their existing workflows.

URL: https://www.aecbytes.com/review/2023/Augmenta.html