This workshop, session WE202 at this year's national AIA convention, is based on the idea that a technology is a tool. It is for each architect to decide which tools to use and how to use them. Architects should make these decisions based on their particular goals and values. They need to understand the tools in order to use them effectively while keeping their ultimate purpose clearly in mind.
Most architects today use a great deal of technology in their practices. Many are getting a sense that there are intriguing, powerful possibilities in this domain but face daunting challenges exploring them. It's hard enough finding reliable information and the time to read it, but that's only the beginning. How should an architect select, combine and implement technologies in order to best achieve his or her particular goals?
This program directly addresses this question. Its goal is to enable participants to make informed decisions about what technologies to choose and how to implement them in their own practices. By learning to do this they will increase their effectiveness as designers of the built environment.
The program will be a full-day pre-convention workshop in two parts:
Morning: A series of presentations by innovative architects and expert technologists. The topics that will be discussed are:
Your Firm- factors that affect its best use of technology
BIM Platforms- what they do and don't do
Interoperability- how to get different pieces of software to talk to each other
Collaboration & Communication- how to share information using BIM models, web tools and cloud resources
Workflows- representative, real-world examples of how technologies are used in practice
Owner perspectives- what different types of owners are looking for from technology
Afternoon: Participants will develop their own "integrated technology plans" with assistance from the presenters and other advisors. They will first be asked to outline the goals they want to achieve in their practices. They will then be taken through a series of exercises to help them select a group of technologies forming an integrated package that will help them achieve their stated goals. Finally, they will develop specific ideas for implementing their selected technologies based on their goals and the resources available to them
Location
2012 National AIA Convention
Washington Convention Center
Washington, DC
Brian Skripac Assoc. AIA
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