Technology in Architectural Practice

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Project Delivery and Technology in Architectural Practice .
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How have your documents changed? Are you modeling things just because we can?

How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?

Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?


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Thomas Mrozenski AIA
Flad Architects
Madison WI

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How have your documents changed? They haven't, but they are smaller in size. Are you modeling things just because we can? I find that I must in order to visualize the project either in the virtual space or real space. How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool? Sort of both, depending on the project or client. Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point? It has to be used by both, we don't have the hours. ------------------------------------------- Ricardo Ramos Assoc. AIA, LEED® AP, CSI Arcadia CA -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-11-2013 14:30 From: Thomas Mrozenski Subject: Leveraging the Model This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Project Delivery and Technology in Architectural Practice . ------------------------------------------- How have your documents changed? Are you modeling things just because we can? How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool? Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point? ------------------------------------------- Thomas Mrozenski AIA Flad Architects Madison WI -------------------------------------------

How have your documents changed?
...Less prone to sheet to sheet coordination errors. More elements appear because they're there - which creates less coordination errors in house and now that we are working with MEP and Structure modeling as well, we have less coordination problems with them. More prone to leave out things - but this is a problem, not a positive. We leave things out because we are so familiar with the model that we don't realize some information has not been documented. We know it's there.We see it every day. And in our model, it's there. In our documents? The place we communicate to the builders? Not. This has improved over time, but every time someone new is introduced to BIM, the problem starts all over again.

Are you modeling things just because we can?
...No. We model them because they will get built and if we want to know how they'll be built, we better model them. That said, if we have repeating elements that we can model once and use 2D info everywhere else, we do. It make the model much more manageable.

 How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?
...Some of the documents have changed. We've gotten better at going small to large and drawing things (modeling them) once. As in, we cast a relatively small scale wall section, apply very little detail info (lines, components, filled regions, etc.), give information about vertical change points and building systems so the estimates (and pricing) come back well informed, and make callouts to the enlarged details where we give the info that shows how it all goes together. Must admit though, we learned this trick from old paper documents that came from another office.
...Some of the documents haven't. Plans look much the same. Elevations look much the same.
...All of the documents have changed. Accuracy and coordination is far better than it was before.

 Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?
...Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I would rather it was always yes.

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Tom Miller
Project Architect
Overland Park, Kansas
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2013 14:30
From: Thomas Mrozenski
Subject: Leveraging the Model

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Project Delivery and Technology in Architectural Practice .
-------------------------------------------
How have your documents changed? Are you modeling things just because we can?

How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?

Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?


-------------------------------------------
Thomas Mrozenski AIA
Flad Architects
Madison WI

-------------------------------------------

How have your documents changed? We use BIM to communicate the scope, quality and design intent of the built environment. That is a different mindset than using technology to produce documents. Using available technology to produce documents is like using a Ferrari to pull a plow. We produce a model of the project containing the scope, quality and design intent. Gain consensus within the design team and the client using virtual models and, if necessary bid the work to qualified subcontractors, suppliers and fabricators. Following the selection of the most qualified team, we form a collaborative team to clarify and coordinate the work using the subcontractor's models through a virtual/design/construct (VDC) process. The product of this process is the is the prefabrication data using in the construction manufacturing process and the implementation processes.

Are you modeling things just because you can? No. We model what has value downstream and to communicate design intent.

How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool? Architects are not in the business of producing documents. We are in the business of designing, communicating design intent and providing the tools needed to maintain the structure following the end of the procurement phase. The age of the drafts-person is fading away.

Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point? BIM is all about the continuity of data, not the continuity of a model. The concept of a start point and end point of a model or a document is no longer valid. The data can morph, and adapt to serve multiple purposes and needs from the conception of design, model creation, procurement and asset management. Building information data including models, information data bases, scheduling and communication tools and budget information data. BIM is a process, not a model or a document. It is about creating a continuous value stream. 

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Douglas Elting AIA
Visions in Architecture
Lincoln NE
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2013 13:53
From: Thomas Miller
Subject: Leveraging the Model

How have your documents changed?
...Less prone to sheet to sheet coordination errors. More elements appear because they're there - which creates less coordination errors in house and now that we are working with MEP and Structure modeling as well, we have less coordination problems with them. More prone to leave out things - but this is a problem, not a positive. We leave things out because we are so familiar with the model that we don't realize some information has not been documented. We know it's there.We see it every day. And in our model, it's there. In our documents? The place we communicate to the builders? Not. This has improved over time, but every time someone new is introduced to BIM, the problem starts all over again.

Are you modeling things just because we can?
...No. We model them because they will get built and if we want to know how they'll be built, we better model them. That said, if we have repeating elements that we can model once and use 2D info everywhere else, we do. It make the model much more manageable.

 How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?
...Some of the documents have changed. We've gotten better at going small to large and drawing things (modeling them) once. As in, we cast a relatively small scale wall section, apply very little detail info (lines, components, filled regions, etc.), give information about vertical change points and building systems so the estimates (and pricing) come back well informed, and make callouts to the enlarged details where we give the info that shows how it all goes together. Must admit though, we learned this trick from old paper documents that came from another office.
...Some of the documents haven't. Plans look much the same. Elevations look much the same.
...All of the documents have changed. Accuracy and coordination is far better than it was before.

 Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?
...Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I would rather it was always yes.

-------------------------------------------
Tom Miller
Project Architect
Overland Park, Kansas
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2013 14:30
From: Thomas Mrozenski
Subject: Leveraging the Model

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Project Delivery and Technology in Architectural Practice .
-------------------------------------------
How have your documents changed? Are you modeling things just because we can?

How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?

Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?


-------------------------------------------
Thomas Mrozenski AIA
Flad Architects
Madison WI

-------------------------------------------

Mr Elting
Are the projects you describe private so they are negotiated or public hard bid work?  
I am intrigued with what you describe in the negotiated team world.  It makes a lot of sense and would create a better project.
I do not see how it would work for the public hard bid projects.  Of course I am old and am told I am inflexible.

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Robert Carlson AIA
Principal
Carlson Design Team PC
Iowa City IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-15-2013 10:50
From: Douglas Elting
Subject: Leveraging the Model

How have your documents changed? We use BIM to communicate the scope, quality and design intent of the built environment. That is a different mindset than using technology to produce documents. Using available technology to produce documents is like using a Ferrari to pull a plow. We produce a model of the project containing the scope, quality and design intent. Gain consensus within the design team and the client using virtual models and, if necessary bid the work to qualified subcontractors, suppliers and fabricators. Following the selection of the most qualified team, we form a collaborative team to clarify and coordinate the work using the subcontractor's models through a virtual/design/construct (VDC) process. The product of this process is the is the prefabrication data using in the construction manufacturing process and the implementation processes.

Are you modeling things just because you can? No. We model what has value downstream and to communicate design intent.

How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool? Architects are not in the business of producing documents. We are in the business of designing, communicating design intent and providing the tools needed to maintain the structure following the end of the procurement phase. The age of the drafts-person is fading away.

Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point? BIM is all about the continuity of data, not the continuity of a model. The concept of a start point and end point of a model or a document is no longer valid. The data can morph, and adapt to serve multiple purposes and needs from the conception of design, model creation, procurement and asset management. Building information data including models, information data bases, scheduling and communication tools and budget information data. BIM is a process, not a model or a document. It is about creating a continuous value stream. 

-------------------------------------------
Douglas Elting AIA
Visions in Architecture
Lincoln NE
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2013 13:53
From: Thomas Miller
Subject: Leveraging the Model

How have your documents changed?
...Less prone to sheet to sheet coordination errors. More elements appear because they're there - which creates less coordination errors in house and now that we are working with MEP and Structure modeling as well, we have less coordination problems with them. More prone to leave out things - but this is a problem, not a positive. We leave things out because we are so familiar with the model that we don't realize some information has not been documented. We know it's there.We see it every day. And in our model, it's there. In our documents? The place we communicate to the builders? Not. This has improved over time, but every time someone new is introduced to BIM, the problem starts all over again.

Are you modeling things just because we can?
...No. We model them because they will get built and if we want to know how they'll be built, we better model them. That said, if we have repeating elements that we can model once and use 2D info everywhere else, we do. It make the model much more manageable.

 How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?
...Some of the documents have changed. We've gotten better at going small to large and drawing things (modeling them) once. As in, we cast a relatively small scale wall section, apply very little detail info (lines, components, filled regions, etc.), give information about vertical change points and building systems so the estimates (and pricing) come back well informed, and make callouts to the enlarged details where we give the info that shows how it all goes together. Must admit though, we learned this trick from old paper documents that came from another office.
...Some of the documents haven't. Plans look much the same. Elevations look much the same.
...All of the documents have changed. Accuracy and coordination is far better than it was before.

 Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?
...Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I would rather it was always yes.

-------------------------------------------
Tom Miller
Project Architect
Overland Park, Kansas
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2013 14:30
From: Thomas Mrozenski
Subject: Leveraging the Model

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Project Delivery and Technology in Architectural Practice .
-------------------------------------------
How have your documents changed? Are you modeling things just because we can?

How are you using your building information model to provide better documents or are we producing the same documents with a different tool?

Is your model being used by the design AND construction team or is it cut off at the critical transition point?


-------------------------------------------
Thomas Mrozenski AIA
Flad Architects
Madison WI

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