Technology in Architectural Practice

 View Only

Community HTML

Glass

Quick Links

Who we are

The AIA Technology in Architectural Practice Knowledge Community (TAP) serves as a resource for AIA members, the profession, and the public in the deployment of computer technology in the practice of architecture. TAP leaders monitor the development of computer technology and its impact on architecture practice and the entire building life cycle, including design, construction, facility management, and retirement or reuse.

    

  • 1.  TAP Symposium at A'23: Questions for Panel 3, Relationship with Technology

    Posted 05-01-2023 03:17 PM
    Hi all!  I'm excited to be moderating a panel at the TAP Symposium at A'23:  A continuation of our TAP Building Connections Congress (BCC) series on Wednesday, Jun 7!  As such, I'd love to voice your questions or thoughts to the panelists.  
    The panel, "Relationship with Technology (Practice vs. Process)" will focus on the lack of software development required to keep pace with the evolution of project delivery.  To fill this gap some firms have responded by developing their own software, either as add-ins to industry common tools or as stand-alone applications.
    Please let me know your thoughts or questions, and I will ask!  

    Let's use the TAP Forum to discuss this topic!  To jump start the conversation:
    1. What is your take on the state of software in our profession?  Is it meeting our needs?  
    2. Are you tired of seeing news headlines extolling cutting edge software advances, and wonder when will we get those tools?
    3. Have you decided to write your own software tools?  If so, how has it gone?  How was interacting with incumbent software applications?
    4. Is there enough competition in BIM platforms to drive advancement?
    5. What do you think can be done to improve software solutions in Architecture?
    6. Other topics?
    TAP Events at A'23: 
    • TAP Symposium at A'23 - Wednesday from 9am to 6pm - TAP100
    • TAP Open Forum - Friday from 10am to 11:30am - EV308
    Thank you!


    ------------------------------
    Bradford Prestbo FAIA
    StudioNYL
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: TAP Symposium at A'23: Questions for Panel 3, Relationship with Technology

    Posted 05-02-2023 09:54 PM

    This sounds like a fascinating panel, Bradford. I'll briefly share some of my opinions in response to your jump-start questions:

    1. As someone who spent a decade working as a software engineer, I am dismayed at the state of software being used in the profession today. The UX is cumbersome, bugs are commonplace, and most architects I've spoken to seem to suffer from a kind of Stockholm syndrome with respect to their BIM packages of choice.
    2. I have become so inured to the internet's ability to generate smoke without fire that I mostly tune out the hype about revolutionary new advances in design (or any other) software.
    3. I have written a number of small extensions for Revit. While I have generally been able to get my tools to work, I can't say that the journey getting there was a pleasant one. The API provided by Revit is frustratingly inconsistent and incomplete.
    4. Autodesk holds a near-monopoly on the BIM market in the United States and uses the industry's dependence on Revit to avoid investing in meaningful improvements to that product. If Excel had as many bugs in the 80s and 90s as Revit does today, we would all still be using Lotus 1-2-3.
    5. Hundreds, if not thousands of firms across the country have developed the scripts to automate the same procedures in their BIM and CAD workflows. We need to let go of selfish concerns about "proprietary knowledge" and "competitive advantage" and embrace the capacity of open source to advance the state of architectural software collectively.


    ------------------------------
    Nicholas Rawlings Assoc. AIA
    Passero Associates
    Charlotte NC
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: TAP Symposium at A'23: Questions for Panel 3, Relationship with Technology

    Posted 05-04-2023 09:41 AM

    In a word, "amen" to Nicholas's statement.

    In researching the potential (and sooner than later to happen) impact of A.I. on our industry, it's clear the technology will overtake architecture if we don't start building our own shared database of projects and technical information to draw on to automate the automate-able and supplement/grow the insight, inspiration, leadership and management talents of the profession. 



    ------------------------------
    Rebecca W.E. Edmunds AIA
    President, Communicate Design
    Roanoke VA
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: TAP Symposium at A'23: Questions for Panel 3, Relationship with Technology

    Posted 05-04-2023 06:18 PM

    Hi Bradford! I'll be there at the symposium, I've been involved with my local TAP for several years. Agree with Mr. Rawlings but have a few additional thoughts as well:

    1. In addition to our tools being somewhat non-optimal, there's been a bit of a phase shift in the attention of software providers to servicing contractors and owners. While this isn't wholly a negative thing, I feel like architects haven't fully reckoned with how our process and deliverables are changing, especially how models are currently being used in construction.
    2. I think the architectural toolset could at this time benefit more from simplicity than from further complexity. The things I'd be most happy about would be a complete set of APIs, better interoperability, and a real archival format.
    3. I use a pretty robust suite of tools developed by me and by my colleagues. They're useful, but would be more so if we had more stability in our process (see #2).
    4. At this point in the industry Revit has now been a dominant tool for the architectural profession for as long as Autocad had it's heyday in the US. I am waiting for the next step ;)
    5. The most significant thing we can do to improve the state of software solutions would be to have a real, independent BIM database format that was agreed upon by all parties and was used in practice. IFC has made great strides but still is not applicable in many cases.
    6. As i mentioned in no. 1, real discussion of the way that models are currently being used in the field, and how this ties to the latest AIA contract documents, is something that needs to be discussed. Architects need to take the reins on the future of models in AEC. Most of the VD+C partners at contractors' offices that I know are architects - why? Because we require creative solutions to the problems we're facing in technology right now.



    ------------------------------
    Benjamin Regnier AIA
    Gensler
    Encinitas CA
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: TAP Symposium at A'23: Questions for Panel 3, Relationship with Technology

    Posted 05-04-2023 08:39 PM
    Edited by Nicholas Rawlings Assoc. AIA 05-04-2023 08:39 PM

    "I feel like architects haven't fully reckoned with how our process and deliverables are changing"

    I'm in complete agreement with this statement, Benjamin. I find it baffling that we spend so much time laying out drawings and schedules on sheets that may never actually be printed. There are so many better ways to convey information on-screen than in a PDF.

    Take elevation keynotes, for example. They work well in print as a way to cram a lot of information into a compact space. On a screen, however, it quickly becomes tiresome to zoom into a drawing, read a keynote number (or letter, depending on your firm's convention), and then pan over to the legend to figure out what that number means. It would be much less obtrusive to allow users to tap on a wall, window, or gutter in an elevation to get more information about it, or perhaps to display that information in a tooltip when the user's cursor passes over the element in question.



    ------------------------------
    Nicholas Rawlings Assoc. AIA
    Charlotte NC
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: TAP Symposium at A'23: Questions for Panel 3, Relationship with Technology

    Posted 07-21-2023 11:30 AM

     

    Document Shared

     

     

     

     

    Bryan Schroeder has shared a document.

    You can also comment on it.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    SENT BY

     

    Bryan Schroeder

    MESSAGE FROM SENDER

     

    Documents

    SHARED ON

     

    July 21, 2023 09:52:10 AM UTC

     

     

    Manage Your Account | Customer Support | Forums | Terms of Use | Report Abuse

     

     

    Adobe, the Adobe logo, the Adobe PDF logo, and Acrobat are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    Adobe, 345 Park Ave., San Jose, CA 95110 USA