Transformed by Process not Software
http://onuma.com/services/Onuma_V4c.pdf
By, Kimon G. Onuma, AIA
Abstract
The 21st Century Practitioner will be Transformed by Process
not Software. As the boundaries of architecture change there is a
feeling that we are going to fall off the edge. The future of
architecture and quality design will matter only if we can make a
process change and realize that the horizon has no edge. Technological
change will support the process change and allow architecture to be
tightly integrated with all aspects of the life cycle of projects and
to improve the value provided to clients.
This article will not focus on specific software. As
architects we must drive the definition of how software will support
us. Imagine if authors and screenwriters depended on Microsoft for
their creativity. Would they wait for the next version of Microsoft
Word to be able to put out a new novel? Do they look to Bill Gates for
creativity beyond that of creating the software that they use to write
that screenplay?
The opportunities are huge for all in architects to focus on
creating a framework for interoperability. The benefits that can be
gained are not imaginary or in the future, they are happening now. We
must be prepared to write our own novels and make architecture relevant
in this new century.
Intro
A virtual bomb explodes on the street outside a building.
Parametric rules embedded in the digital model immediately
alter the 3D image to represent how much damage has been done to the
building's facade and structural system. A self-generated list makes it
known how many offices have been destroyed or made inoperable. The
virtual people who are impacted by the decimated offices are
highlighted and cross checked with a roster of who was checked "in."
All the damaged equipment is instantly registered and an inventory is
generated listing immediate replacement to maintain mission critical
tasks. Costs are associated with repairs and replacements.
Ten seconds after the virtual blast, the client knows to set
the building back another 20 feet from the street. This potential
impact on the worldwide operations of the client is immediately
realized during the early planning stages.
While this may sound like a scene the architect of the future
will be directing, it is actually being played out today due to the
unique collaboration of architects, engineers, security experts, other
professionals, and visionary clients.
Architects often point to BIM (Building Information Modeling)
as the difference between 20th and 21st Century practice. In reality,
it is the change in design processes demanded by an evolving society
that will truly define the architect of this century. The early sharing
of critical information and allowing its presentation to an
increasingly wide audience is what makes the BIMbomb™
a new phenomenon - not the underlying technology.
Yes, the software makes it possible to visually present the
information. Yet the software has been available for more than two
decades. The client's need to quickly understand the impact of
facilities on its overriding mission is what drives the creation of
complex models such as the BIMbomb™.
As clients attain more sophisticated understanding of every issue that
impacts their mission they want architectural process improvements that
match advancements they experience in other parts of their operations.
Room for
Two Camps
As they did throughout the 20th Century, architects today are
facing ongoing societal change and process evolution that greatly
impact their practice. Some 21st Century architects are aware of these
changes, such as globalization and technological acceleration, and are
adopting the new processes with tools that let them keep pace with the
rest of the world. Others sense the sea change crashing on the shore
and react with an understandable fear. It is not easy to continuously
improve processes and adapt new technologies.
For the time being demands for new buildings worldwide will
allow these two sets of architects to stay in business. However, the
future of these two groups will vary greatly. Architects who do not
adapt to changing business processes will work for clients who maintain
traditional business practices. Their opportunities to participate in
innovative projects will diminish and eventually their accumulated
knowledge, along with their business, will fade. But, just as there are
still some architects who design buildings using only hand-drawn
documents, there will be architects who manage in this traditional
fashion.
Clients are changing by implementing global communication,
continuous process improvement, and integrated decision making.
Architects who rapidly adjust to these changing demands and are
comfortable with best-in-class practices will continue to win the
prize projects. More importantly, architects who adapt new processes
will increase the number of services they offer and will use their
creative problem solving talents in areas that impact society beyond
the walls of their buildings. These architects can see their knowledge
base as valuable data or as a set of logical rules similar to the
Classical Orders for designing Greek buildings.
By leveraging tools like those used at travel reservation web
sites such as Expedia and Travelocity, architects will be able to help
guide clients through complex design issues in a short period. Projects
ranging from mass-customization of kitchen cabinets to affordable
personalization of every unit in a high rise apartment complex to
charting social implications of mixed use developments will be
addressed by the architect in an integrated manner that depicts clearly
visible results. Clients driven by projects such as the Shore
Facilities Asset Management Road Map of the United States Coast Guard
are already starting to implement these advanced processes.
Inside the two groups will be a diverse array of architects.
The traditional camp will include architects practicing much the way
they are today. Those using integrated practices will include
principals, project architects, and sole practitioners interacting with
an increasing array of professionals adept at information management
and analysis. Architects will also be able to mine the publicly and
privately available data that supports decision making in ways that
clients don't realize. Integrated practice will allow architects to
increase the value they bring to clients by providing information
trails that show how design decisions impact long-term goals. Fees will
be based on this value, which is more important to a client than the
hours a draftsman spend connecting lines. Information connections will
be valued.
The Future
is Now
The process of sharing information and using it in a manner
that results in positive benefits beyond typical building goals is
already in action. All one has to do is observe the practice of Frank
Gehry, FAIA to understand this. Bilbao, Spain increased its presence on
the world map with one of the most-noted buildings resulting from
integrated practice. Gehry's firm is now sought out to design buildings
that not only shelter their inhabitants, but also act as an economic
catalyst for the surrounding area.
What isn't as well known is that many other large, medium and
small architectural firms are using the same technology and processes
to impact a growing percentage of our built environment. While not all
of these firms are asked to create architectural landmarks, they are
interacting with clients to understand the true impact of architectural
issues on their overall missions. Not all architects need to use the
tools employed at Mr. Gehry's firm to assist clients in a similarly
advanced manner. Although what Mr. Gehry's firm does is revolutionary
and exemplary, it is the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is
possible for all architects to achieve.
An 11-person architectural firm based in California with staff
constantly traveling and working remotely from places such as Hawaii,
Hong Kong, Japan, Hungary and England uses today's tools to enable
advanced design processes. Globalized and integrated closely with
consultants in Maryland, Tokyo and Helsinki the firm has completed a
variety of digital design projects focused on advancing architectural
processes as it also designs buildings.
The firm's projects include:
- developing the BIMbomb™
mentioned above,
- creating an 'adjustable' warehouse model that can be
stretched and shrunk with the click and drag of a mouse. Knowledge
captured from different client departments trigger inclusion of support
spaces and equipment placement at predetermined points triggered by the
main warehouse square footage. A list of all materials needed for each
iteration is immediately generated along with a 3D stack of materials
for each item on the list. Integrated into the system is structural
engineering knowledge that sizes members and can drive manufacturing of
steel.
- developing a sales, design and specification program that
allows an international manufacturer of technical equipment to show
clients how rooms need to be configured depending on which equipment is
specified and then passing this requirement to their architects
worldwide through The Internet. The manufacturer is now considering
expansion into technical facility design and construction based on the
success of the tool.
- assisting a federal agency to use integrated practices to
reconfigure 30 command centers in 3 months instead of the projected 3
years associated with traditional design processed.
- helping a kitchen cabinet manufacturer allow their products
to be visually represented in more than 1.2 million combinations based
on simple user inputs. This software tool embodies a 150-page catalogue
in a 400 megabit file, whereas more than 22,000 CDs would be needed to
contain CAD files of this many cabinet combinations.
- building a design, specification and manufacturing software
tool for a structural component manufacturer that allows architects to
easily custom design components.
- using BIM tools to assist with the efficient design/build
of a single family spec home.
- creation of custom web-enabled tools that interact with
existing BIM programs to allow capture of institutional architectural
knowledge for large-scale institutions.
The projects on this list are not traditional architectural
projects. However, they all implement traditional architectural problem
solving, information gathering, creative design solutions, graphic
expertise and other products of traditional architectural education.
They also benefit from use of advanced technologies that allow
integration of information from multiple sources. Most importantly they
demonstrate that architects' knowledge can be quantified to generate
revenue beyond the percentage of construction or number of construction
documents generated
Historically, architects have been seen as providing three
basic services:
- They gather information,
- They process this information using a unique set of
analytical problem solving techniques, and,
- They employ mastery of visual communication skills to
relate complex physical solutions in a clear and understandable manner.
That is not going to change for the 21st Century architect.
What has already changed for many architects is how they
provide these services. Realizing the potential of capturing knowledge
and using advanced processes, architects now can:
- Gather and intelligently filter more critical information
than ever before,
- Process that information in a highly refined way to solve
problems, including many outside the purview of traditional
architecture,
- Increase their ability to efficiently communicate ever more
complex design solutions, and,
- Expand the use and worth of their knowledge and data beyond
the construction documents allowing for exponential increases in
efficiency and value creation beyond the physical walls of the
building.
The architect of the 21st Century will benefit from adding
some level of data processing to their resume. Understanding how to
gather, filter and process the explosion of information available to
inform design decisions is a critical skill. The most important initial
in "BIM" is the "I" for information. It is the management, analysis and
effective use of information that will distinguish the 21st Century
architect. Architecture will not be viewed on its aesthetic merits
alone. Command of data will allow architecture to be increasingly rated
on its ability to support a client's mission through the entire life
cycle of a project.
Evolve or
Dissolve
While much discussion will focus on the fear that 'automated'
design will eliminate the architect, the truth is that architects freed
from repetitive tasks will be freed to focus on key design issues and
the main reason most architects entered the profession is a desire to
improve society through creative design. If architects do not show that
they can add design value as the world automates itself, the 21st
Century architect will be a dying breed.
Luckily, data mining and BIM tools will become increasingly
user friendly and transparent to architects who can focus on their
areas of expertise. If someone is able to master and orchestrate
software and hardware usage and they are willing to drive process
change, they have an advantage that will result is superior design
solutions.
Despite the evolution of software, the 21st Century want ads
for architects place a premium on comfort with technology. Recent
graduates, junior architects and mid-level professionals who are
comfortable working in virtual teams will be in demand. Partners will
be sought for their ability to positively influence the built
environment with an array of technological tools. Employers will weigh
the experience of candidates who are capable of working seamlessly with
distant colleagues with their specific knowledge of a project type. Is
the ability to construct web-based data files that spin out specs,
plans and sections to different team members at different times in
different countries more important than experience with hospitality
projects?
Will the position require the person to report to an office,
or will candidates increase their chances of employment by showing a
high remote office efficiency rating similar to that given to
conscientious used book dealers on Amazon.com? Will the person need to
be an employee or can they be an on-call specialty consultant? These
shifts have already happened in other creative fields like the music
and movie industries. Expect similar changes in architecture.
Most importantly the team will need to accept new work methods
and identify new opportunities and processes on the fly by
collaborating globally. Impossible? Observe a typical teen. Their
multi-tasking skills include: gathering information from the Internet
for a group PowerPoint
project, communicating with peers across town and around the world via
instant message, posting a message on MySpace,
the networking website of more than 67 million users, while taking a
phone call from mom. Imagine the impact on the workforce when those
skills are honed and brought to our profession.
Candidates will be asked to work on projects that develop at
astonishing speeds. The following scenario shows how an entire design
project can be substantially completed in one day. While it may seem
futuristic, completing a project in one day or less is possible with
the proper collaboration tools.
The
21st Century Eight Hour Workday
In the following scenario, a one-day building design project
is described. For it to occur, the architect has pre-qualified all team
members with the client specifically to provide rapid responses and a
collaborative framework between the teams and client.
All team members and client representatives are proven users
of web-based communications, linked databases and rapid integrated
decision making. Team members have established automated knowledge
programs that allow initial project requirements to be processed in a
highly refined manner. The team members review and further refine this
automated output using their expert skill sets. Non-disclosure
statements have been signed among all team members because some expert
knowledge is visible in the resulting BIM even though each team member
has focused levels of access to the model.
Fees are not based on an hourly rate. The client has
pre-established fee schedules for each team member based on knowledge
and value, contributed to the project. An architect specializing in
design of kitchen facilities will receive a lower fee for a project
requiring rough space for a chain restaurant than for one needing a
450-seat dining facility run by the client.
In this scenario, a client requests the design of a research
laboratory, conference center and museum that showcases the company's
innovations. The research laboratory prototypes new electronic products
it wants available for distribution before the end of the year. A
suitable site is available in the Boston area, but it is larger than
needed. The client wants to know if offices and a training center could
also be included on the site. Important design issues include grouping
the building components together or separating them and creating a
campus setting that is integrated with the city of Boston.
- An existing 20,000 square foot historic office building is
on the site and the client also wants to determine how to integrate
that into the project.
- Other key issues include: soil conditions
- water table status
- 100-year impact to the community
- tax implications
- LEED certification
- construction cost variations
- schedules fueled by New Urbanism
- A need for dormitory space for visiting teams.
The architectural style should match the city of Boston and
the surrounding educational institutions such as M.I.T. The negative
spaces between buildings should be carefully considered to create a
campus like atmosphere and to interact with the buildings. The museum
and adjacent research laboratory will be both working spaces and
symbolic of the company's mission.
The project budget, business goals and other needs will be
carefully considered. The recommendation at the end of eight hours may
even be to not even proceed with the project. There is value in being
able to guide the client on decisions. At the end of a single day, the
entire project requirements as well as preliminary BIMs, cost estimates
and reports are completed. With a substantial portion of the data
crunching work finalized, the architect now has more opportunities to
let the creative process enrich the project.
Although the work completed in this eight-hour scenario seems
like it should take months, many of the activities described are
already taking place in a very tight time frame. The suggestion here is
to take control of accelerated projects to ensure architectural
knowledge and good design are incorporated as market needs demand
hyper-track projects. Taking control of the process also eliminates or
reduces the chance of larger errors.
Nothing will replace the personal experience of slowly getting
to know a site and letting a design percolate into in an alluring brew
enticing all the senses. However, ignoring the realities of today's
market makes architects vulnerable to obsolescence.
The
Design Charrette
8 am Start Project
- Client contacts pre-qualified team in project database to
start brainstorming - Site is identified on a Google Earth™
3D model of the Boston area - 3D BIM model of programming requirements
auto generated and placed in Google Earth™
- Easement, lien, covenant and restriction database(s) checked - Data
from historical office building BIM to accessed through the project
database
9 am Site and GIS Review
- Confirm size of site and soil condition from GIS data in 2D
and 3D - Rate each footprint location and pass data of conditions to
structural analysis for foundation design - Automatically perform a
preliminary code analysis by submitting the project to the city
planning and zoning database - Rate distance to transportation and
housing
10 am Architectural Review
- BIM review by team members who are assigned based on
availability - Data from existing building analyzed - Potential schemes
studied
11 am Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Review
- Determine systems and costs - Performance requirements
defined - Recommend to pursue Silver LEED rating on manufacturing
portion and Gold rating for the rest
12 pm Structural Review
- One plan includes a multi-story building, which triggers
need for underground parking - Soil conditions from GIS dictate various
foundation systems - Review long span requirements
1 pm Contractor and Construction Cost Review
- Consider contractor cost factors on a real time basis
against various design options - Constructability review
2 pm Client Mid-Day Review
- Access to online 3D model of Boston - Zero in on site to
review options - Internet access for client to project data throughout
the day - Client agrees on one site configuration based on value
generated - Analysis and work on the project does not stop during this
virtual review
3 pm Project Development
- MEP, Structural, Sustainability decisions are made based on
LEEDS requirements - Building life cycle costing of critical system
evaluated from the database - Generate traffic studies in relation to
the building and submit to the city's database - Make economic analysis
on all critical factors
4 pm Security Analysis
- Continue design analysis for security and force protection
- Address and analyze potential threats to building occupants -
Automatically analyze data from more than 100 existing BIMs of
buildings in neighborhood to determine vulnerability of this site - Run
50-year analysis of threat scenarios
5 pm Project Reports Available on Line to Client and Team
- Online access to data equivalent to a 500 page
project related report - Access on-line cost estimates that will form
the basis for project requirements prepared from the database - On-line
access for client to track changes during the construction and life of
building - On-line access for team members to address issues during
construction
Day 1 Mission Accomplished
- Assemble all project relevant data - Continue with current
site or look for another - Project trajectory for program and budget
established - Ascertain basis for further design by architect
established or the basis for design build is established - On-line
access to feasibility and economic analysis - Eliminate design on
visiting team dormitory space due to proximity of existing hotels.
Endless
Opportunities
It may seem futuristic to think a building that typically
requires months to design can be envisioned and brought to life in
eight hours. Many architects are reporting substantial reduction in
design time and substantial increase in quality with the aid of BIM
tools. It is not hard to extrapolate their experience and envision a
time when one-day projects are the norm for certain situations.
Looking at the mass customization techniques being employed in
the computer industry by Dell and others, it is easy to see that
phenomenal changes in business processes are not only possible but are
becoming expected. Architects are already expected to provide services
that match the hyper speed of change in the highly competitive business
world. Instead of doubting the possibility of new processes to meet
client needs, many architects are moving forward in innovative ways.
Again, Mr. Gehry is the shining example. The demand for his
services allows him to create new contractual arrangements among
building team members and clients. The new legal approach ties all
entities together as an integrated whole instead of creating
adversarial parties waiting for a reunion in judge's chambers. It is
not hard to understand the financial benefit of eliminating legal
disputes due to a change in design and building processes. The American
Institute of Architects is exploring adjustments in its contract
documents to allow all practitioners the option to form integrated
teams as a standard legal practice.
Mr. Gehry's well-documented interest in an organic, sculptural
approach to architectural design would likely make him reticent to
participate in a one-day design project resulting in construction
drawings. However, his establishment of a technology education
operation shows his dedication to encouraging process change among
architects and others in the building industry. It is beautifully
ironic that the man who has done so much to advance the incorporation
of aerospace technology and processes into architecture does not
himself interact with computers to create his designs. In this manner
he can be seen as an ideal example of the 20th Century architect. He
would probably agree that the 21st Century practitioner is more likely
to be characterized as having direct control of computer technology.
If it is possible to change contractual relationships to
accommodate the processes of integrated practice, it is possible to
create new fee structures that reflect the true value of an architect's
contribution to the long-term success of a building. In addition to
gaining access to more revenue streams with additional services that
have been contractually fenced off, architects are using the advent of
BIM as the opportunity to demonstrate their value to the long-term cost
effectiveness of a building. With increased awareness of design
integration benefits, it is natural to show how architects' decisions
impact the life cycle costs, resale and future modifications.
The accompanying chart shows that the architect's piece of the
financial pie for the life of a building is rendered insignificant
during the useful life of a building. Yet, the decisions an architect
makes have ongoing impact on the majority of related costs, and
financial benefits for the life of the building. No more money is
available to architects simply because they demonstrate that good
design increases a building's value. However, fully understanding this
bigger picture allows architects to explore opportunities for
additional rewards for their services.
A web-based warehouse design "machine" can generate a
licensing fee for the architect every time interested users generate a
highly refined building by answering questions in a format similar to
making airline reservations on line. More important than the licensing
fee, the architect is notified that someone is seriously considering
building a warehouse and can pursue the opportunity for providing more
personal services.
Not every building today is designed by an architect. But by
recognizing that processes and tools are available to allow some level
of knowledgeable guidance for all buildings, architects can expand
their impact on the built environment. Architects cannot shirk the
realities of an exponentially increasing population that not only
require a phenomenal amount of new buildings but need them to be more
effective and efficient than ever before.
Globalization is affecting all businesses including
architecture at an unprecedented pace. The architect of the 21st
Century needs to master the processes driven by these changes and be
proactive in defining how they will support changing client needs. In
order to be the master builder of the 21st century we must first master
these new tools and processes.
Change is hard. We see the challenge it presents to clients on
a regular basis. They look to architects for the creative insight to
help them through transition and into a better environment. Architects
need to look to themselves for the solutions to building a sustainable
environment for the professional practice.
As always, acknowledging there is a need for change is the
first step to a design solution. The architects who have made this step
can help others by actively demonstrating the benefits and rewards they
are experiencing from adopting new processes and tools. Sharing the
frustrations and problems is necessary, too.
In the end, the practitioner of the 21st Century is unlike the
21st Century citizen. Confronted with an overwhelming amount of
information and technology, it is understandable that some will hold on
to established, comfortable methods of living. Others will see the
almost endless amount of opportunity available to those who choose to
educate and challenge themselves with new precepts. Know your options.
Enjoy your choice.
What
Next? The Horizon Has No Edge.
Will automated design processes eliminate the need for
architects? Will all buildings be pre-manufactured by robots like cars
without the need for human hands or human thoughts? Will architects
decrease in number until they are almost extinct and then saved from
devastation through heroic preservation efforts?
It is easy to present black and white projections for the
future. It is more important to understand that advancements of
humanity do not eliminate the good and essential elements of our past.
We fly in planes, yet it still is nice to go horseback riding. People
communicate instantly with email, yet is still very touching to receive
a hand written letter.
Positive advancements in society tend not to eliminate
anything that is worthwhile, but enrich human experience in new and
exciting ways. Advancement is not without challenge, but the printing
press did not eliminate the art of painting. Instead, it provided a
greater opportunity to teach painting processes to a wider group of
people.
BIM is not trying to prevent an architect from sketching grand
plans on a napkin. BIM may even help architects synthesize extensive
amounts of information during an eight-hour charrette so they can arrive
at a moment of inspiration that is captured on that napkin.
Designing office buildings in eight hours will not stop an
architect from camping in a forest for days in order to better
understand how to site a vacation home.
BIM will not eliminate the benefit of taking a pen in hand and
sketching ideas for your mother's new house in a manner that she will
understand. Or, if you choose, to take that same pen and capture the
innocent smile of a child sitting.
Knowing how to represent people in all their states of being
with a pencil and paper will always be a benefit to architects. It is
just that we now have a responsibility to learn how to work with other
tools - tools that support new processes being developed by humanity.
If architects demanded that society only accept hand-drawn construction
documents at the end of the 20th Century, the profession would not
exist today.
As architects on the edge with the Integrated Practice we
choose the right path and the horizon of potential spreads out before
us. As leaders and captains of our ships we as architects can help to
chart the new course and in the end "Design Will Matter" more and the
integrated practice will flourish.
Integrated Practice helps us become architects on the edge of
exploring new possibilities. As early seafaring explorers learned, the
edge is not a precipice that we will lead to our fall. The edge is just
a horizon line that we will pass on our way to discovering an infinite
amount opportunity to pursue our art with an ever-growing array of
tools. As the captains of our ships, we can chart the new course for
establishing how "Design Will Matter" to the enrichment of the human
2009-10-26 14:04:30 |