Convergence

"There is today a pronounced and accelerated convergence in architecture. This convergence is occurring by doers not thinkers; in practice not academia; in building design, fabrication, and construction. It is about solution-centric individuals engaged in real time problem solving, not in abstractions. The nature of this convergence, where things are converging and what that means for architecture, is the subject of this book."
—from the Introduction

Those working in architecture and engineering feel pressure to work faster, at lower cost, while maintaining a high level of innovation and quality. At the same time, emergent tools and processes make this possible. Convergence is about the firms, teams and people who thrive in this environment as a result of their ability to creatively combine and innovate. It seeks to answer several timely questions: What are the tools and work processes that are converging? How are individuals and organizations converging their tools and work processes? What challenges and benefits are they seeing? What is the ultimate endgame of this convergence? What skillsets and mindsets would someone need to develop to work effectively in this changing environment? What are the implications of convergence on the role of the designer, and on design? On how we design, build, fabricate, and construct? On how we work?

The book explains how convergence relates to, but ultimately differs from integration, consolidation, multi-tasking, automation, and other forms of optimization. The practice-based research builds upon the author’s research in BIM and in the collaborative leveraging of data in design and fabrication. As an investigation and meditation on the impact of technology on the education and making of design professionals Convergence explains what is happening in the world of design, and discusses the implications for the future of education, training and practice.

In der Architektur lässt sich aktuell eine ausgeprägte und zunehmend schnellere Konvergenz beobachten. Diese Konvergenz erfolgt durch Macher und nicht durch Denker, in der Praxis und nicht im akademischen Bereich, bei der Gestaltung von Gebäuden, in den Bereichen Herstellung und Bau. Es geht dabei um lösungszentrierte Einzelpersonen, die sich mit der Lösung von Problemen in Echtzeit und nicht mit Abstraktionen befassen. Dieses Buch beschäftigt sich, von der Einleitung an, damit, was Konvergenz bedeutet, wie Dinge zusammenlaufen und was dies für die Architektur bedeutet.
Mitarbeiter aus Architektur und Technik stehen unter dem Druck, schneller und kostensparender zu arbeiten. Gleichzeitig sollen sie in hohem Maße innovativ sein und Qualität liefern. Möglich wird dies durch neue Tools und Prozesse. Bei Konvergenz geht es um Firmen, Teams und Menschen, die in diesem Umfeld erfolgreich sind ? gerade weil sie auf kreative Weise Dinge miteinander kombinieren und innovativ sind. Dieses Buch will Antworten geben auf einige aktuelle Fragen: Welche Tools und Arbeitsprozesse konvergieren? Wie konvergieren Einzelpersonen und Organisationen ihre Tools und Arbeitsprozesse? Welche Herausforderungen und Vorteile sehen sie? Wohin führt diese Konvergenz letztendlich? Welche Fähigkeiten und Einstellungen benötigt man, um in diesem sich ändernden Umfeld effektiv zu arbeiten? Welche Auswirkungen hat Konvergenz auf die Rolle von Designern und auf das Design? Auf die Art und Weise, wie wir designen, bauen, herstellen und etwas erschaffen? Auf die Art und Weise, wie wir arbeiten?

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 7

INTRODUCTION: DESIGN IN A TIME OF SIMULTANEITY, SUPERINTEGRATION, AND CONVERGENCE 8-19

Convergence Defined 8

Convergence Paradigms 13

Convergence Questions 18

CHAPTER 1 10 FACTORS LEADING TOWARD CONVERGENCE 20-39

Convergence and Integration 21

Convergence and Consolidation 21

Convergence and Automation 22

Convergence and Efficiency 23

Convergence Triggers 25

10 Factors Bringing About Convergence 25

Challenges to Convergence 36

CHAPTER 2 DATA AND INTUITION 40-63

A Look Back at the Data 41

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data 47

Architecture Starts with Intuition 49

The Limits of Data in Architecture 51

The Convergence of Everything 53

What Convergence Works Against 55

Data and Intuition in Design Tools 60

CHAPTER 3 ANALYTICS AND MODELS 64-91

Integrated Analytics 64

Modeling and Simulation 71

Energy Modeling 72

Compliance Modeling 74

Geodesign, GIS, and BIM 77

Does Technology Facilitate Convergence? 79

Data, Accessibility, and Convergence 85

The Point Where All of the Intelligence Converges 85

CHAPTER 4 PARAMETRICS AND COMPUTATION 92-117

BIM Tools 93

Challenges to the Convergence 98

Computational Tools 99

On the Evolution of a Parametric/Computational Convergence 103

Simulation and Automation 107

The Algorithm of Everything 109

Algorithms and Machine Learning 112

CHAPTER 5 VIRTUAL AND PHYSICAL 118-141

Advances in Virtual Reality 119

VR and Reality Capture 121

Reality Computing 125

Uses for VR in Architecture 125

VR and AR in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction 126

Leveraging Video Games in AEC 129

Implementing Encapsulated Knowledge 130

BIM and Gaming 132

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and

Machine Vision for BIM 133

Nature Abhors a Convergence 134

CHAPTER 6 CONCEPTION AND CONSTRUCTION 142-165

"When Does Design End and Construction Begin?" 143

Buildings as Documents 153

Fusing the Computational and Material 154

Convergence of Technology and Construction 154

CHAPTER 7 DESIGN AND FABRICATION 166-191

Your Next Building Will Be Manufactured 167

Reasons for a Design/Fabrication Convergence 168

Drones and Robots 169

Cross-Discipline Knowledge of Engineering, Architecture, Computer Science, and Management 173

Toward an Architecture of Everything 177

CHAPTER 8 PRACTICAL AND INEFFABLE 192-215

Ideation Is Almost Antithetical to Automation 192

Between Firmness, Commodity, and Delight 195

Start with Utter Practicality 211

EPILOGUE: AN IMPENDING PERIOD OF INTENSE CHANGE THE SOFTWARE OF EVERYTHING 216-225

INDEX 226-232

Randy Deutsch AIA, LEED AP is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he teaches Design, Professional Practice, Construction Management, & Building- and Digital-Technology. He is a BIM Strategist, IPD Advocate and architect responsible for over 100 large, complex sustainable projects. His designs and writing have appeared in Architectural Record, Architect Magazine, DesignIntelligence and other periodicals. Randy is the author of BIM and Integrated Design: Strategies for Architectural Practice (Wiley, 2011) and Data Driven Design and Construction: Strategies for Capturing, Analyzing and Applying Building Data (Wiley, 2015.) Randy leads an annual executive education program at Harvard GSD.

"There is today a pronounced and accelerated convergence in architecture. This convergence is occurring by doers not thinkers; in practice not academia; in building design, fabrication, and construction. It is about solution-centric individuals engaged in real time problem solving, not in abstractions. The nature of this convergence, where things are converging and what that means for architecture, is the subject of this book."
—from the Introduction

Those working in architecture and engineering feel pressure to work faster, at lower cost, while maintaining a high level of innovation and quality. At the same time, emergent tools and processes make this possible. Convergence is about the firms, teams and people who thrive in this environment as a result of their ability to creatively combine and innovate. It seeks to answer several timely questions: What are the tools and work processes that are converging? How are individuals and organizations converging their tools and work processes? What challenges and benefits are they seeing? What is the ultimate endgame of this convergence? What skillsets and mindsets would someone need to develop to work effectively in this changing environment? What are the implications of convergence on the role of the designer, and on design? On how we design, build, fabricate, and construct? On how we work?

The book explains how convergence relates to, but ultimately differs from integration, consolidation, multi-tasking, automation, and other forms of optimization. The practice-based research builds upon the author’s research in BIM and in the collaborative leveraging of data in design and fabrication. As an investigation and meditation on the impact of technology on the education and making of design professionals Convergence explains what is happening in the world of design, and discusses the implications for the future of education, training and practice.