Check out this great ten minute video of Phil Bernstein, Vice President of Industry Strategy and Relations at Autodesk, talking with John Tocci about Tocci’s BIM use and what we see in the industry’s future.

Video courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.

Check out this video that our design team recently put together showing the prefabrication and modular process at Park87, our modular project in Cambridge, MA. Over the course of five days, 76 units were delivered and installed; each one was already wired and had all the HVAC installed. The building went up right before our eyes!

Park87 Modular Construction from Tocci Building Companies on Vimeo.

For more information on Park87 click here.

One of Tocci’s current projects, Park87, is a traditional GMP contract, where Tocci is responsible for construction management. However, the demands of the project required that our team extend our scope, without contract modification. We became intimately involved in the design and detailing process, supporting and executing design documentation, permit drawings and shop drawings – all facilitated through the Tocci-authored Building Information Model (BIM).

Although Tocci was able to leverage the architectural design model created by Khalsa Design Inc., no other trades were modeled. Tocci began its BIM efforts on the project by modeling all other trades. Here are just a few examples of what we’ve been able to do on the project, after the disciplines were modeled:

Initially, Tocci modeled fire protection per the design documentation. However, when it became clear that an excessive number of steel penetrations were required, we worked hand-in-hand with the engineer to re-layout the system. Tocci did the modeling and coordination, and the engineer reviewed the progress documents to ensure design intent compliance. Tocci supplied the final geometry to the engineer to use in the construction documents, so the engineer didn’t have to re-do their drawings.

Although we minimized steel penetrations with the new fire protection layout, some were still required. Once we completed the fire protection layout, we were also able to detail exact locations of steel penetrations. Tocci produced all steel penetration drawings, which were reviewed and approved as steel shop drawings.

Tocci authored steel drawing

As described here, modular projects require review and approval from a state agency, BBRS, in lieu of the traditional permitting and inspection process. For the architectural, structural, electrical and fire protection plans, Tocci supplied the modular subcontractor, KBS, with underlays. For HVAC and plumbing, Tocci produced all drawings, including plans and 3D riser diagrams.

Tocci authored plumbing schematic

One of the unique features at Park87 (Tocci’s modular residential project in down town Cambridge, MA) is the flexibility of individual unit layouts, facilitated by what the team has dubbed “flex walls.”

Flexible layouts were an early goal for the owner; these walls had to be designed and executed so that residents could re-arrange certain walls almost as easily as they would re-arrange furniture. Although the final detail doesn’t allow for daily adjustment of wall location, the team configured utilities and infrastructure so that walls could be arranged and re-arranged in one of 18+ configurations.

Check out this animation of a few of the different configurations.

Project: Park87 – Flex Wall Animation from Tocci Building Companies on Vimeo.

The first IPD project in New England: Autodesk’s AEC Headquarters, which Tocci built last year along with KlingStubbins and Autodesk, Inc. has received yet another accolade. The International Interior Design Association awarded it “Best Office” (in the 30,000+ sf category) at the June 22, 2010 awards ceremony at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Click here for more details.