We are going to start running a few regular columns here on the Tocci blog; starting with Pierce Reynoldson of  our VDC Department. With a Master’s of Architecture from Yale, we turn to Pierce on a regular basis for his thoughts and ideas about the Design and Construction industry. Rather than keep his insights to ourselves we thought we would share them with you by giving him an “Architectural Commentary” feature every couple of weeks. Take it away Pierce!

Guest Blogger: Pierce
Topic: Metropolis 1-5-10 Issue

In its January issue Metropolis asked leaders in the field how building trends will develop one, five, and ten years from now – hence, “The 1-5-10 Issue.” Preservation topped a list that I hope is in order of importance. Metropolis focused on “green retrofitting” and, citing New Orleans, ways of documenting buildings before they need preservation.

The article is more about the practical application of existing technology than techno-fantasy. One year from now: LSU will use a truck-mounted camera with GPS to document historic buildings. Five years: The National Center for Preser-vation Technology and Training wants to revive dying preservation trades. And ten years: preservation robots? Well, no. Robert Middlebrooks of Autodesk says laser scan imaging, “will become what people will be using.” Q5 and Tocci have personally used it on a number of projects already.

Preservation, conversion, and reuse are vitally important to the future of the industry. I really hope it is more than a recession-inspired fad.

What else will happen? In five years Hospitals will smell like, “Christmas, childhood, or Mom’s apple pie.”

This week the AGC’s BIMForum is taking place in Phoenix, AZ. This semi-annual conference is the must-attend event for all in the BIM and VDC world. It brings owners, designers, engineers, lawyers, academics and builders together to discuss BIM, VDC and IPD from all angles. The topic of this meeting is “BIM use through the life-cycle of a project” and it addresses all the difference ways a BIM is used at every stage of project from reviewing design options to facilities management.

This conference was preceded by a day of fabrication facility tours, where the attendees could see a BIM in action being used for prefabrication. Laura Handler, Tocci’s Director of Virtual Design and Construction  and John Tocci, Tocci’s CEO are reporting live from the conference all week. Here are some descriptions of yesterday’s tours from Laura:

Steel Fabrication at Schuff Steel

Mechanical In-Sourcing at Tri-City Mechanical

Exterior Wall Panels at Kovach

Tocci is looking for team members to join what we are now referring to as our ‘World Series championship’ VDC team. Here are the links to the full job descriptions, Virtual Construction Coordinator and Virtual Design and Construction Modeler, and below are some important things to keep in mind.

• Currently there are two positions available – one VDC Modeler and one Coordinator; however, we anticipate hiring two additional modelers once we have filled the other positions.
• The Coordinator needs MEP experience, to take our coordination, optimization and prefabrication processes to the next level.
• We’d love for the VDC Modeler to be a Registered Architect or PE.
• All positions require the emotional engagement with Tocci and its projects. That means an understanding that you are working on something bigger than yourself and the willingness to dedicate yourself to it.

To apply please email Laura Handler, Director of Virtual Design and Construction or apply online!

Ok, so this is not about the AECO industry. But people thinking in innovative, intellectual ways which transform things we take for granted everyday….that kind of thinking transcends industries.

(Don’t be fooled by the commercial which plays first)

HQ, a publication of McGraw-Hill and Architectural Record, recently published an informative and insightful article about the Autodesk AEC Headquarters.

Here is a teaser from this thoughtful article:

“We built this headquarters to demonstrate to our customers what’s possible with a technology-driven process change to the design and construction industry,” says Jay Bhatt, Autodesk’s senior vice president of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) solutions.  “With this headquarters, we’re telling the world we can build in a fundamentally different way.”

Enjoy!