Commercial Architecture April 2019 - 5

▲

CONTENTS

| notebook

A Peek At Perkins+Will Technology Efforts

recent conversation about how architects are using
augmented/virtual-reality had me poking around
looking for other ways technology is changing how

structures are designed. One of my discoveries was an article
on the Autodesk/Redshift site (San Rafael, CA, autodesk.
com/redshift/technology-architecture/) written by Matt
Alderton. The article, "5 Technology Innovations Can Help
Your Architecture Practice Work Smarter," describes how the
folks at Perkins+Will (perkinswill.com) are changing their
approach.
Before we get to those five innovations, I have to call your
attention to a quote in the article from Nick Cameron, director of digital practice at Perkins+Will, because it applies to
much more than implementing technology: "Our mantra is,
'Why and how?' As in: Why are we doing things this way?
and: How can we do things better?" That's worth putting on
the whiteboard in your meeting room.
Now, a heavily paraphrased taste of those five innovations:

Perkins+Will's Boston office. To implement MR, they use

* Big data: Your early warning system. At any one time,

a Microsoft HoloLens headset to see a 3D model superim-

Perkins+Will is managing more than 700 active projects,

posed on the actual space. They combined BIM models

each of which can be mined for information to help archi-

with the HoloLens and used a video-game approach to

tects work more effectively and efficiently. Making sure

create an immersive tour of a space.

teams can find and extract that information was key to a

* Augmented reality on a smartphone. To experience exte-

big-data project. The firm created an app that combs Revit

riors as they do interiors with MR, the Perkins+Will folks

models for designated metrics-large file sizes, long syn-

use their smartphones and augmented-reality developer

chronization times, and large numbers of simultaneous

Perkins+Will is working to maximize technology implementation.
Learn what they're doing in an
article on the Autodesk site.

kits such as Apple's ARKit and Android's ARCore.

users-that can indicate teams in distress. Using a visual

* AI technology for architectural freedom. The firm

dashboard, managers can see, in real time, which projects

worked with Autodesk to develop generative-, or computa-

need extra attention.

tional-, design technology. Generative design uses artificial

* Social VR: Learning from multiplayer gaming. When

intelligence to create computer-generated design options.

using virtual reality (VR), rather than having one person

Architects use machine-learning algorithms to define

wear the headset and the rest of the people in the room

design goals, parameters, and constraints. They then enter

watch a screen and miss out on the experience, Iffat Mai,

the information into a computer that uses machine-learn-

firm-wide development manager, turned to online video

ing algorithms to process them. The result is a menu of

games. The result was a "social-VR" solution based on mul-

design options for consideration.

tiplayer games that unites teams inside virtual workspaces.

I only had room to share some teaser information about

* Mixed reality: Ditch the drawings. Mixed reality (MR) is

the Perkins+Will efforts. If you're at all interested in imple-

an excellent option for exploring spaces that already exist.

menting these technologies, or simply learning more, it's

"Mixed reality is literally mixing interactive virtual objects

worth your time to read the article and explore all of the

onto a physical area," stated Michael Shyu, an architect in

additional linked information. CA

Gary L. Parr
Editorial Director

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T UREM AG A ZINE.COM

APRIL 2019

http://www.perkinswill.com

Commercial Architecture April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture April 2019