How do small and medium architectural firms deal with architectural complexity?
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Transcript of How do small and medium architectural firms deal with architectural complexity?
How do small and medium architectural firms deal with architectural complexity?
A look into digital practices
A. Stals, S. Jancart, C. Elsen
University of Liège, Belgium
eCAADE 2016, Oulu
What are the commonly used software packages,and how do designers adapt to master them?
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 1
What are the commonly used software packages,and how do designers adapt to master them?
What impact does digital design have on teams?
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 1
Table of contents
1. A THEORETICAL LOOK INTO COMPLEXITY THROUGH HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
2. A LOOK INTO BELGIAN PRACTICESResearch gapMethodologySample description
3. RESULTSUse of digital design tools in WalloniaComplexity and the use of digital design tools Complexity into interdisciplinarity
4. DISCUSSION5. FUTURE WORK
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 2
A theoretical look into complexity through history of architecture
> Morphogenesis through experimentationVisual simplicity and coherencyComplex mathematical descriptions of the shape
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 3
A theoretical look into complexity through history of architecture
> Morphogenesis through experimentationVisual simplicity and coherencyComplex mathematical description of the shape
> First step into the digital eraWider number of shape possibilitiesMultiple levels of complexityTensions between ideas and feasibility
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 3
A theoretical look into complexity through history of architecture
> Morphogenesis through experimentationVisual simplicity and coherencyComplex mathematical description of the shape
> First step into the digital eraWider number of shape possibilitiesMultiple levels of complexityTensions between ideas and feasibility
> Digital architecture nowadaysLarge firms develop protocols and strategies espacially
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 3
Small and medium firms ?
Table of contents
1. A THEORETICAL LOOK INTO COMPLEXITY THROUGH HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
2. A LOOK INTO BELGIAN PRACTICESResearch gapMethodologySample description
3. RESULTSUse of digital design tools in WalloniaComplexity and the use of digital design tools Complexity into interdisciplinarity
4. DISCUSSION5. FUTURE WORK
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 4
A look into Belgian practices
> Research gap2008 : research on design support tools in general [Weytjens and al. 2008]
No research on the role of digital tools in Belgium
> MethodologyOnline-based surveySurvey in 3 sections: demographic data, digital culture, parametric design and toolsExclusion criteria: completed too fast, only the first section completed, worker in a firm of more than 100 people
> Sample descriptionWalloon designersTopics about digital tools and architects’ perception of complexity
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Wallonia
Brussels
331 surveys = 6.2 % of architects registered in Wallonia
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Female
Male
I prefer notto answer
73.4% Male
26.0%Female
< 40
> 40
49.8%< 40
Isolated independentarchitect 56.3%Independant architectcollaborator 10.5%Architect engineer 6.4%
Teacher 4.7%
Other
49.8%< 40
Sexe Age Occupation
23.5%10 - 20
56.3%Isolated
Size of firms (number of people) 1 to 2 3 to 5 6 to 10 10 to 20 20 to 50 50 to 100 > 100 Other
Percentage 41,0% 21,4% 10,6% 9,6% 4,0% 4,0% 6,2% 3,1%
73 %
Relevance of the Walloon case
Table of contents
1. A THEORETICAL LOOK INTO COMPLEXITY THROUGH HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
2. A LOOK INTO BELGIAN PRACTICESResearch gapMethodologySample description
3. RESULTSUse of digital design tools in WalloniaComplexity and the use of digital design tools Complexity into interdisciplinarity
4. DISCUSSION5. FUTURE WORK
A. Stals | FNRS, Faculty of Architecture - ULG Belgium | 7
Results
> Use of digital design tools in Wallonia
72.5% use digital tools during the design phase
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0
50
100
150
200
250
# p
arti
cip
ants
Never heard Use in 2D Use in 3D
15.1%
24.5%
55.9%
17.6%
50.3%
Results
> Use of digital design tools in Wallonia
72,5% use digital tools during the design phase
Revit > 3D> under 45> more than 20 employees
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0
50
100
150
200
250
# p
arti
cip
ants
Never heard Use in 2D Use in 3D
15.1%
24.5%
55.9%
17.6%
50.3%
Results
> Complexity and the use of digital design tools
84.6% satisfied15.4% unsatisfied
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23.4% work more complex Factors complicating practice:
Administrative formalitiesRegulations« PEB » certificationEvolving techniquesCustomer requestsDigital tools
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Increase executionspeed of project
Promote diversityof shapes produced
Facilitate exchangeswith stakeholders
Facilitateimplementation of
projects
# p
arti
cip
ants
Strongly Slightly Not at all No opinion
Results
> Complexity and the use of digital design tools
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Results
> Complexity into interdisciplinarity
Reasons for outsourcing tasks:
- Time 54.8% - Complexity of the shape 24.4%
interdisciplinarity is benefical
57.1%
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Difficult to manage humanelyDifficult to manage technically
Results
> Complexity into interdisciplinarity
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Internally Externally Never resorted to
Results
> Complexity into interdisciplinarity
78% Numerical modeling enriches design process25% Numerical modeling enriches design process even if conceptor and modeller are different persons
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3D modelization
Produce « commercial » images
Part of design process
3D modeling specialist Graphic designer
Discussion
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Complexity
> Large firms = innovative morphologies
> Small firms = administrative procedures, regulations, building techniques, customers requests
Future work
- Analyze of more data
- Specific use of parametric tools
- Interviews of selected offices
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