The Many Stories of By Design: Season Two

GRAPHISOFT has made the second season of By Design available here. 

Whether you take in a single feature one at a time, binge a whole episode or watch the entire season from start to finish – By Design: Season 2 continues our mission to share authentic stories from successful firms using Archicad in innovative and groundbreaking ways.

In the second season of By Design – we expanded our scope to show how architects can make the most of technological advances. When they combine the power of Archicad with their creativity and exciting technology – new and exciting ways to present design concepts emerge. “The Next Frontier” – Episode 1 of Season 2 explores this in some detail. You’ll see how Virtual Reality is a game changer for KA DesignWorks in Aspen, CO. Learn how Vega Architecture developed a process to build ground up projects in 4 weeks time. Structural engineering firm, Riverstone Structural Concepts proves that you can work with structural engineers in the BIM to great success. 

Moving on to Episode 2 of Season 2 of By Design – “Future Proof” – we examine the need for educators to embrace technology as well. The notion that BIM is a process, not a software, needs to be the foundation of architectural education today. Leading educators weigh in on that issue – discussing the topic with a candor that is sorely needed. Brian Johnson of the University of Washington sums it up well, “What the student really needs to learn is what the problem is the software is trying to solve.” Experienced educator, Lauren Allsopp of Arizona State University, shares how the unlikely pairing of technology and historic preservation and the use of BIM and virtual tools can give the past a vibrant new future. We also hear from educator and architect, Phil Allsopp who has taught BIM to students by using kit houses – applying that to a new way to create affordable housing. 

Episode 3, “Firm Choices” dives into why architectural firms choose a software platform in the first place. Obviously, architecture firms intend to do business and to be profitable. We hear from three prominent Archicad firms – New York-based Joseph A. Vance Architects, Boston-based LWDA, and Jackson Hole-based Design Associates Architects (DAA). Each firm principal expresses the ways in which Archicad makes their respective firm more efficient and able to take on multiple, complex and large projects in spite of their size.

There’s a bonus episode in Season 2 – which demonstrates another level where Archicad can be employed, leveraging data to make the most of the “I” (information) to benefit the coordination between architects and contractors. We profile ContraBIM in this bonus content.