ArchiCAD model acts as database of design decisions for architects

O'Neil & Manion Architects - Maryland, US

Manion and his partner, fellow architect Sara O'Neil Manion, AIA, discovered ArchiCAD in 1989. This was their first and only CAD software; their Bethesda, Maryland-based firm had been drafting by hand since its founding in 1977.

"We view design as a series of decisions that evolve into a building, rather a series of repeated drawings that increase in detail," says Bill Manion, Principal of O'Neil & Manion Architects P.A.

"Modeling offers much more potential than drawing in helping us to better understand our buildings and to refine our designs."

Manion explains that the small but prolific firm was looking to use CAD to "leverage the output of a fewer number of more experienced professionals."

From the CAD software options available, they chose ArchiCAD because "quite simply, we felt that it would help us design better buildings," Manion said. "We liked the intuitive and constructive nature of ArchiCAD. Building with walls, slabs, roofs and objects versus drawing lines."

O'Neil & Manion's award-winning designs cover a broad range of building types: custom residences, embassies and country clubs, laboratories, and government projects, including work from an open-ended contract with the National Institute of Health.

They recently completed an approximately 50,000 sq. ft. building, which will serve as the corporate headquarters for the BioReliance Corporation in Rockville, Maryland. BioReliance provides testing, development and manufacturing services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, so their needs included offices, training and conference facilities, and laboratories.

"We have a long-standing relationship with the owner who knew of our computer and 3D building visualization capabilities. So we were brought in during the very early planning stages," Manion explains. "We worked with the Facility Manager and the CFO of the company to prepare PowerPoint presentations describing the market, growth in revenues, and the proposed new facility."

The building was planned for a corner lot, adjacent to an existing building that was owned by someone else. Though O'Neil & Manion was originally hired directly by the company, a third party entered into a develop the new building and lease it to them. The architects then worked with the developer/builder to complete construction documents, and monitor the progress of the construction.

The involvement of ArchiCAD's digital 3D database was crucial for facilitating design reviews and approvals. The relationship of the existing building and the new building was an especially key issue for county zoning officials, who are encouraging a campus-type development in this area. O'Neil & Manion were able to take a previous ArchiCAD model of the existing building (which the firm had also designed), and model the new building alongside it. This allowed them to show how the buildings would interact before any construction would begin.

"The programming and the approvals went smoothly because everyone could see 3D images of the proposed building," Manion reports. "It also allowed us to identify construction design issues earlier in the design process, which can save clients time and money."

O'Neil & Manion's involvement in the building lasted through build-out of all the interiors. The first conceptual model was completed in several weeks, and was then modified and changed many times as criteria changed, owners changed, functional requirements changed and design reviews imposed design requirements.

"The ArchiCAD model became a database of all of our design decisions," Manion says. "The impact of any one decision on the rest of the building could be quickly and easily seen, and by not having to continually recreate the drawings we can focus our energies on the process of architecture, which is about making design decisions."

Throughout the process, they expanded the model further with input from engineers, and furniture and carpet suppliers. The consultants were working on AutoCAD and Microstation, so they simply exported DWG and/or DXF files, then merged the data back into the ArchiCAD model.

"The ability to use the same model from concept to completion of the project is one of the reasons ArchiCAD works so well for us." Manion concludes, "We see great potential in extending the use of our model beyond the design and construction phases, into the operating phase of the building. This would better serve our clients, and allow us to assess the effectiveness of our designs."