The shift ahead

Technology change must not be overlooked by architects. Yet a shift in business process is the key to unlocking the real benefits of BIM and securing the architect’s role at the heart of the new "design assist" process. By Dominic Gallello - CEO, Graphisoft.

You are an architectural firm, either large or small. Interest rates have been low worldwide, the housing market has been vibrant and many governments have found money to put up beautiful structures to serve and entertain the Public. Your firm has prospered from this economic activity and there seems little point in fixing something that is not broken. So you go about doing work the way we have always done it. For some firms, this will mean extinction. For others, they will get a wake-up call on the coming shift and change their business model and their work processes to both survive and prosper going forward.

Many firms think that BIM is the shift. The current fad of BIM is really no more than simply moving to design in "3D" - instead of the same 2D process which the Pharoes’ architects used to design. This is not the shift. The shift is the move to a more collaborative "design assist" model with owners & contractors. The big question is how an architect can capitalize on the opportunity, or be marginalized by it. By virtue of our Virtual Construction™ services business at Graphisoft, we know more about what 3D can enable in the total building delivery process, from design through construction, than perhaps any other company. We also understand deeply how technology is going to move the world, even faster than originally thought, to a design assist process where architects will have to take on new functions or get relegated to stopping at the DD phase.

The coming technology change, without any adaption of business process and the services that an architect offers to its clients, would not only be a lost opportunity, it is an almost certain way of becoming marginalized. One constantly hears architects wishing to regain the master builder moniker and get more fees from clients, but they are totally unwilling to take on the responsibility for the process. We see opportunity for architects to take on more work and fees, but they have to develop new skills and realign their businesses to take advantage of what the technology can enable.

Contractors are already beginning to take advantage of the opportunity to seize more control of the process. By focusing on design intent in many parts of the world, the architectural industry has allowed the construction companies to gain the upper hand in knowledge of the cost of construction and of construction techniques. Not all, but most architectural firms are at the mercy of contractors in understanding the cost of design. With this knowledge, the construction companies are the experts in determining cost-saving techniques that have little or no impact on design quality. Because of this ability, more and more contractors are being hired by owners early in the design process. Many construction companies are now questioning the role of architects in the construction documentation process. There is an irony in many parts of the world that the architectural profession has decided that construction documents should convey only design intent. This will change, and the change will not likely benefit the architect if they choose to keep the same business process and services offering.

If you are interested in exploring more how the shift can benefit your firm, write me at: dgallello@graphisoft.com.