Between the Lines

Global Architecture and Interior Design Student Competition

My local Portland VR collaboration friends over the The Wild are hosting the first annual Global Architecture and Interior Design Student Competition at the VR/AR Global Online Summit. Six student finalists will be selected to share their original 3D models in a live-streamed competition in virtual reality. Applications are due May 20th and the jury includes thought leaders Amy Peck (HTC Vive, EndeavorVR) and Aubrey Tucker (ETRO Construction). The design challenge: Design a space that encourages digital socialization or innovative... Read more →

Forge Partner Talks - Digital Twins

If “Digital Twin” was in your Technology Term BINGO card – this is your lucky day! Digital Twins were one of the top ten tech trends of 2019, according to Gartner and Deloitte. Learn about some of Autodesk’s Forge partners and their solutions around Digital Twin and understand the importance of this to the AEC industry and building owners and see how Forge was a great platform for their solutions. https://youtu.be/JJ64DKsX9v8 Forge Partner Talks web series Tune in every Wednesday... Read more →

Fusion 360 Extended Access Program

Autodesk has recently announced a special program for Fusion 360 in the Extended Access Program which gives free commercial access to Fusion 360 until June 30, 2020. Find out more on the free Extended Access Program: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/extended-access-program Read more →

COVID-19 Design Challenges – Call To Action

My longtime friend and Autodesk colleague Kean Walmsley and I have been talking about ways Autodesk technology might assist our customers, and even us at Autodesk in these changing times or the “new normal”. How might we evaluate social distancing, points where people could congregate or HVAC flows all based on best health and safety practices being publicly discussed in this potential new normal environment when many self isolated communities slowly phase back in public settings and buildings. I would... Read more →

Enter the AEC Excellence Awards 2020

Do you have an outstanding architecture, engineering, or construction project that deserves recognition? Showcase it to the world in the AEC Excellence Awards 2020. Enter now: autode.sk/34DBTOC Don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your outstanding design and construction projects. The call for entries opens on April 15, 2020. Deadline for submission is June 10, 2020. https://youtu.be/LSC8yxbvJVQ Read more →

Ways to Contribute to Combating COVID-19

Have you wanted to get involved in helping with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) efforts? Autodesk has detailed some of the ways you can help others around the world out, as we all need to work and help each other to get through this difficult time. Engineers Collaborate to Combat COVID-19 Open-source design efforts Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies, is a key group that is crowdsourcing solutions to address the diminishing stock of medical equipment around the world. They are mobilizing thousands... Read more →

Digital Planning Means Zero Impact for Porsche

For Porsche’s Complex Electric-Car Factory, Digital Planning Means Zero Impact “In September 2019, Porsche opened its most complex factory to date for manufacturing its first fully electric sports car, the Taycan. In the company’s hometown of Stuttgart, Germany, Porsche used digital factory planning to create a zero-impact facility where driverless transport systems help maximize flexibility. The challenges for planning the factory began with the site itself, which sits in a hilly urban area bordered by orchards. “These orchards are protected,”... Read more →

One-of-a-Kind Learning Experience from Disney Imagineers

For those looking for more resources of good learning out there for their kids at home, here is a great one from Disney and the amazing learning resource Khan Academy. By the way, if you have older kids, all of Autodesk's software that Disney uses to design their parks, rides, and animated films are free to teachers and students around the world at https://www.autodesk.com/education/home with some curriculum. There is also the powerful but free cloud based Tinkercad for 3-100 year... Read more →

Saving Time on Bridge Design Using Design Automation

Beca and Autodesk developed a workflow to reduce design time for bridge design saving weeks of time. Beca is one of Asia Pacific’s largest independent advisory, design and engineering consultancies and looking for ways to better their design workflows to reduce time and result in the best solutions. “The deadline to deliver the design was tight, and Beca needed solutions that would enable its team to deliver the project on time. Additionally, the design project presented an opportunity for Beca... Read more →

Volunteer Design and Make Projects to Help People Breathe

Yesterday an acquaintance I know Gui Cavalcanti was recognized for participating in a volunteer open source effort to design breathing ventilators for those that may need them due to the COVID-19 virus. Its a blend of makers and engineers creating mechanical designs and the 3D printing parts. The Futuristic Solutions the Internet is Crowdsourcing to Cure Coronavirus – Newsweek “A Facebook group called Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies, which consists of over 13,000 members, is trying to find solutions to... Read more →

Don't Let the Kids Brains Turn to Mush

While many kids are home from school, take this as an opportunity to keep them learning. Find some interesting and fun projects (good to use fun to hide the learning benefit with kids) on the Instructables site. Also consider Tinkercad which is free, fun and can build and flex spatial and design thinking skills that will be invaluable to builder a better future. Another great Resource for exploring and learning: Distance Learning Resources from the Smithsonian https://learninglab.si.edu/ Read more →

Manufacturing and AEC Construction Industries are Starting to Converge

“For years, architects, engineers, and contractors have talked about converging manufacturing and construction processes. AECOM is working to make it happen.” This is a good article detailing a customer case and how AECOM is working in the converging industries of manufacturing and AEC construction. Creating the Conditions for Convergence Read more →

AEC Hackathon Copenhagen 2020

"The world is becoming too fast, too complex, too networked for any company to have all the answers inside." Yochai Benkler This past weekend myself and consultants Jan Liska and Paolo Serra from Autodesk Global Consulting Delivery participated in the public AEC Hackathon in Copenhagen Denmark. These AEC Hackathon events are where experts from the built environment and tech innovators get together to break silos in the AEC industry. This AEC Hackathon was hosted by the inspiring innovation lab BLOXHUB... Read more →

The Digital Vaults of the Smithsonian Museum Have Opened

This week, 2.8 million of the Smithsonian Museum’s digital collections were released for public use from https://www.si.edu/openaccess. You can now download, transform, and share the wonders of the Smithsonian. When I first met with the Smithsonian at the beginning of the digitizing project I had no idea we would get to this exciting point that the collection will be open and free. This is an amazing resource for learning around the world. 21st-Century Diffusion with Smithsonian Open Access “For the... Read more →

Geometry Systems for AEC Generative Design

If you are interested in new and innovative techniques to define geometry or spaces using generative design, this article is for you. The article by Lorenzo Villaggi Senior Research Scientist, The Living, an Autodesk Studio is filled with lots of information and a link to further Autodesk University class material. ”This article will show how to approach design problems through the generative design framework (problem formulation) with a focus on how to incorporate design intents in the form of geometric... Read more →

Ski on a Powerplant

Yesterday I met up with the AEC Hackathon team and a local architect and skier for a special tour of Copenhill. Copenhill is a Powerplant where they built a public year around ski hill on top of the powerplant. Copenhagen doesn't normally get snow or even have nearby mountains, so this innovative project gives locals the ability to ski every day of the year. They ski on a silicone mesh placed over the natural grass on the roof. The powerplant... Read more →

Making Sustainable Design More Cost Effective

“In late 2020, the Beijing skyline will welcome an eye-catching new addition: the Beijing CBD Z6 Tower. With a 5-star hotel and office space for 10,000 people, the CBD Z6 Tower features a design innovative for its visual impact and its sustainability. The CBD Z6 Tower takes its shape from a flower bud just beginning to blossom. A double-skin façade system of panels serves as the bud’s “petals” and provides a gap in the cladding that supports natural ventilation, keeping... Read more →

Join Us Next Week to Innovate and Break AEC Silos

There is a great AEC Hackathon event being held next week in beautiful Copenhagen Denmark. The goal is to break down the silos in AEC design, technology, and the workflows to result in better cities. I will be joined by two of the expertly skilled and amazing Autodesk consultants from our Autodesk Global Consulting Delivery organization. It’s going to be a lot of work and fun. You should consider attending if you will be in Copenhagen end of next week,... Read more →

Mass Timber Summit and Hackathon in Portland Oregon

Are you passionate about technology, AEC design, sustainable wood, and mass timber design and construction? If you answered yes to any of these, you should consider attending the Mass Timber Summit Hackathon being held in beautiful Portland Oregon March 20-22, 2020. Join leading architects, engineers, researchers, builders, fabricators, real estate professionals and technologists for a weekend of innovation focused on mass timber, digitalization of construction, automation, robotics and software. Mass Timber Workshops and Hackathon Link to Event Page www.masstimberhackathon.com Presenters... Read more →

Generative Design – 2019 in Review

Its a new year, and another exciting year of the impact of generative design with our customers using Fusion 360. Here is a great article by Mike Smell reviewing the past year of 2019 and providing some context for the future. Generative Design: A Year in Review and A Fresh Start Read more →

Electronics Design Now Included in Fusion 360

This is huge news for those in the design and manufacturing world as you can now do your industrial and mechanical design but with this months update you get professional electronics design. This makes Fusion 360 an end to end design tool for designing and manufacturing products. Read more →

How Architects are Using VR and AR in Design Processes

Guest post from Jessica Outlaw who runs the Outlaw Center for Immersive Behavioral Science at Concordia University in Portland Oregon. Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) is increasingly being incorporated into the design process for architects. VR/AR devices allows architects and their clients to experience their buildings, and make any necessary adjustments, before construction begins. I interviewed eight experts who are working in the intersection of architecture and VR to learn how VR is changing the way architects are doing their... Read more →

The Future of Making

It's time to rethink how we design and make things. We can combine human imagination and automation technologies to make more of what humanity needs with less negative impact. At Autodesk, we believe it's time to embrace the opportunity to design and make better. https://youtu.be/8evnv8B_CWA I hope you will be joining us in person at Autodesk University next week to hear more, or watch the free open live stream of several of the presentations including the general session with Autodesk... Read more →

Innovation Stations Open at OMSI

On Friday evening I attended the grand opening at the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) for the new Center for Innovation - Innovation Station exhibit in the turbine hall. OMSI's Center for Innovation is using our community's creativity and design thinking to solve global problems. And its fun! Tinkercad was also released for a new group of kids and adult visitors of OMSI on Friday as part of the new Center for Innovation exhibit. Children and adults alike... Read more →

Digital Construction Superintendent

Just having some thoughts as a technologist and designer. Wouldn't it be awesome and save costs due to errors if we had a Digital Superintendent in a design product, like spell check but construct check? Imagine designing a tall cantilevered structure and then your screen goes dim and a talking hammer comes onscreen and says: “Hey there pal, at that height I need a helicopter for each of my workers to install that structure, or you need to design another... Read more →