June 10, 2025

Quick Insights to Start Your Week

Architecture-engineering-construction

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Welcome to this week’s AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) huddle – your go-to source for the latest trends, industry insights, and tools shaping the industry. Let’s dive in! 🔥

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Thought Partner: AI in Architecture

Architect Jonah Hawk’s journey mirrors a fascinating shift in our profession. Growing up near architects, his path diverged towards technology – mastering CAD and 3D visualization before fully embracing algorithmic tools like Grasshopper3D for Rhino. This pivot proved prescient as generative AI arrived; he subsequently became instrumental at ZGF in developing internal AIs.

ZGF’s Internal AI Toolkit

Hawk spearheaded the creation of ZGF.ai, an essential toolkit launched internally in 2023. Key components include:

  • ChatZGF: Handles note-taking from transcripts, coding assistance, and grammar/style checks.
  • Text-to-image generator: Competes with tools like DALL-E for architectural ideation visuals.
  • AI-aided rendering analysis: Leverages generative models to understand complex visual outputs.

He later developed Ziggy, an even more specialized tool built on pyRevit, enabling users to check building codes and run diagnostics directly on BIM models. Despite some rough edges, these tools are proving valuable for nearly 200 ZGF employees across a firm of 700.

Beyond the Buzz: A Practical Augmentation

This focus highlights an emerging reality in architecture: AI integration is happening, but strategically. We’re seeing:

  • Gensler’s gBlox.CO2: Using vast data to analyze carbon emissions for massing models.
  • Autodesk Forma (formerly generative design): Applying ML and neural networks for predictive wind and acoustic analysis early in the modeling process.

These examples showcase AI as a tool for “augmentation,” or what Herman calls “AI on the shoulder.”

The Human Element Remains Crucial

While powerful, relying solely on public tools isn’t ideal. Brian Kelly stresses architects must actively engage with these technologies to truly leverage them and understand their limits – avoiding potential errors like hallucinations.

Evelyn Lee suggests embracing AI can be strategic: it allows us to focus more effectively on client relationships and passion points while accelerating delivery (like smarter buildings).

Addressing the Existential Angst

Will AI replace architects? This fear is understandable given other vulnerable professions. However, Lee argues that “jobs may go away,” but we shouldn’t conceive of all possible futures. The key is becoming an architect leveraging AI.

Hawk adds a crucial point: while LLMs can process data lacking lived experience, they are tools for augmentation only if actively mastered and integrated thoughtfully into our design processes – not just superficial replacements in renderings or social media posts (like the “parametricist blushing” example).

A Word of Caution

Finally, a practical note: don’t simply ask ChatGPT to do everything. Active understanding and implementation are still required.

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Expert Opinion: Mastering Construction Scheduling

Construction scheduling is often misunderstood, frequently relegated to a mere compliance task rather than the dynamic operational system it represents. This misses its core purpose: guiding execution proactively.

A detailed SmartPM analysis reveals significant issues with schedule literacy and utilization (rated 3.6/5). Key findings:

  • Delays typically surface early in projects, but formal action like date adjustments is often delayed until the final quarter.
  • Schedule updates are frequently incomplete or inconsistent – over half have problematic fixed dates, a third show mismatched progress indicators.

This disconnect forces reactive measures late in execution. Teams scramble with resource reallocation and duration compression to meet milestones, leading to higher costs, potential quality drops, and obscured root causes.

Furthermore, AI adoption for scheduling is minimal (16% currently using it), hindered by inconsistent data input requirements.

The solution lies in robust baseline structure paired with disciplined update integrity. Embracing this foundation allows analytics and AI tools to truly illuminate performance, shifting scheduling from a box-checking exercise to an active management strategy.

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Structural Glass Skeletons: Redefining Transparency and Strength

The evolution of structural glass technology represents a fascinating frontier in architectural engineering! These “glass skeletons” transform high-strength laminated, tempered, and chemically strengthened glass from mere decorative elements into essential load-bearing components. This shift allows architects to create truly transparent frameworks that defy conventional construction norms.

Integrating advanced chemistry with precision engineering enables the early incorporation of these systems, maximizing both performance and design impact – a win-win scenario for anyone designing or appreciating innovative spaces! They are not just decorative; they form beams, columns, and walls integral to building integrity. Think superheroes of structural elements: strong yet clear!

What Are They?

Structural glass skeletons utilize engineered glass components like laminated beams and columns to bear significant loads (floors, roofs, upper stories). Capable of handling compressive, tensile and flexural forces transparently.

Performance Benchmarks

Evidence points to impressive performance:

  • Up to 15 MPa compression strength in benchmark tests.
  • Span capabilities reaching 8–12 meters without support (e.g., beams).
  • Potential for weight reduction by up to 30% compared to traditional steel frames.

Real-World Applications

We see these systems excelling:

  • Transparent retail structures supporting three floors with thousands of precisely UV-bonded glass bricks, carrying loads exceeding 42 tons.
  • An iconic cube structure using massive 1.5-tonne glass panels that withstand wind speeds up to 150 mph.
  • Ageodesic networks providing optical clarity and structural robustness against high winds and heavy snow.

These systems truly rival steel in strength while offering unique visual possibilities, showcasing the potential for unmatched clarity without sacrificing engineering rigor!

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🛠️ Tool of the Week

Archistar is a property research platform that assists you in identifying project styles and evaluating their feasibility. This tool enhances your process by incorporating AI, enabling you to generate hundreds of concept designs with diverse building typologies and irregular sites. A free tier account is available.

🤯 Fun Fact of the Week

In 2025, the architectural landscape will witness a significant surge in office-to-residential conversions. As increasingly more companies adopt flexible work arrangements and relinquish conventional office spaces, there presents a viable opportunity to repurpose underutilized buildings into a vital source of housing.

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