Structural Vignettes

Exploring the world of BIM

and Integrated Design

David Mar

Starry Mandala by Gerald Minakawa

Starry Mandala by Gerald Minakawa

Reactive Problem Solving

Accept Givens
Perform Calculations
Create Details

Solves Designers Problems

Textbook Solutions
Safe

Integrate with Project

Collaborative Design
Respond to Project Goals
Integrate Structure with Project
Create Details
Perform Calculations

What is wrong with engineering?

Engineers are not trained to design

Solves Projects Problems

Adds Value
Leads to Innovation
Requires Technical
Expertise

Orinda City Offices

Architect: Siegel and Strain Architects

Foundation V.E. Workshop

Attendees: Structural, Geotechnical, Cost

Estimator, Const. Manager & Architect

Engineered
Fill

Drilled
Piers

Results:
Bedrock

Add $59,000 excavation & grade beams

Save $155,000 piers & shoring
Net Savings: $96,000

Mechanical Engineer: Taylor

SF PUC Building

Goals

Greenest Office Building

in US
LEED Platinum
Immediate Occupancy
(after the Big One)

Budget $134M
DD est. $195M
VE savings $60M

Webcor initiated

Structural Redesign from

Steel to Concrete
Structural

VE savings $10M
Architect: KMD/Stevens

Program changes

SF PUC Building

Eliminate parking 6 cars

Accept higher accelerations
Move acceleration sensitive
equipment to basement

Resulting Benefits

Remove 12 per floor from

framing improvements save skin
costs
Eliminate ceiling and other
finishes
Improve thermal mass
Reduce concrete C02 footprint by
40%
Lift foundation out of water table
Save $10M
Architect: KMD/Stevens

PT Concrete
Cores

Seismic Performance
Combines elastic spring
and yielding damper
Self-centering response
Reduced rebar congestion
Stronger and more compact
Tough and damage resistant

Non-Linear Time History Response

Results:

No skin damage from the Design

Basis EQ (the Big One)

Cathedral Hill MOB

Architect: Boulder Associates

Design flow

Design flow

Sutter big idea: Collaborate, really collaborate

What does this mean (really) and
how do you do it?

Process refinement
collaboration
integration
increase value

the big room

trade partner input
BIM
and more BIM

Sutter big idea: Collaborate, really collaborate

What does this mean (really) and
how do you do it?

Process refinement
collaboration
integration
increase value

the big room

trade partner input
BIM
and more BIM

awkward design process

too many chefs
too much BIM, too little design

create design time

everyone is a designer
focus on design knots
establish design champions
design while fresh

Focused design session

collectively define critical design knots tier 1 problems

select problem Champion for each tier 1 problem

Champion defines problem needs constraints and goals

team brain storms to generate valid design sets

team establishes and explores parametric interactions

team forecasts potential outcomes (educated guesses)

close session when expertise in the room has been transmitted

Champion works alone to refine designrepeat as needed

Design flow

Initial Costs

Life Cycle Costs

Thermal Performance Deconstructability

Adaptability

Durability

Constructability

Seismic Performance

Material Impact

Compatibility

Design flow

Initial Costs

Life Cycle Costs

Thermal Performance Deconstructability

Adaptability

Durability

Constructability

Seismic Performance

Material Impact

Compatibility

Lessons Learned from (my) Mistakes

Trust your instincts and experience
Dont let your duty to serve restrain
your duty to warn
Forecast dont wait for calculations,
models or estimates
Learn the owners priorities cost,
speed, design, etc. dont accept the
architects interpretation
Support a designers creative process
understand design vs. problem
solving
Serve all team members well

Photo: George Armstrong