Archinect - News

Rayon unveils Norman Foster-backed design tool for developing architectural plans

2023-09-27T09:00:00-04:00

Architectural software developers Rayon have launched a new design tool to “enable seamless collaboration across AEC industries.” The software, which shares its company’s name and is backed by funders including Norman Foster, is a browser-based tool that allows teams to collaborate on 2D floor plans in real-time.

Video credit: Rayon

Launching out of beta today, the Rayon tool was created to “end the dominance of legacy software in AEC.” While noting that such tools were groundbreaking when launched, the company argues that the high-performance specifications and licensing costs required for their use present a barrier to collaboration. “As a result, only using PDFs to share files makes it hard for professionals to transmit and share data, while the industry remains captive due to proprietary file formats,” the company explains.

Image credit: Rayon

As a result, Rayon supports filetypes such as images, PDFs, DWGs, and DWFs, and includes drawing, annotation, layout, and styling featur...

Four-day weeks are working for some businesses. What about architects?

2023-01-31T10:44:00-05:00

The non-profit group 4 Day Week Global has published the findings of their trial into the impacts of a four-day workweek on businesses. The trial began in February 2022, when 33 companies enacted a “meaningful work time reduction” for six months without reducing pay.

The companies, which collectively employed over 900 people, were spread across North America, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The largest group of companies was represented by admin, IT & telecoms businesses at 36% of participants, while the second-largest group was professional services companies, at 27%. Almost all companies (88%) enacted a four-day workweek for all staff, with Friday being a common day off, while the remaining 12% gave a four-day week to most employees with a small group taking reduced daily hours instead.

According to the report analyzing the trial’s results, two-thirds of the compan...

Frank Gehry gives Harvard Business Review a masterclass in delivering on time and on budget

2023-01-03T11:38:00-05:00

Archinect’s editorial is no stranger to covering project delays. In the second half of 2022 alone, we covered news of construction setbacks at the International African American Museum, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. However, such high-profile examples are far from outliers but are instead representative of an endemic issue in the AEC industry.

According to research by University of Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg, whose team analyzed 16,000 construction projects around the world, only 8.5% of projects are delivered on time and on budget. In search of an explanation, Flyvbjerg and his colleague Dan Gardner turned to what at first seemed an unexpected resource: Frank Gehry.

At first glance, Gehry’s spectacular, unorthodox exercises in form and materiality should inevitably lie within the 91.5% of projects that fail to meet their time or budget...

Almost half of architecture billings include work to existing buildings says AIA survey

2022-11-09T11:51:00-05:00

Design projects involving the renovation, rehabilitation, extension, or preservation of existing buildings account for 48% of billings at U.S. architecture firms according to an AIA survey. The findings, which form part of the 2022 AIA Firm Survey: The Business of Architecture, continues a trend which last year saw architects earn more from renovations than from new builds for the first time.

Institutional projects yielded the largest share of billings for firms in 2021 according to the survey, at 43%. The share of billings from residential projects also increased significantly, from 18% in 2018 to 28% in 2021.

The survey also offered an insight into the structure and workflows behind U.S. firms. The share of multidisciplinary firms has continued to increase, now sitting at 44% having risen from 27% in 2002 and 36% in 2011. Meanwhile, 29% of firm reported that providing services to unders...

Office buildings are deploying the power of scents to lure workers back

2022-09-15T14:29:00-04:00

There’s been a surge of demand from real estate owners for pleasant fragrances to make the air a little fresher and the workplace a little more comforting and energizing [...] “Here in New York City, for example, real estate companies are interested in scenting the building itself, as opposed to just the individual tenant spaces [...] There are lots of vacant office spaces these days. So what can the real estate companies do to attract tenants?”

So-called "scent profiles" have been documented to improve productivity, avoid a phenomenon known as olfactory fatigue, and achieve a psychological familiarity helpful to marketers when developing brand recognition. This is one of many approaches companies are attempting to use in order to lure workers back into the city's emptying central business districts.

Marriott, the nation’s second-largest hotel chain, has for two decades incorporated scents into all 30 of its Bonvoy properties, and (despite the HR headaches caused by allergy risks) there is now a growing interest among heavyweight commercial clients like SHVO and CBRE looking to improve indoor air quality in the wake of the pandemic.

Allison Lobay, global account manager of Air Aroma, shared with the Commercial Observer: "Some scents are associated with improved productivity. In the office, citrus fragrances are used to energize...

Three tips for overcoming procrastination during the creative process

2022-05-19T11:53:00-04:00

As creative professionals, architects are prone to procrastination. In his acclaimed book The War of Art, author Steven Pressfield breaks down the many reasons why procrastination is a prevalent part in the creative process. “Procrastination is the most common manifestation of [creative resistance] because it’s the easiest to rationalize,” Pressfield wrote. “We don’t tell ourselves, 'I’m never going to write my symphony.' Instead we say, 'I’m going to write my symphony; I’m just going to start tomorrow.'”

For some experts on the topic, procrastination in the creative process is a necessary evil. One such expert is Alice Boyes, a former clinical psychologist and author of the book Stress-Free Productivity. On a recent episode of the Harvard Business Review IdeaCast, Boyes explains that “lots of forms of problem solving benefit from an incubation period where you take a pause between when you hear the problem and when you start working on it.”

Related on Archinect: In school, somet...

Architects earn more from renovations than new builds for first time, fueled by workplace revolution

2022-05-10T09:00:00-04:00

Architecture firms are billing more from reconstruction and renovation projects than they are from new builds for the first time; a milestone driven by soaring demand for office renovations. In the 20 years that the AIA has been collecting data on billings for renovations versus new build projects, the share of billings received from renovations has been consistently rising for over a decade, suggesting the new milestone is not entirely attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout 2021, works to existing facilities reached 52% of architecture firm billings. According to AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, one quarter of works to existing facilities comprise adaptive reuse, with another quarter owing to conversion and basic interior modernization. 18% comprises tenant fit-outs while adding usable space and upgrading building facades or systems each comprise 10%.

“This is a l...

How does asynchronous work intersect with architectural practice?

2022-04-15T11:47:00-04:00

While speculation over what a long-term “post-pandemic workplace” may look like is often distilled into conversations about remote and hybrid working, the topic of asynchronous working garners relatively less attention. This comes despite the fact that many of the touted benefits of remote working, whether it be more accessible childcare options, fewer travel constraints, or personal appointments and commitments, would be more accurately described as benefits of an asynchronous workplace, rather than a remote or hybrid one.

As a BBC article on the subject from 2021 points out, remote working and asynchronous working are separate, standalone structures. While remote and hybrid working arrangements are simply a matter of location, asynchronous working is a matter of time, where each individual worker can structure their workday free of a typical 9–5 arrangement, rather than all employees of a company working the same synchronized hours.

Related on Archinect: An architect’s advice ...

An architect’s advice on boosting creativity in hybrid workplaces

2022-04-06T09:00:00-04:00

In a new thought piece, NBBJ architect Ryan Mullenix presents the findings of NBBJ and the University of Washington’s research into how hybrid workspaces impact creativity. Coincidentally launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research sought to establish the key behavioral and spatial elements which can enable creative workers, including architects, to maintain a creative flair away from their traditional workplace.

The research’s findings may prove useful for creatives long after the pandemic, with evidence including Archinect’s own survey finding that hybrid work options have become a permanent fixture in architectural employment. For example, there are currently 41 open positions on Archinect’s job board offering purely remote working.

According to architect Mullenix, a key finding from research participants was that “control” remains an important part of workplace setting...

Tips for making the most of an architecture internship

2022-03-08T12:41:00-05:00

Architectural internships are a double-edged sword. At their best, an internship provides a valuable introduction to the profession for those at the beginning of their career; helping to inform complex decisions on their future development. However, at their worst, internships can also be a magnet for exploitation. In the broader U.S. economy, it is believed that 40% of internships are unpaid, as indicated in an NCARB poll from October 2021, which also found that 32% of respondents were recently offered or saw a listing for an unpaid internship.

To those who are successful in finding an architectural internship that respects their time and input, the role presents an opportunity to develop industry-relevant skills, build a resume, meet professionals and potential mentors, and even increase the chances of gaining a full-time position in the future. In order to help interns fulfill these goals, a broad range of academic institutions, experts, and Archinect’s own community, have shared...

Retaining architectural staff begins with effective onboarding

2022-02-08T13:57:00-05:00

November 2021 saw 4.5 million Americans resign from their jobs; a peak month of the so-called “Great Resignation” and the largest figure since 2000. As with the broader economy, architecture firms face an ongoing battle to attract and retain staff, a battle which existed before the pandemic and has only gathered further steam throughout the past two years, as we recently explored in a feature article on the topic.

As an anticipated optimism and economic activity returns to the US design and construction sector throughout 2022, the need for architecture to attract and retain staff will only magnify. "Since demand for design projects has been healthy over the last year, recruiting architectural staff to keep up with project workloads has been a growing concern for firms," warned AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker last month. "Architecture is one of the few industries where payrolls have already surpassed their pre-pandemic high, so meeting future staffing needs is a challenge that most ...

Disruptor design-build architecture firm raises almost $600K in crowdfunding

2021-12-13T12:39:00-05:00

HOKO Design, a UK-based startup seeking to use technology to transform the role of the architect, has raised $590,000 in a crowdfunding campaign. The company, which describes itself as “the homeowner’s architect,” focuses on integrating virtual reality, real-time client feedback, and a streamlined administrative process for clients, all with the aim of becoming “the first household name for residential architecture.”

Since its founding in 2019 in Glasgow, the company has grown to over 30 employees across the UK, which has worked with 246 clients to date. The company now holds a pre-money valuation of almost $20 million.

HOKO Design differentiates itself from the traditional architect role through a series of client features throughout design and construction stages. At concept stage, these include unlimited design revisions for the client, VR and video flythroughs, a cost analysis before planning stage, and a client dashboard with live updates on the project, including an abili...

Many firms not capitalizing on digital marketing or technology, AIA report finds

2021-12-02T13:42:00-05:00

A new report from the American Institute of Architects has found that business marketing remains underutilized among U.S. architecture firms. The finding forms part of the newly released Technology, Culture, & the Future of the Architectural Firm report, which explores the influence of technology adoption on workflow and profitability in U.S. practices.

The 69-page report, available to download for free, notes that cultural and technological barriers currently hamper firms’ embrace of business development and marketing as a way of securing growth. “89% of respondents agree that relationships matter more than marketing for winning new business, and only 43% agree that digital/social marketing is important to them,” says the report. “However, firms that use social media are successful at driving leads through these channels.”

When asked what factors expect to drive their growth over the next three years, ...

Expert tips for architecture offices creating hybrid work structures

2021-11-16T16:26:00-05:00

At the end of September, we released the results of our survey of the architectural community’s plans to return to the office after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, only 29% of respondents said that their firms required all staff to return to in-studio working, with 15% still required to work remotely. An additional 39% of respondents were being offered a choice of working remotely, returning to the office, or operating on a hybrid model between the office and their home.

Of the respondents who had been offered the choice between working from the office, the home, or a hybrid model, over half had chosen the hybrid model. As the pandemic wanes, there is evidence that this embrace of either a fully or partially remote approach to work will remain over the long term. Over on our jobs board, for example, there are currently 34 active job openings for remote candidates, ranging from 3D designers to project architects to HR specialists.

Archinect Survey Results: Did the Architectur...

New study links higher BIM use with client satisfaction

2021-10-22T18:18:00-04:00

A new study published by Dodge Data & Analytics, in partnership with Autodesk, has concluded that stronger BIM use on architectural projects results in higher client satisfaction. The findings, set out in the free Accelerating Digital Transformation Through BIM SmartMarket Report, offers an overview of how architects, engineers, and contractors use BIM and its associated workflows.

The report’s central finding is a “correlation between the depth of engagement with data-driven BIM processes, the intensity of BIM, and the degree to which the benefits of using BIM are experienced.” In other words, the report suggests that the higher the use of BIM on a project, and the more a project team exploits BIM’s various processes and workflows, the higher the reward.

According to the report, these benefits include improved client satisfaction and design qua...

Autodesk announces new features for Construction Cloud, including scheduling tool and Microsoft Teams integration

2021-10-06T14:12:00-04:00

Autodesk has announced a series of new updates to their Autodesk Construction Cloud, a software solution seeking to connect design and construction team members through a single ecosystem. The latest updates are centered on Autodesk Build, a software that focuses on construction management, including quality, safety, and cost control.

Among the new updates in Autodesk Build is a Schedule tool that allows teams to centralize schedule management. Office and construction teams can now share digital schedules in real-time and link documents, sheets, photos, and RFIs into their communications. Schedules can now be viewed in calendar or chart formats, display activity status in real-time, and integrate with the Cost tool to display schedule-related expenses such as material handling and clean-up costs.

Additional updates rolled out to Autodesk Build include sheet sharing across accounts, whereby cu...

Tips for handling email overload

2019-10-07T14:30:00-04:00

Any busy person understands the overwhelming sight of countless emails sitting in an inbox on a Monday morning. They come in all shapes and sizes: there are those that don't require a response, easy enough, on to the next; the sales ones asking us to check out a new glass product, annoying; there are the more stressful, maybe a note from a client, or even worse, a contractor with 25 RFIs.

The list goes on, but the common denominator remains the demand of our time and mental bandwidth, which can become cumbersome throughout our complex workdays. How can we manage this digital phenomenon? The skilled reader will have a well-oiled process, share your insights in the comments.

For everyone else, here are some tips:

Filter

In 10 Steps to Become an Email Ninja, Tim Ferriss advocates a focus on the essential and an elimination of the inessential, things like spam. He achieves this by using Gmail, which he believes has the best spam filter. Additionally, he limits email notifications from...

Doing creative work when we are obsessed with checking our phones

2019-08-07T21:00:00-04:00

According to author Brian Solis, digital distractions are taking a significant toll on businesses, with 36-percent of Millennials and Gen Z workers reporting to spend two hours or more each workday "looking at their phones for personal activities." And while distractions can negatively influence creativity, they can also help propel forward the creative process.

"...leaky attention may underlie both costs and benefits of creative cognition; noise and other environmental stimuli can serve as distractors for creative people, and lead them to make errors on some tasks. At the same time, leaky attention may help people integrate ideas that are outside the focus of attention into their current information processing, leading to creative thinking,” Solis quotes from a research study on the topic.

He contends is that we should "embrace the desire to check notifications, read various media, or even watch videos." That scheduling short breaks where we allow ourselves to indulge in these imp...

Walking or cycling to work could make you more productive

2019-07-29T14:14:00-04:00

Productivity is one of those things most of us try to optimize. Especially when it comes to the day to day work we have in architecture. As dynamic and wide-ranging as a day can be, the focus and concentration needed to compose those remaining wall details, check those door schedules, or look over that code analysis are quite demanding. There are numerous approaches and methods toward better productivity, perhaps even an endless number. But, one way to improve our performance at work, says Australian researchers, Liang Ma and Runing Ye, is in how we commute to work.

"Our research investigated how and to what extent our daily commuting can influence workplace productivity," the pair write. According to their findings, people who commute longer distances tend to have more days off, while those who commuted shorter distances, walked or cycled, tended to perform better in the workplace. Additionally, driving has also been found to be the most stressful way to commute.

Anyone living in a...

What color are your office walls? How color and lighting shapes mood and productivity in the office

2019-01-10T15:27:00-05:00

The office is where the general public will spend 1/3 of their life. Unless you've jumped on the "working remotely" craze, many work in office buildings/complexes that haven't changed since 1999. The common color palette of an office is usually a mixture of neutral tones like beige and subdued grays. Although, with the appearance of trending communal workspaces and open floor office concepts, the general public still identifies office settings to resemble sets seen in The Office or Office Space. However, an office's color palette and lighting may be more important than you think. Architects and designers are designing offices that not only look better but interact with the senses to evoke happier and more productive staff.

Now don't get me wrong, many companies have given their office spaces a facelift over the years by implementing an assortment of "trending" office interior upgrades. Glass wall di...

5 Fundamental Ways to Boost Utilization (and Morale)

2018-05-02T08:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by BQE Core.

Your employees' billable hours are the lifeblood of your business, but they can also be a source of frustration. A recent AEC industry study pegged employee utilization rates--defined as the percentage of billable hours out of total hours worked--at around 59 percent, a grim reminder that the average business is losing around 40 percent of its worker productivity to non-billable activities.

There are some approaches to boosting your employee utilization rate that will not only help increase productivity and revenue, but also provide your employees with a supportive workplace environment.

1. Manage stakeholder expectations. Managing your client's expectations is a given, although scope creep can (and usually does) happen. However, are you also managing the expectations of your internal stakeholders - your employees?

For example, your business development reps need a clear understanding of what your team can provide. Business development shoul...

Working in zero privacy: new monitoring technology tracks every motion and word

2017-02-28T17:35:00-05:00

Although it's not shocking that companies like Gensler have automated on/off sensors in their lighting grid to save energy when no one's in the office, it's slightly less comforting to realize that many companies are now using sensors to monitor when employees are at their desks, if they're talking with their fellow co-workers, and how long they're in the bathroom. (Makes one harken for the days when workers were judged by what they actually produced, as opposed to their process of production.) As Marketplace reports, one of the new privacy-free devices is called "Humanyze":

They’re in a badge you wear around [your] neck, kind of like an ID badge. And they measure this thing called “latency” to see how often people are interacting with their co-workers. Which, to me, sounds like a little bit much. But they claim the data is anonymized, and they don’t record exactly what you’re saying, or at least they don’t share that with your employer.... The Boston Consulting Group is using it to...

“You miss it when it’s gone”: On New Yorkers' addiction to noise

2016-08-02T14:28:00-04:00

To live in New York means to get habituated to the noise of everyday life here...As a neighborhood becomes more homogenous, and its residents sync their noise patterns, noise complaints tend to go down. This may explain why, controlling for other factors, gentrifying areas of the city display higher levels of noise complaints. City residents stop consciously recognizing noise as novel, and it becomes background, even if their bodies don’t always recognize it as such.

“We all love to hate the noise. And yet sitting in silence, I do not feel as if I’ve found an escape from pain: I have simply traded it for a new variety. Shockingly, I realize I want to trade back.”

Writer Susie Neilson delves into the pros and cons of urban noise pollution, a truly defining factor of living in NYC.

The Real Reason Cities Are Centers of Innovation

2013-07-08T15:22:00-04:00

Pan and several colleagues argue that the underlying force that drives super-linear productivity in cities is the density with which we're able to form social ties. The larger your city, in other words, the more people you’re likely to come into contact with. "If you think about productivity, it’s all about ideas, information flows, how easily you can access ideas and opportunities," Pan says. "We believe that the interaction mechanism is what drives the productivity of the city."