Digital Curation for Architecture

The emerging needs and the long standing issues curating digital assets from the Construction Industry.

Dr Ruggero Lancia Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute University of Glasgow

70ICT in Architecture

First CAD system for micro-computers!1977 Interact CAD (origin of AutoCAD)

First commercial mechanic CAD!1972 ADAM by MCS first commercially available mechanical design packages for 16-bit computers!

Microcomputers!1977 Commodore PET 2001 is the first popular non-kit microcomputer

Idiosyncratic CAD systems!1972-1975 M&S Computing (Intergraph) terminal Tektronix serie

Electronic messaging!1978 electronic messaging dial-up services and tools became widely available

First Productivity Suits!1978 word processor WordStar released for

CP/M operating systems

Begins CAD Formats Standardisation!1979 Boeing, General Electric and NIST develops a neutral file format called IGES (Initial Graphic Exchange Standard). !

CAD systems diffusion!At the end of 70s a typical CAD system was a 16-bit

minicomputer with maximum of 512 Kb memory and 20 to 300 Mb disk storage at a price of 125,000 USD.

80ICT in Architecture

Microcomputers diffusion!In 1982 microcomputers with much more power at less cost started to appear.!

Productivity Suits in DOS systems!1982 WordPerfect by SSI ported to DOS!

First Commercial GIS!1982 ARC/INFO by ESRI is the first commercial GIS software for microcomputers!

Future CAD leaders packages first released!1982 CATIA v.1 by Dessault and AutoCAD-80 dy Autodesk!

Open Formats for CAD exchange!1983 starts the work on STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product model data)!

First BIM implementation!1984 ArchiCAD by Graphisoft is released for Mac!

OS!1985 Microsoft introduces Windows!

Scripted Design facilities in CAD packages!1986 AutoCAD includes AutoLISP programming language

GIS for DOS!1986 MIDAS is the first desktop GIS software for DOS!

Parametric Modelling for PC!1989 T-FLEX is the first parametric mechanical CAD program for PC!

Office Suite!1989 Microsoft Office is announced!

First use of Mechanical CAD in Architecture !1989-1992 Frank Gehry adopts CATIA for the Fish

Sculpture at the Barcelona Villa Olimpica!

ICT in Architecture

90AutoCAD!

1990 Autodesk’ AutoCAD becomes the most diffused CAD software!

CAD packages customisation!1991 F. Gehry designs the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with Digital Project (an original CATIA customisation)!

Scripted Form Optimisation and Static Analysis!1992 Shoei Yoh project for the Galaxy Toyama Gymnasium!

Databases integration in CAD!1992 AutoCAD r.12 supports SQL database integration!

Autodesk!1995 Autodesk is the fifth soft-company in the world!

Microsoft Windows as platform!1993 AutoCAD r.12 for Windows is released!

1995 Microstation 95 by Bentley is released exclusively for Windows!1999 ArcGIS 8.0 by ESRI released for Windows !

NURBS based 3D modelling!1998 RhinoCeros v.1 by McNeel is released!

Opensource GIS !1999 Grass GIS v.5 is licensed with GNU GPL license!

ICT in Architecture

10Remote Sensing!in the early 2000s first LIDAR scanners capable of 50,000 pulses per second are shipped!

Leaders CAD vendors adopt BIM!2000 Revit v.1 by Revit Technology Corporation was released (Autodesk will buy the company in 2002)!2001 MicroStation v.8 is released (native DWG compatibility and new extensions such as Bentley Architecture for BIM)!

Generative Design!2001 MicroStation v.8 is released (native DWG compatibility and new extensions such as Bentley Architecture for BIM)!2003 Generative Components by Bentley Systems is released (scripted parametric modelling)!2007 Grasshopper 3D by McNeel is released (visual programming language for RhinoCeros)!2013 Dynamo by Autodesk is released in beta version as Visual Programming environment for Revit

Architecture practice becomes CAD vendor!2013 Digital Project by Gehry Technologies is publicly released (based on CATIA v.5.0)

First 3D printed room!2012 Grotto by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger

The Architectural ProductRecent influence of ICT on the Architect profession

PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) in Architecture - the product is the sum of its Processes

Generative Design - the Design Process is the actual product

Co-Design - the Mediation is the actual Design product

CNC Fabrication - the building materials are the Design product

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PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) in Architecture

BIM!'Building Information Modelling is digital representation of physical and

functional characteristics of a facility creating a shared knowledge resource for information about it forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life

cycle, from earliest conception to demolition.’(RIBA-CPIC-buildingSMART)!!

buildingSMART openBIM:!‘Open BIM is a universal approach to the collaborative design, realization and operation of buildings based on open standards and workflows. Open

BIM is an initiative of buildingSMART and several leading software vendors using the open buildingSMART Data Model.’ (buildingSMART)!

IMAGE: Beijing National Aquatics Center by PTW Architects

PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) in ArchitectureBIM - Industry Foundation Classes (IFC - IFC4 ISO 16739:2013)!

‘The data schema comprises information covering the many disciplines that contribute to a building throughout its lifecycle: from conception, through design, construction and operation to refurbishment or demolition.’ (buildingSMART)

IMAGE: buildingSMART family of corresponding standards – IFC/IFD/IDM

IMAGE: staged BIM implementation by BIM Task Group of the UK Cabinet Office

Generative Design - the Process is the Design product Performative simulation, form finding and design automation – tools and languages!Grasshopper (Rhinoceros plug-in by Robert McNell & Associates), GenerativeComponents (by Bentley Systems), Dynamo (Revit and Vasari plug- in by Autodesk).!MATLAB, VBA, Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), Python, Processing, RhinoScript, AutoLISP, VectorScript, Ruby.!

IMAGE: Pylons for TERNA S.p.a. by HDA

Co-Design - the Mediation is the actual Design product Participatory Design as Network Design Process!dreamhamar is a participation and network design process led by Architecture firm Ecosistema Urbano to redesign the Stortorget Square in Hamar, Norway. Social media, Blogs and Participatory Web-platforms are integral part of this project.

Co-Design - the Mediation is the actual Design product

flickr.com/dreamhamar!

facebook.com/dreamhamar!

twitter.com/dreamhamar!

dreamhamar.org/digital-lab!

dreamhamar.app

Ecosistema Urbano - Presentation of dreamhamar Ecosistema Urbano - Stortorget Sq. , Hamar, Norway

Ecosistema Urbano - SpainLab, Venice Biennale 2012

OTHER INITIATIVES PROMOTING SOCIAL INCLUSION AND COLLABORATION IN DESIGN: !

Think Commons - Ambient Intelligence Network (web platform)

unMonastery by Edgeryders - Minds wide open (co-design)

CNC Fabrication - the building materials are the Design product

Digital Fabrication - Expanding Small Scale CNC Manufacturing applications!Architects and fabricators are even more separated by the increasing specialisation going along with the use of modern fabrication technology.!File-to-Factory: an envisaged revolution.!!

Tools and Languages!G-code ( ISO 6983/RS274D) numerical control programming language is

particularly diffused across the machines adopted in these practices. Other CNC programs files used in these applications are: PRG files (LRA bending),

MB4 (MELFA-BASIC files) and POS (Teach point files).!STEP-NC ( ISO 10303-238) as device independent communication format

between CAM and CNC machines.

IMAGE: Puppet Theatre by MOS

Digital AssetsWhich digital assets are produced?

Lack of surveys data about common architectural practices

High professional diversification complicates the acquisition of consistent information on the produced Digital Assets

Advanced Digital Design practices have complex but renown/explicit/well documented procedural contexts

Small size of practices linked to idiosyncratic procedures (i.e. 90% of Scottish Practices in 2011 had less than 5 employes -

source IDBR 2011)

IMAGE: Metropol Parasol by J. Mayer H.

Digital AssetsWhich digital assets are produced through the Digital

Architecture Design?

2D CAD/CADD/CAM drawings 3D CAD/CADD/CAM models!Documents Representations Raster Images !

Office Suite documents Databases Emails ! Point Clouds Datasets !

Building Information Modelling Datasets Scripts CNC Programs ! GIS Datasets Websites Datasets Databases Audiovisuals Exchange Formats Vector Based Illustration !

Print Outputs Desktop Publishing Files

Expected Typologies:

IMAGE: Multifunctional dwelling complex by S. Skuratov

Digital AssetsDIDECU / DEDICATE / CABLES

studying local Architecture Practices during difficult times

Source: BD survey 2013

Digital AssetsDIDECU (DIgital DEsign CUration) [2010-2011, First Step Award]

This knowledge exchange project was aimed at transferring curatorial competences and procedures to an Architecture practice while evaluating both the

feasibility and the adequacy in a medium sized commercial context of the audit tools and methodologies, policies and requirements established by the Digital

Curation community. !!

This investigation resulted in an audit of the data held, the infrastructure implemented and the procedures adopted by the project partner, complemented by their correlated risk assessment, and in a complete preservation plan detailing policies, requirements and suggested procedures tailored to the project partners'

procedural and technical context.!

IMAGE: Centre for Scottish War Blinded by Page Park Architects

Digital AssetsDEDICATE (DEsign’s DIgital Curation for ArchiTecturE) [2013, AHRC]

This project investigated the requirements and procedures to build a common sustainable framework for the curation of Built Environment related data across

disciplines and professional contexts. !!

This project gathered a select group of Scottish Architecture practices and Engineering consultancies as project partners. Their assets, creation and management procedures, technical framework and standards compliances were audited. In particular, their digital

assets underwent extensive characterisation analysis.!!

For more information on all the activities of DEDICATE visit its website:! http://architecturedigitalcuration.blogspot.co.uk/

IMAGE: Loch Leven Heritage Trail by GRAS

Digital AssetsCABLES (Cultural Artefacts, Building, Landscapes, and Environments:

Scotland) [2013, AHRC]

In 2010, after almost fifty years of influent activity, the practice Campbell and Arnott Architects collapsed under the weight of a financial crisis. Following its closure, the practice's digital repository was donated to the RCAHMS. Spanning two decades of

works, this collection includes about 200 GB of files in a variety of formats and versions.!!

This project is aimed at initiating the curatorial activities for the appraisal of the assets to be ingested in the RCAHMS archive. By conducting a data audit and an assessment of a group of the projects documented in the Campbell and Arnott collection, this initiative

is gathering both demographic information on the collection's data files and their characterisation.!

!For more information on all the activities of DIDECU visit the website:!

http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/arts/knowledge-exchange/themes/digital/didecu/

IMAGE: Pitlochry Community Hospital by Campbell and Arnott Architects

Filetypes PopulationSmall/Medium Scottish Architecture Practices

Filetypes PopulationSmall/Medium Scottish Architecture Practices

Filetypes PopulationExperimental and Speculative International Activities

Filetypes PopulationExperimental and Speculative International Activities

Long standing IssuesAnalogue surrogates based procedures

• scarce implementation of Information Management Systems!

• print documents Management procedures (i.e. folding hierarchies) often literally translated into the digital domain !

• almost absent datasets enrichment procedures!

• PDF/A - PDF/X - PDF/E formats are generally ignored!

• the firms’ professional liability is documented through their physical Archives (in medium sized practices, often with a significant economical impact).

IMAGE: ‘Algae-Cellunoi’ by marcosandmarjan with Richard Beckett and Guan Lee

Long standing IssuesProprietary Formats

• frequent lack of documentation i.e. Autodesk DWG protection strategy)!

• rapid format version obsolescence - a 9 months turnover is common for major CADD/CAM packages!

• numerous dependencies limit the long-term re-use and accessibility of assets (i.e. software, software components and OS, such as in the case of most Visual Programming Languages for CADD/CAM)!

• scarce/absent/illegal accessibility of assets across domains (i.e. numerous packages adopts Theiga SDK to create DWG and DGN formats - the Open Design Alliance, its developer, has been sued by Autodesk for trademark infringement)!

• licensing methods and scheduled obsolescence undermine the data long-term legal management (i.e. CATIA has a complex licensing structure that never grants actual indeterminate use of the software and of the models produced)

IMAGE: Cabinet of Post-digital curiosities by Jorge Ayala

Long standing IssuesOpen Standards

• IGES / STEP / STEP-NC / IFC4 are ISO standards defining export formats - static documents representations!

• standardisation processes often lack stakeholders inclusion (i.e. IFC development - see Laakso and Kiviniemi, 2012)!

• software vendors are reluctant to loss proprietary framework advantages - slow and unreliable standards adoption (i.e. weakness in IFC import/export in BIM packages - see Malleson et al., 2012)!

• both granular IPR management and liability documentation functions are still missing - standards awkwardly anticipate professional renovation (i.e. simplified authorship documentation with IFC4)

IMAGE: Bloom Games by Alisa Andrasek, Jose Sanchez

Emerging NeedsCollaborative and Concurrent Design

/ Assets accessibility across domains

• openBIM (ownership detailing, control over liability’s exposure due to collaboration - open standards still lacking sufficient forensic depth)!

• scripts and programmes documentation (including contextual information, such as dependencies, modules and authorship)!

• multiple media, applications, websites and blogs long-term management, accessibility and reuse (for example in co-design)

IMAGE: Grasshopper study by Chris Wilkins

Emerging NeedsManufacturing Programmes Reuse

• formats migration in Digital Fabrication (G-code legacy - need to record rich contextual information, such as knowledge base on specific machine operations)

IMAGE: Pike Loop by Gramazio & Kohler

Emerging NeedsSpecialised Solutions for Assets Curation/Management

• tools to automatise the Information Management processes retaining curatorial consistence!

• policies, requirements and procedures for long-term authoritative retention of architectural practices Digital Assets (informal digital archives as context)!

• to test the recent solutions for CAAD data preservation against both the requirements demanded by these emerging trends and their feasibility in contexts of informal data retention and/or scarce resources – i.e. FACADE and DAArch.

IMAGE: Bloomberg Pavilion by Akihisa Hirata

Conclusions

• Architects as principal curators of their assets (as opposed to external stewardship)!

• Digital Curation education for Architects (curatorial competences/technical knowledge)!

• Open Standards adoption claims could be considered premature and misleading for curatorial agenda and policies making!

• Activities in this field are sparse and unrelated - A network to coordinate activities would promote collaboration

IMAGE: Research Pavilionby ICD/ITKE University of Stuttgart

Thank you for your attention!

ruggero.Lancia@glasgow.ac.ukhttp://architecturedigitalcuration.blogspot.co.uk

@ruggero_lancia