AECtech 2023 NYC | A Flourishing Community
On October 27-November 5 Thornton Tomasetti | CORE studio hosted the eleventh annual AECtech Conference in NYC! Thank you to the presenters and hosts from over 32 organizations that made this year possible. And thanks to the over 400 participants who made this year an incredible and inspiring event. The event featured 10 Virtual and 12 In-Person Workshops hosted by AEC firms and Software Platform leading innovation in the industry. This year saw the return of the Tech Crawl with an expanded group of 16 host companies welcoming participants into their practice. While the Symposium saw and inspirational round of presentations and discussions from 19 thought leaders. And this year’s hackathon saw a record 120 attendees team up to create 16 incredibly unique projects.
Workshops
VIRTUAL Workshops
AECtech began with a full day of Virtual Workshops on Friday, November 27th. This year featured 10 Workshops that explored a range of platforms from remote computing, to cloud viewers, and interoperability platforms.
ShapeDiver| Build Web Apps Using ShapeDiver & Grasshopper
ALEX SCHIFTNER, MICHAEL OPPITZ
ShapeDiver turns Grasshopper models into secure, reliable, scalable, and fast REST APIs that can be used for 3D visualization and configuration in browsers, exporting production files and drawings, and pretty much anything that can be done using Grasshopper and an ever-growing list of plugins.
This masterclass will focus on web application development using ShapeDiver’s 3D viewer and TypeScript SDKs. We will build a single-page application using React, and interact with Grasshopper models running on ShapeDiver.
ShapeDiver | Exchange Data-Rich Geometry Between ShapeDiver & Desktop Applications
In this workshop, we will show how to connect the ShapeDiver web platform to desktop clients, allowing in particular to send and receive geometry and data from local software such as Rhino and Adobe Illustrator. We will build Grasshopper definitions that enable complex parametric workflows between ShapeDiver and other software environments, using the ShapeDiver plugin and leveraging its attributes system to ensure data-rich integrations.
We will also show how the data exchange principles and developer tools included with ShapeDiver allow flexible ways to consume ShapeDiver models, such as remote calling them directly from Grasshopper or integrating them as generators in an Autodesk Forma project.
Speckle | Speckle Automate: CI/CD Pipelines for AEC are here!
CLAIRE KUANG, GERGŐ JEDLICSKA, KATERYNA KONIEVA
Speckle, the only open-source solution to enable collaboration and data connectivity in AEC, is inviting you to an exclusive preview of Speckle Automate, a smarter way to work in multi-disciplinary AEC teams. This half-day workshop offers a deep dive into how you can save time and effort by easily publishing custom functions and running them safely on a single project across the company portfolio.
Enough wasting time fixing last-minute errors and evaluating routines, Speckle Automate was designed to help you focus on what matters by proactively building better solutions with your team. By joining this workshop, you will be the first one to try and learn how to use Speckle Automate in the most strategic and valuable way for your team.
CORE studio | Introducing the AEC Data Platform, Ellipse
This course will introduce Ellipse, CORE studio’s new data visualization platform. Learn how to quickly build project websites in Ellipse that bring images, drawings, models, and data together to tell the story of the project from concept storyboard to analytical dashboard. The class will walk participants through the process of building parametric model and linked drawings in Grasshopper. Building on these models and drawings, the course will show how to use TT Toolbox to export the models/drawings and extract attributes as a dataset for Ellipse. The day will conclude with a step by step introduction of the Revit Exporter plugin.
CORE studio | KONSTRU: Streamlining BIM and Analytic Data Exchange
NICK MUNDELL
KONSTRU serves as a vital bridge for seamless data exchange between Revit and various leading structural analysis software. Its cloud-hosted database facilitates model sharing among collaborators, irrespective of their software licenses.
What will I learn during the workshop?
One Way Translation - How to use Konstru to repair and extract the analytic (or physical) geometry model from Revit and translate it to a ETABS model. Save countless hours rebuilding the same model more than once. Build the Revit model you need for collaboration and drawing production, and leverage KONSTRU to instantly build the analysis models you need to design the building's structural system.
Round Trip Translation - How to make changes to the ETABS model, and propagate those changes back to the original Revit model. By round tripping with KONSTRU, you open up the benefits of being able to make changes to your dataset in either modeling platform. Analyze the model in ETABS and bring those results back to the Revit model directly, with the need to create 2D markups of the updates.
Model Merging - How to take two independently developed models, upload each to KONSTRU, and then compare and merge data / objects between files. This is an excellent method to push analysis results (number of studs, camber, structural forces) from their generating software such as RAM Structural System, into a Revit model which is creating drawings with these values on them. A whole building’s analysis results can be merged with a Revit model in minutes, potentially saving thousands of hours for a tall tower.
Pollination | Pollination Revit Plugin for Extracting Valid Analytical Models
MOSTAPHA SADEGHIPOUR ROUDSARI, CHRIS MACKEY
In this workshop, the audience will be introduced to the latest updates of the Pollination Revit plugin (https://www.pollination.cloud/revit-plugin) for extracting valid analytical models from Revit for energy, daylight, and comfort simulation.
We will discuss the best practices for preparing the model, the most common issues in Revit models, and the appropriate workflows to address these issues. We will also discuss the best practices for exporting the models to 3rd party tools such as IES VE, eQuest, OpenStudio, DesignBuilder, and IDA-ICE.
This workshop is primarily intended for building performance analysts, energy modelers, engineers, and architects looking to streamline the process of producing and simulating analytical energy models from design models.
Our goal is to ensure that you will never redraw an analytical model from scratch after this workshop.
Pollination | Pollination Rhino Workflows for Building Performance Specialists
MOSTAPHA SADEGHIPOUR ROUDSARI, CHRIS MACKEY
In this workshop, participants will learn a range of workflows with the Pollination Rhino Plugin (https://www.pollination.cloud/rhino-plugin) that automate the geometry cleanup process and eliminate the need to manually re-trace or rebuild the design geometry to create clean analytical models.
Participants will also learn several workflows for simulating the analytical models that have been produced from the Pollination Rhino plugin to obtain metrics on energy performance, daylight quality, peak loads/ HVAC size, and thermal comfort. The workshop will discuss the export pathways to IES-VE, DesignBuilder, and eQuest as well as Pollination, Ladybug Tools, OpenStudio, and Radiance.
This workshop is primarily intended for building performance analysts, energy modelers, engineers, and architects looking to streamline the process of producing and simulating analytical energy models from design models.
Our goal is to ensure that you will never redraw an analytical model from scratch after this workshop.
Autodesk Platform Services | Design Automation for Revit
Autodesk Platform Service Bootcamp is a hands-on training in the basics of APS development where developer advocates live-code various APS applications, and answer your questions as you follow their steps.
The event is recommended for software developers who are getting started with the Autodesk Platform Service, or looking to refresh or improve their skills. Since Autodesk Platform Service is a cloud platform, a basic web development experience (both client- and server-side) is expected, but if you haven't done any web development and would still like to join our bootcamp, don’t worry, you will find a couple of learning resources at the end of this blog post that will get you ready.
McNeel | Beyond Geometry: Crafting New Workflows with Grasshopper Data
From its origins as a parametric geometry tool, Grasshopper has undergone a transformative evolution in Rhino 8, featuring the addition of nearly 100 new components and data types. These components serve as the building blocks for crafting innovative workflows that seamlessly merge Rhino and Grasshopper data. In this workshop, we'll guide you through the art of harnessing these workflows, enabling you to enhance your production processes and unlock a world of untapped creative potential.
IN PERSON Workshops
On Thursday, November 2nd, In Person Workshops were held at Thornton Tomasetti’s NYC offices.
Hypar | Design Automation with Hypar
Learn to build custom workflows for design, analysis, and automation on Hypar’s powerful cloud-based platform. In the workshop, we’ll utilize Hypar’s open source Elements library to build tools for building design and space planning. We’ll cover Hypar’s customizable interface and powerful developer tooling, and show you how to build, test, and debug production-quality tools and workflows for design.
McNeel | Exploring Novel Workflows with Rhino 8 Inside.Revit
The latest Rhino is packed with new grasshopper components, learn how these can be used effectively to create Rhino.Inside.Revit data driven workflows.
McNeel | Scripting in Rhino 8
There is a new script editor that is consistent across Rhino and Grasshopper, and on Windows and macOS. It brings Python 3 and C# scripting to Rhino alongside the already existing IronPython. All languages support package management and debugging, both in Rhino and Grasshopper. Script editor can also generate Rhino or Grasshopper plugins from your scripts very easily. To explore all these features in this workshop, we will create scripts in Rhino and Grasshopper, run, debug, and generate Rhino Command and Grasshopper Components from our scripts.
Nvidia Omniverse | Omniverse: Design Collaboration Accelerated
ROBERT CERVELLIONE, SEBASTIAN MISIUREK
Learn how NVIDIA Omniverse can help you leverage the latest AI driven technology to accelerate the design process. We will explore various AECO workflows from conceptual design to simulations to presentations in XR, that utilize Rhino, Grasshopper, and Revit, using full-scale data and real-time feedback. We will also cover some of the foundations of Omniverse, such as the OpenUSD framework, and how you can utilize the full capabilities of GPU computing in your workflows. Omniverse for AECO | Omniverse Documentation | OpenUSD
Heatherwick Studio | Digital to Physical: Physics Simulations with Houdini and Rhino
In this workshop, we will explore how Rhino + Grasshopper can take advantage of Houdini’s solvers to generate physics-based simulations to help inform design decisions. By leveraging the ease of modelling in Rhino, Houdini's simulation power and Grasshopper's interoperability capabilities, we will take advantage of the best of each world. We will also use physical modelling and 3D printing to explore how the digital simulations translate into physical prototypes.
Grimshaw Architects | Procedural BIM and Network-Based-Modeling
In this workshop, we will explore state-of-the-art tools and techniques for managing large, complex projects in Rhino and Grasshopper, from schematic design to fabrication-ready.
Architectural projects contain huge amounts of information with complex relationships. Procedural BIM is a framework for generating that information parametrically, using the same workflows that produce the geometry.
To do this, we'll leverage cutting-edge features in the latest version of eleFront, which make it possible to produce a large network of interconnected Rhino models that contain intelligent, data-rich objects. We will also be providing early trial access to some forthcoming tools that allow you to manage and control that network of scripts and models from a simple interface.
CORE studio | Road to Generative AI : ML Basics to Advanced Techniques
This one-day workshop is targeted at AEC professionals with beginner to intermediate knowledge of machine learning (ML). The workshop aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice in ML, especially in the context of the AEC industry. The program includes:
Getting Started: Introductions to ML's role in AEC and setting up a Python environment for hands-on activities.
Machine/Deep Learning Overview: Exploration of the ML landscape, including computer vision and natural language processing, with hands-on activities to gain insights.
Generative AI: An investigation into Generative AI, its underlying concepts, and various applications, showcasing its endless possibilities.
Building a Chatbot with Custom Data: A practical segment to guide participants through building a chatbot using custom data and sharing tips and tricks for enhancing conversational AI solutions
Proving Ground | Machine Learning with LunchBox for Grasshopper
Participants will learn how to use LunchBox for Grasshopper to implement Machine Learning methods for data curation, training, and testing. The workflow will be used to test opportunities for predictive scenarios relevant to architecture - including space planning, form finding, and analysis.
Autodesk Forma | Introduction to Forma
KRZYSZTOF JEDRZEJEWSKI, MAGNHILD GJESTVANG
Decisions made in the earliest stages of design often have the most impact on a building’s performance. In this Masterclass we will walk through Forma's current offering focusing on taking informed decisions as early in the design process as possible. We will look into:
Setting and geolocating your project quickly with GIS data
Creating your design intent with authoring tools
Getting instant feedback from Environmental Analyses (Sun, Wind, Noise, Operational Energy & more) to guide design decisions
Interoperability with Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit & Dynamo and looking into integrating it within your existing workflows.
Autodesk Forma | Introduction to Analysis Extensions for Autodesk Forma
We are opening up the Autodesk Forma platform for anyone to build extensions. In this class we will walk through building an analysis extension. You will learn:
How to build and release simple analysis extensions on Forma
How to extract the analysis results of Forma analyses to use in extension in Forma or elsewhere
How to build your own analysis using the geometry of a Forma project
Archi-lab | Log Monitoring of your Revit API Plugins with Elastic Observability
In this class we will focus on what is often an overlooked part of software development process - log monitoring. As developers we often focus on writing the next shiny new feature or dealing with pesky bugs, but rarely do we integrate log monitoring into our Revit API code. Logs might not sound like an important feature of our application but they are. This is how you get to know whether your application is being used, by whom, how, how often, and most importantly whether users are experiencing any issues with the code. It's impossible to write code that will always work, across all user systems, Revit versions, and endless ways to model content in Revit. The only chance as developers that we have is to write logs when our application is experiencing issues or crashes, collect them, analyze them, and finally action them. This class will attempt to show you how to do just that. It will be a quick crash course on setting up logging for your Revit API plugin via NLog. Then we will setup an Elastic Agent to automatically ingest our logs into Elasticsearch database and finally we will create an example dashboard for log analysis in Kibana - a powerful visualization engine. Hopefully at the end of this class you will be able to setup your own log analysis and start taking advantage of this abundant source of data to create better Revit API applications.
Woods Bagot | Synthesis of Vision: Mastering AI-Driven Architectural Visualization and Concept Design Communication
Step into the vanguard of architectural innovation with "Synthesis of Vision," a master class that ushers you into the captivating new age of AI. In this course, we traverse the evolving landscape where AI collaborates seamlessly with human creativity, reshaping architectural visualization and concept design. By harmonizing the proficiency of modeling software with the ingenuity of AI, participants will unravel revolutionary approaches to communicating ideas. Explore how AI's machine learning prowess transforms intricate concepts into captivating visual narratives, all while mastering the intricate dialogue between technology and architectural eloquence. Embark on a transformative journey where AI transcends conventional boundaries, enabling architects and designers to amplify their visions and forge the future of design discourse.
Tech Crawl
Wednesday, November 3rd saw the return of the Tech Crawl. Over 60 participants visited 4 groups Engineering & Architecture Firms in NYC to tour their offices and learn about innovative processes that distinguish their practice. The evening concluded with a Social Event at Thornton Tomasetti’s offices.
Hosts
Symposium
On Friday, November 3rd an inspirational group of leaders from the Design, Software, and AEC worlds came together to present and discuss the future of collaborative practice and technologies role in the transformation of this space.
Watch all the Presenters and Roundtable Discussions at our AECtech Symposium playlist
Presenters
Alexander Matthias Jacobson / Life Cycle Design Lead
Altaf Ganihar / Founder And Ceo
Thornton Tomasetti | CORE studio
Alloy Kemp / Vice President
Abhishek Bawiskar / Associate Applications Engineer
Block Research Group, ETH Zurich
Philippe Block / Co-Director
Tim Logan / Principal, Computational Applications Developer
SOM
Neil Katz, Faia / Associate Principal
Marty Rozmanith / Co-Founder And Chief Technology Officer
Kerenza Harris / Associate Principal
Brian Ringley / Principal Product Manager
Roundtable | Cultivating Innovation: Academia and the Next Generation of Practitioners
Moderator
Panelists
Dr. David Gerber / Professor Of Practice, Program Director | University of Southern California
Dennis Shelden / Director | Center For Architecture Science and Ecology At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
David Andres Leon / Director Of MACAD / Private Consultant | Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC)
Thomas Hanrahan / Professor | Pratt Institute, School of Architecture
Philippe Block / Co-Director |Block Research Group,ETH Zurich
Roundtable | R&D in AEC
Moderator
Brian Ringley / Principal Product Manager | Boston Dynamics
Panelists
Jason Steiner / Partner And Director of Digital Design | Mithun
Martha Tsigkari / Senior Partner, Head of Applied R+D | Foster + Partners
Pragya Gupta / Firmwide Design Computation Team Leader | NBBJ
Pablo Zamorano Mosnaim / Senior Associate, Head of Geometry and Computational Design | Heatherwick Studio
Luc Wilson / Global Head of Design Technology | KPF
Hackathon
On Saturday, November 4th, over 120 hackers from a variety of backgrounds came together for a 27 hour hackathon. Hosted in person at Thornton Tomasetti’s New York offices and created 16 incredible projects.
A special thanks to this year’s panel of judges!
Charlie Portelli / Digital Innovation Specialist | Perkins & Will
David Andres Leon / Director Of MACAD / Private Consultant | Institute For Advanced Architecture Of Catalonia (IAAC)
Pablo Zamorano Mosnaim / Senior Associate, Head Of Geometry And Computational Design | Heatherwick Studio
Ajmal Aqtash / Professor | Pratt Institute
Philippe Block / Co-Director | Block Research Group, Eth Zurich
2023 Hackathon Winners
BEST OVERALL HACK: All The Way Down
AllTheWayDown allows for managing dependencies within design workflows, which decreases length of time between design iterations, introduces Git-based version control, and eliminates discrepancies between different stages of design. Initially, AllTheWayDown works for Grasshopper script graphs and Rhino models. Future iterations will expand to other design tools and data inputs.
Team: Chau Nguyen, Foster + Partners / Keyan Rahimzadeh, Grimshaw/ Max Dumas, Ulama / Nathan Barnes, A Zahner / Patryk Wozniczka, PJW / Sarang Pramode, Ulama / Tyce Herrman, Ulama
BEST COLLABORATIVE HACK: Rhino Anywhere
Rhino Anywhere is a framework that enables high definition streaming of a Rhino Model Viewport to the web. This allows you to reskin and interact with Rhino in any way you desire, whilst still working in the native Rhino Environment. You can create specific command sets for users,
Team: Callum Sykes, Structurecraft / Alfredo Chavez, Heatherwick Studio / Jo Kamm, Dimensional Innovations / Dan Cascaval, Structurecraft / Eleftherios Kourkopoulos, Foster & Partners / Emil Poulsen, Thornton Tomasetti / Josh Grift, StructureCraft / Justyna Szychowska, KPF / Kyle Slugg-Urbino, Stride Geospatial / Sergey Pigach, Thornton Tomasetti
BEST OPEN SOURCE HACK: FURN-E
This Vue.js application uses the OpenAI API to generate images based on a user-provided description and presents the generated images for selection. Additionally, it displays product options based on those generated images.
Team: Sophie Moore, Thornton Tomasetti / Jaxon Fortune, Thornton Tomasetti / Pablo Herraiz, Shepley Bulfinch / Daniel Lu, NYU / Mona Mirzaie, Pickard Chilton / Ben Zuill-Smith, GDS Estimating / Christopher Smith, Promptly Technologies
Special Thanks
Thank you to the sponsors and venues who both made the event possible and a great experience.
The AIA Center for Architecture in NYC for hosting the Symposium
KPF Sponsor
Autodesk Sponsor
Konstru Sponsor
UME.studio Workshop Sponsor