Architectural Design
University of Southern California
AECOM: Roseisle Distillery
RLF: Irwin Army Community Hospital
The Beck Group: Builds Church 120 Feet Underground
Robins & Morton: Carolinas Medical Center
Haynes Whaley Associates: Structural Engineers
Athié | Wohnrath: Dow Chemical Building (Brazil)
Robins & Morton: Auburn University Basketball Arena
Hunt/Moss: Florida Marlins Stadium
Stephenson&Turner: New Zealand Government Building
Western Michigan University: Modeling the Campus
New Complex at USC School of Cinematic Arts
NASA Sustainability Base
UC Davis: Maurice J. Gallagher Hall
Merrick & Company: Lackland Air Force Base
NOAA Research Facility
China Construction Design International (CCDI)
SHP Leading Design
Pella Corporation / Z+ Architects
Mortenson Construction
Mangan Group
ArchitecturePlus International
Burt Hill
Sundt Construction: Water Reclamation
PBS&J / TLC Engineering for Architecture
KlingStubbins & Tocci Building Companies
HNTB/Turner Universal: Human Resources Center
Stevens & Wilkinson/Beck Group: Courthouse Annex
Sacramento Central Plant
Grange Insurance Audubon Center
ARBA Studios
ONL
ArcHaus
SENER Engineering Group
HOK
Good Samaritan Hospital Expansion
Veridian Homes
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Architectus
McCownGordon Construction LLC
The Haskell Company
Carr Design Group Pty Ltd
TTT Architects
Stantec
KlingStubbins Associates
Preble High School
University of Minnesota
Brunet Saunier Architecture
Independence Energy Homes
TSArchitects
Penn State University: BIM Curriculum
Reno C. Negrin Architects
Lott + Barber Architects
Little Diversified Architectural Consulting
Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo
Brigham Young University: BIM Curriculum
Savannah College of Art and Design
Arcturis
Hillier Architecture
RTKL Associates Inc.
BNIM Architects
Oculus
Donald Powers Architects
NCG Architects Inc.
Huntsman Architectural Group
Johnson Bailey Henderson McNee (JBHM)
Studio Kremer Architects
CASCO
VIA Suzuki Architecture
HIP Architects
USC School of Architecture
The University of Southern California School of Architecture teaches real-world BIM collaboration using Autodesk BIM 360 Glue.
|
"Autodesk BIM 360 Glue is helping us facilitate a very real world scenario that no other architecture program in the world has at this point. It’s a technology that really enhances the learning objective. It’s that basic. It’s a real world technology that enables us to teach real world problem solving and coordination and the realities of taking design into construction and operation."
—David Gerber, Assistant Professor, USC School of Architecture
Project Summary
Established in 1916, the University of Southern California (USC) School of Architecture has trained some of the finest architects in the world. Consistently ranked among the best architecture schools in the United States, it has a rich tradition of pushing the architectural boundaries while contributing to the development and construction of the city of Los Angeles. Currently, the school has 600 full-time students and offers a 5-year professional undergraduate degree; master’s degrees in architecture, building science, historic preservation, and landscape architecture; and a PhD in architecture.
With programs that combine exemplary instruction with the latest advances in design, research, and technology, the USC School of Architecture has a well-deserved reputation for preparing students for the future demands of their profession. For example, the school recently became the first in the United States to introduce students to a project management scenario using intelligent virtual models created with Building Information Modeling (BIM) software and accessed in real‑time through the cloud. BIM enables designers to explore a project before it’s built with high-impact 3D models. Leveraging BIM through the cloud makes the virtual models available to stakeholders whenever and wherever they’re needed.
The Challenge
As Assistant Professor David Gerber, explains, “Students are being lectured pedantically by me and the other professors about how to move a design from virtual to actual. But until now they didn’t get that real world experience of managing the people who are doing the decision making.” |
The Solution
In their assigned roles, the students performed design collaboration tasks. For example, construction managers would query the BIM model, make visualizations, check for clashes, and then submit RFIs to the project managers. Project managers responded by performing a series of tasks related to clarification. The architects, in turn, had to react to the design changes, while keeping the project on track.
As a web-based BIM technology with an easy-to-use interface, BIM 360 Glue was well suited for the class. “It’s a no-brainer,” says Gerber. “Autodesk BIM 360 Glue is the perfect fit for us. The beauty of it is that it doesn’t require a big learning curve. It’s the only technology that makes it easy for professionals and students alike to get their heads around the more complex aspects of project management in the BIM world.”
Real-World BIM Project Management Skills
By focusing on post design collaboration with BIM technology, the USC School of Architecture is offering its students a unique opportunity to gain the management skills and confidence that will be extremely valuable in their future careers. “Eighty percent of an architect’s job is to protect the design and ensure that it gets built the way it’s supposed to get built,” Gerber says. “As the model moves on to a contractor, you lose power. This class provides an experience in which students can see how they affect a process that they’re no longer in control over.”
“Autodesk BIM 360 Glue is helping us facilitate a very real-world scenario that no other architecture program in the world has at this point,” says Gerber. “It’s a technology that really enhances the learning objective. It’s that basic. It’s a real world technology that enables us to teach real world problem solving and coordination and the realities of taking design into construction and operation.”
Tomorrow’s Leaders
Throughout the course of the project review simulation, students were challenged to project manage, gain stakeholder buy-in, and resolve any conflicts. “The key thing is leadership,” states Gerber. “Our students are learning how to coordinate, organize, and manage people. As a learning tool, Autodesk BIM 360 Glue illustrates this well. The value is fundamentally giving our students experiences that will help them to get jobs, run projects, and become leaders in their field.” |
The Result
The project design review simulation lesson with BIM 360 Glue has been a successful and rewarding experience for the school, Gerber, and the students. “Autodesk BIM 360 Glue bridges the divide between the disciplines,” he says. “That’s the core of what it does—making virtual design transparent.”
“I’m going to ensure the next crop of students experiences Autodesk BIM 360 Glue,” sums up Gerber. “We have a responsibility to our students to equip them with the necessary skill sets as they move into the profession, whether they’re technical or organizational.”
Additional Information
Learn more about:
Download the Story
 | USC School of Architecture Customer Story (pdf - 636Kb) |
