3D.05- 3D DETAILING - THE POWER OF DATA VISUALIZATION

Dear Cyber-fellows, when preparing a recent visit to Abbeywood's site for a group of Students from Stride Treglown , I thought that they would benefit from a brief presentation about what we were going to see. Among the different packages, I thought that the fa?ade rainscreen systems would be the most entertaining to explain.

Interestingly enough, Abbeywood Revit model has been assembled in such a way that it can be peeled like an onion. As I was removing layers to illustrate the different systems, I came across to the thrilling power of 3D detailing.

There are many advantages in working in a 3D environment, but maybe the one for which it is worthwhile all this toil is data visualisation. The level of communication achievable through this kind of visuals is unreachable with less dimensions.

Below you can find some visuals from the presentation prepared with Enscape3D and 欧特克 Revit software. I hope you will feel the same thrilling emotion, I felt while preparing it.

FINITE COMPONENTS PACKAGES - PLAYING WITH THE JIGSAW PUZZLE

In architecture, many construction packages, such as in-situ concrete structure or layering packages such as floors or partitions, are formed by components which can be cut to suit site's needs.

Other packages work as a set of pieces to be assembled as a jigsaw puzzle. In these cases, the construction components have finite/precise dimensions so that accuracy becomes critical to ensure a successful delivery. The rainscreen systems of our Hotel in Abbey Wood Retail Park perfectly fit within this later type.

Modelling in Revit a rainscreen system, I daresay, is quite easy; furthermore quite fun. One of these days I will write an article about how creativity rockets when working becomes gaming. Do not refrain from having fun at work, please!

It might look like really complicate, but it is easier than you think; with a few filters and a suitable Revit worksets structure, our model can be peeled like an onion.

FA?ADE BUILDUPS (PERFORMANCE VALUES)

While describing the fa?ades buildups, I seized the opportunity to refer to 3 essential performance parameters of a building envelope, namely, Fire Protection, Acoustic Insulation and Thermal performance.

In doing so, I reminded our junior colleagues, that the pursuit of these performance goals should guide our designs since inception and that decisions made at early stages can be a key factor in achieving them.

As shown above, producing buildups details of the facades in our model is the result of a straightforward task i.e. cutting the model. Information is automatically displayed in plan, section or even in a 3D view and, what is more important, all these visuals are inextricably linked to each other, as they are coming from the same 3D entity. This might seem a trivial fact but it means a quantum leap to ensure accuracy across our drawing packages, not only in terms of visual form, but also in terms of data management.

Allow me to give you an example, imagine that the insulation between the SFS specification or that the thickness of the fire-boards have changed. Updating all 2D drawings involved in this detail (Revit drafting views) could take ages and the risk of leave behind a detail or setting wrong information is sizeable. Instead, when working in 3D, once the 3D components have been modified, all visuals are updated automatically. Isn't that awesome?

[4] STRUCTURE?(SOMETHING MORE THAN FIGHTING AGAINST GRAVITY)

Abbeywood scheme's delivery procurement requested no BIM level whatsoever. Working with 3D models and setting basic parameters for coordination (BIM Execution plan) was a strategy championed from our side, Stride Treglown.

Realising that most of the consultants and key subcontractors followed suit has been highly rewarding. That is the case of our Structural Engineers from Hydrock, Miles Sundal, Calum James, Sinead George with whom we closely worked to ensure that our models matched perfectly.

In another article, I will talk about our stairs coordination, one of the most deceitful construction elements in Architecture. Fortunately, our tight collaboration with Hydrock kept that beast at bay.

As said before, I believe, that our designs should take in consideration statutory performance values since inception, but not only those, there are other less quantifiable parameters that should not pass unnoticed at early stages either. Wellbeing, Mental Health, Social value, Place making, Sustainability... have become hot topics in the current professional debate. And once again, I believe that they should be addressed since inception, otherwise they become futile white-washing marketing rambling. For that matter, I also believe that little gestures are the solid ground upon which building great changes, and decision that might appear minor initially, jointly with others can make a huge difference.

For example, when Abbeywood's structure was designed, two key decisions were taken regarding the columns' shape and location.

In first place, columns were 'bladed' as much as possible so that they could fit within a room-to-room partition to avoid those hideous protrusions in the internal walls, we wanted flush walls and we have them, indeed.

And in second place, and this is relevant for sustainability, along the long fa?ades, columns are set back to enable the first layer of insulation to pass uninterruptedly in front of them. By doing so, many cold bridges were avoided which will surely have a positive impact in the actual thermal performance and therefore the building will use less energy.

[3] STEEL FRAME SYSTEM (NO NEWS, GOOD NEWS)

No news is good news. The famous journalism aphorism suits construction sites perfectly. That was the case for our Hotel's Steel Frame System whose installation went smoothly on site, thanks to, I strongly believe, the prior coordination carried out in our 3D model.

An unexpected 3D model for the SFS project was received from the fa?ade subcontractor A2O Facades and produced by Kingspan Group . Once again, my gratitude to Stefan Cox and his team for his decisive contribution to create a 3D environment for the project.

This 3D environment allowed us to detect clashes and check the suitability of offsets from windows and curtain walls. After a few iterations our projects fit perfectly and as result during construction no news arrived from site.

Eventually, it is extremely rewarding checking the model, as shown above, and realising that the SFS channels are placed 15mm from the slab edge or the SFS studs stay at 40mm from the windows jambs and heads, as intended. Accuracy is beautiful.

Since virtually no one reads these articles, allow me to share with you a secret anecdote. For reasons that will take long to explain, the curtain wall subcontractor arrived months after the fa?ade subcontractor. Obviously, this misaligned schedule reduced our coordination margin to zero. As a consequence, SFS offsets to window frames and curtain walls mullions were assumed. In the case of the curtain walls, a 50mm offset was adopted but after assessing the detail with the belated subcontractor, the required distance increased up to 100mm. Since the SFS project was already frozen, this meant that our curtain walls had to be shrunk by 50mm on each side. A minor issue, but once again, another example of why Design & Build is my favourite delivery procurement. Hopefully the sarcasm is eloquent enough.

[2] EXTERNAL WALL – ACOUSTIC FLANKING (A CROWDED PLACE)

An architect is by nature a Jack of all trades, master of none. The design and later construction of a building encompasses many and different areas of expertise. Striving to master them all is just a commendable but unattainable quest.

This fact becomes much more apparent when dealing with details in which several subcontractors must work together. Space constraints, construction sequence, coordination needs can be identified at design stage before facing them unaware and unprepared on site.

From this point of view, 3D environments and 3D visuals can grow into a more suitable collaborative space for assessing the feasibility of a construction detail, while simultaneously conferring a much-needed sense of purpose to our main architecture output, drawings.

Hotel projects logically request particular attention to the acoustic performance. The fa?ade, as part of the building envelope, protects the building against the ambience noise, in some case the other way around too. But the fa?ade could also be a channel for noise to travel internally. That's why the so-called acoustic flanking detail between guest-rooms is crucial to secure acoustic comfort.

In the case of Abbeywood, the detail had to address additional requirements. The facade buildups are fire-rated due to a boundary condition and since the guestroom layouts envisage wall-hung fixtures like cupboards, an independent wall lining (IWL) has been proposed internally to allow patressing where needed while protecting the fire-boards from any inconvenient perforation. Providing a detail able to satisfy all constraint was the result of a collective endeavour that I would like to acknowledge in this article.

A2O Facades fa?ade subcontractor, kjhill Hill partitions subcontractor, Hydrock, now Stantec James Fraser and Cameron Whitehead fire engineers, Energist UK acoustic engineers and MARSHALL (BUILDING CONTRACTORS) LTD main contractor's site managers, thanks for your input to find a solution to this construction conundrum.

[2] EXTERNAL WALL – CAVITY BARRIERS?(HEALTHY SLEEP PATTERNS)

Many professions are meant to deal with life-and-death situations. Architects, believed or not, do too. Our professional advantage is that our life-and-death decisions are made way ahead of the moment in which the situation takes place, and hopefully, to never been tested. Grenfell Tower's disaster was a shocking reminder of the important nature of our work. I did not waste the opportunity to convey this message to our young colleagues, architects in the making.

3D environment could be a excellent tool to assist in Fire Protection Design. For instance, in placing cavity barriers. By modelling them in 3D, we can be certain that our design meets building regulations and detect any particular case that might be doubtful and need further attention.

As shown above, the 3D components representing the cavity barriers can be used to created elevation diagrams to show the location of each type with utterly certainty that they are where intended. This 3D cavities will also appear in any detail visual, revealing any clash or conflicting location immediately, and of course, by using shared parameter we can add any relevant information, so that it can be displayed in our drawings. Ultimately, this way of working gives us architects a sense of control over the design and its representation which ultimately helps lay solid foundations for building healthy sleep patterns. What's not to like?

In the case of Abbeywood, I would like to thanks once again A2O Facades Stefan Cox fa?ade subcontractor, Hydrock's fire engineers and 必维国际检验集团 building control consultant for their assistance and contribution to address this important design.

[1] RAINSCREEN SYSTEM – SUPPORTS (SYNERGIC ALLIANCE)

One of the main sources of skepticism among architectural practice managers and, therefore main obstacle to fully embracing 3D delivery, is concerns about own staff capabilities and associated costs. At this point I always quote Herr Albert Einstein and cry that it is easier to destroy an atom than a prejudice.

3D lovers have two key allies to persuade our skeptical colleagues. On one hand, new generations of architects are being educated in fully digital/3D modelling tools so that this issue is naturally becoming less of a problem. And on the other hand, within the construction industry, material/systems suppliers every time more often have technical offices offering BIM components for free and even subcontractors are adopting 3D as a benchmarking work method.

As a result, the cost associated to in-house modelling are becoming negligible. Doors, windows, special equipments, signages, hand railing, stair noising, roof access hatches, curtain wall panels, mullions... you name it, are available for us to make the most of them.

As you can see above, in Abbeywood project, once again our fa?ade subcontractor A2O Facades Stefan Cox went far beyond expectations and created a rainscreen model comprising all supports.

[1] RAINSCREEN SYSTEM - CLADDING (DATA SCHEDULES AS TOOL DESIGN)

When advocating the adoption of 3D modelling as designing tool, it might seem that forms visualisation is the primary goal, overshadowing the extraordinary capacity of 3D modelling for data visualisation.

With software such as Revit by 欧特克 , data/information can be associated to 3D components which later can be displayed in schedules.

In the case of Abbeywood's rainscreen facades, cladding features such as size, panel type, colour, material, specification, location... can be easily retrieved from the model. The application of this data management capabilities are unfathomable, from design optimisation to cost assessment.

For instance, before sending our model to the subcontractor for them to develop the construction project, we used schedules to detect panels out of standard size. In doing to we optimised the design and minimised the number of panel types. This is just an example of how 3D modelling can assist in enhancing our design not only in quantity but also in quality, narrowing the gap between our design intent and the final construction project.

[1] RAINSCREEN SYSTEM - WINDOWS (COUNTING IS NOT EASY)

How many times has your eager anticipation turned into gloomy disappointment, after the arrival of a parcel with the wrong content? How many times have you realised that your clumsy fingers set the wrong order? Don't be so hard on yourself, in construction sites this happens more often than we would like to admit. It is clear that counting is a skill that should not be underestimated.

Once again, 3D modelling can assist in this matter. Schedules are wonderful tools to cut through the models and retrieve with reliable certainty information. Fortunately in Abbeywood that was the case. Even so, never underestimate the human error factor!

Thanks to AAAG ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM AND GLASS LTD indeed and particularly to James Millard and Paul West for their care and assistance in delivering Abbeywood project.

I could be talking about 3D detailing of Abbeywood for hours. This is just an appetiser. Should any stamina leave, after these long months of works, I will put together a few more images and related anecdotes about other packages.

Thanks for reading until the very end.