South Coast Revit Users Group

Colleagues, Please join me in welcoming Sam Keville as co-organizer of the South Coast Revit Users Group. Originally from Massachusetts, he has been a Californian for ten years, and holds a Bachelor's Degree from Sci-Arc in Los Angeles. His early career focus in work has been as a designer, 3D modeler, team leader, and visualizer, experienced in competition-style deadlines and producing large amounts of iterative design assets in a limited time. His goal is to connect architecture and technology while using the most cutting-edge modes of representation in meaningful and progressive design processes. His practical skills include computational design, 3D modeling, content creation, rendering, and digital fabrication. Sam is currently working on campus style projects at AO, using Revit to improve communication and coordination between design and production teams. Sam promises to utilize his BIM expertise as well as his irreverent attitude to assist the revitaliz...

Colleagues, Everyone knows that BIM is all about information. We have also learned that populating a Building Information Model with that information does not happen automatically. The ideal that has been envisioned by BIM developers and academics is that the model can eventually evolve into a tool that can be used to manage its real-world counterpart, and even that they remain connected in some way. It's difficult to learn (and then to advocate) that the process of populating the model is not additional work. This change from "the way we are doing it now" is very disruptive. People must learn new skills. Is it that or be replaced? Room Data Sheets are summary views containing both graphics and data for specific rooms  or room types  and may be required by some clients. Among their uses is to facilitate program validation. Does the design satisfy the program? Architectural Programming is an aspect of design in which few people now can participate. It i...

Colleagues, When commuting via Metrolink to Orange County, the Streamliner Lounge in Orange became a favorite stop-over (when trains were delayed). Located 3 blocks west of Orange Plaza at the Orange Metrolink Train Station, it shares the renovated historic Santa Fe Depot with Ruby's Diner. In the early days of rail transport in the United States, railroads tended to be built out of coastal cities into the hinterland, and systems did not connect. Each builder was free to choose its own gauge. When American railroads' track extended to the point that they began to interconnect, it became clear that a single nationwide gauge would be a good idea. The US has a National BIM Standard , developed under the auspices of the National Institute for Building Sciences, and sponsored by the Building SMART Alliance. Large owner/operators may have their own BIM standards (i.e. Kaiser Health, University of California). Other markets such as housing are less demanding when it comes to...