Jeanne Tan
Executive summary
* Boutique firm Scott Shields Architects boosts its operations through using new tools like Autodesk Forma that help them deliver efficient, sustainable projects while upping their capacity to tackle larger projects.
* This strategic addition connects Forma–available from AEC Collection subscriptions–with Revit and Autodesk Construction Cloud, allowing the team to move through the project phases without losing time on rework. * By reducing time-consuming tasks, the team frees up more time to test multiple concepts, using data from Forma’s analyses to back up their design decisions.
“We get an exponentially higher output because we can analyze so much more, and I know it’s going to give our clients better outcomes in the same amount of time.”
Andrew Shields, Managing Principal, Scott Shields Architects
Efficient workflows free up more time to deliver better client outcomes
New opportunities open for boutique architecture firms such as Scott Shields Architects (SSA) as they embrace new technology that boosts their workflows and business. For SSA’s Toronto-based team of 15, flexibility and efficiency are both core to successful projects and key criteria for new tools. “Efficiency is not necessarily just about time. If you can be more efficient, it gives you more time and opportunities to focus on other aspects of a project,” explains Andrew Shields, managing principal at Scott Shields Architects. “We look for tools that will help us overcome the challenge of time pressures and deliver better outcomes for our clients.”
The firm is often commissioned to do quick feasibility studies and schematic designs of mixed-use and high-density housing projects. To enable efficient workflows and effective decision making within tight deadlines, the team integrated Autodesk Forma, a cloud-based tool for planning and design. This strategic addition connects Forma–available from their AEC Collection subscriptions–with Revit and Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Shields: “Linking software in a continuous workflow from concept to construction allows us to seamlessly move through the project without wasting time ‘redrawing’ at each stage.” It’s also about having the right information at the right time to make the best design decisions. “We get an exponentially higher output because we can analyze so much more, and I know it’s going to give our clients better outcomes in the same amount of time,” he continues.
One example illustrates how the team tested and iterated a high-rise to have slightly higher more compact volumes that accommodated more units, provided more apartments with better sun and daylight conditions, and created more ground floor public space.
With Forma’s quick site set up, the team gets testing in no time
Having accurate site information from the start helps the team hit the ground running. “With so many developments in the city, you need to closely monitor what’s happening and how regulations apply. So, having access to context models instantaneously is very valuable,” Shields explains.
“To get that base set up within Forma in a couple of clicks is fantastic–it saves a huge amount of time and hassle, which allows us to just start testing concepts straightaway.”
Iterating in Forma helps them quickly rule out the ‘what ifs’. “The ability to quickly test multiple ideas in Forma has been a big benefit,” says Shields. “We can test out concepts and if they don’t work, we just move onto the next one. Previously we might not spend much time exploring an idea because we don’t know if it will work–so it’s extremely creative.”
Analyses give the team confidence in their design decisions
Forma’s analyses come into play for designing comfortable urban environments often governed by regulations. Shields: “Considering overshadowing on the surroundings and ensuring good daylight access is crucial for the approvals process. Being able to visualize this from day one in Forma just avoids problems down the line.” The easy-to-use analyses enable everyone in the team access to this data, regardless of their technical knowledge.
Real-time feedback keeps a good design flow. “We’re getting feedback on the total floor area and environmental parameters while we’re designing,” Shield says. “Previously we had to wait weeks for reports and then redo the design once we got the information. Now we can do those checks almost instantly ourselves and make changes immediately. So that’s an incredibly powerful tool.”
Data gives the team confidence they’re on the right track. “Having analyzed multiple options with data to back them up, we can justify our design rationale more convincingly. We can show options with the ideal unit mix, least overshadowing, or best wind conditions. So, we feel comfortable that we can move the project forward and the thorough testing allows clients to make decisions much faster.”
For example, for a residential high-rise, the team used the Solar energy tool to quickly determine the most optimal facade for placing solar balconies and then refine the façade design, in Revit, to maximize energy generation. Projects in northern regions can take advantage of lower sun angles during winter which allows facades to generate solar energy efficiently.
Forma’s connection to Revit helps save 1-2 days of rework
After the schematic phase, the Forma model is sent to Revit to start the BIM process. Shields: “As the Revit model already has the base parameters such as the context, massing, and levels, we can start the main modelling straightaway without time-consuming, manual processes.”
“There was downtime previously when different software we used were not connected and we had to remodel everything–so by avoiding that rework with the Forma and Revit connection, this helps us to save 1-2 days on average.”
Despite SSA’s compact team, project scale is no obstacle. “Having Forma allowed us to find more opportunities because we are confident that we can handle them,” Shields says. “Master plans of two million square feet are projects we may have shied away from before because of size, complexity, and resource restrictions whereas having this software certainly allows us to compete for them now.”
Innovation is rooted in SSA’s culture. Shields: “We’re always looking for new possibilities whether that’s in software or building materials. We keep up to date with the latest technologies because at the end of the day, it allows us to present better projects to our clients.”