Tag: remodel (3)

Drones in Architecture

ELK RIVER WATER TOWER Problem: How do you field measure a water tower in the middle of a Minnesota winter? A.     Risk your life to climb an icy freezing slippery ladder and use a tape measure and laser pointer to get an approximation of size. B.    Fly a drone and take pictures and use these images to create a point cloud and Revit family with exact dimensions. Answer:   B: Fly a drone.   Working with the City of Elk River and CAD Technology Center (CTC), an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV aka Drone) was flown the morning of February 8, 2018.  The drone set-up and flight only took a few hours and the flight created a photo scan of the water tower by taking hundreds of digital photos.  CTC processes the data and created a point cloud file in Revit.  From this file, a Revit family component was created that is a full sized three-dimensional digital representation of the water tower After Kodet received the Revit model, some detail had to be added to the model, but the basic dimensions, size, shape, and heights were a part of the model created from the photo scan. Kodet used this model to create drawings for contractors to estimate renovation costs to repaint the historical water tower. Countless hours were saved in field time and modeling time. In the end, a much more accurate set of drawings were created because of the use of the drone. The documentation process to get contractors to be able to bid the project became very simple and cost effective. The client was also pleased with the results and accuracy of the drawings that were created by the UAV Scan. Our office looks forward to using this highly advanced technology, which is constantly changing on future projects. Flying […]

Kodet Construction Observation Twin Cities Academy

Adapting To AXP

July brought more than fireworks and BBQ’s this summer for those on the path towards becoming an architect. A complete overhaul of the experience requirements to become an architect was put into motion, which has the potential to be a game changer for how those in the program gain and record experience. Formerly known as the Intern Development Program the new Architectural Experience Program (AXP) will require architecture firms to adapt in order to keep young talent advancing towards becoming licensed architects. In 2012 , NCARB conducted a national survey to review the old program and realized changes were needed in order to strive for better independent performance of required tasks at the completion of the program. The new AXP allows licensure candidates the opportunity to be more flexible with the number of hours needed for a particular task. This allows for greater time spent on a challenging task and less on ones candidates find easier, which is a major change from the static hours required in the old highly prescriptive system. Below are some of the biggest changes within AXP: 17 specific IDP experience areas are now 6 broad AXP experience areas These 6 areas align with the ARE exams and project phases, essentially WHAT YOU DO FOR AXP = WHAT YOU STUDY FOR ARE’S = WHAT YOU DO IN THE REAL WORLD! There are 96 listed tasks that licensure candidates are expected to have competency in at the completion of AXP. Reduction of supplemental experience in favor of firm-related project experience.   5 TIPS FOR FIRMS ADAPTING TO AXP To efficiently and effectively support those on the path to licensure Broaden Impact of Tasks Firms should encourage those in AXP to broaden the impact of their particular task into a greater network of interconnected tasks. By understanding how […]