Which types of structural framing systems and materials are most commonly used in the US for residences? For office buildings?
What factors determine why these are the most used materials?
For residential buildings, wood framing is still the most common structural framing material, because it is relatively cost effective and doesn’t need to stand up to massive loads. For commercial buildings, steel framing is generally used because it is stronger.
Why do different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their models during the design process?
What are the advantages of linking models?
Are there any disadvantages to linking models?
It is important for the designers and the contractors and sub-contractors to be in touch throughout the building process. If the architect needs to change something in the architectural model that impacts the structural model, it’s better to have it linked than to have to manually update the new file. A disadvantage of linking models is that it makes it more difficult to play around with models—any change you make to one happens in all the others.
How do you think design coordination was done before we started using digital models?
What advantages does doing this coordination digitally have over previous methods?
What strategies can design teams use to find and avoid clashes prior to the start of construction?
What can be done besides sharing the models digitally?
At what point in the project development process should design coordination start?
Is it ever too early?
Design coordination should start once the project is nearing the end of the design phase and moving toward the construction documentation phase. It is too cumbersome to develop structural models for design ideas that are getting changed so frequently.