Briefly tell us about yourself and your role at ArchTam

I’m a senior BIM manager responsible for setting BIM strategy for projects. Part of that includes introducing new workflows, selecting software technology stacks and introducing change management.

My work involves pushing digital methodologies that optimize BIM processes. On our latest project, Oriel Eye Hospital, we are using next-generation BIM software and process to bring virtual reality to stakeholders to better inform design decisions. Our design team meetings now take place in virtual reality with teams across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Leveraging Autodesk’s Construction Cloud platform, we have added value and innovation, reducing the need for 2D drawings.

Some fun facts about me are that I’m currently writing a digital catalogue on Venetian well heads and I have a YouTube channel, BIM Coffee.

What is your legacy? How do you make an impact?

At ArchTam, we have the potential like no other company to innovate and use digital tools, due to our variety of expertise and disciplines. We’re in a position to change the industry and improve how the industry works.

My proudest moments at work are when I get to demonstrate how the latest digital strategy can improve the design team’s working day. I enjoy seeing the sparkle in someone’s eyes when they realize the benefits and the improved communication. It’s rewarding to support and help improve the design process for project teams.

What’s next in infrastructure for you? How do you see that trend shaping the work you do today?

I believe technology will build a better world. Digital tools and BIM are a part of this, and help with reducing waste, having a more accurate product and allowing the built environment to benefit from digital transformation. It’s an astonishing time to be in AEC amidst Industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution, and ArchTam is at the forefront of it.

What advice would you give to someone pursing a STEM education or a career in the AEC sector?

My advice would be to take online courses to stay up to date with the latest progressions made in cloud computing. Read the industry standards and attend as many industry events as you can, which are virtual during this time.

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Briefly tell us about yourself and your role at ArchTam.

I have been with ArchTam for six years as a virtual design construction engineer or Building Information Modeling (BIM) engineer.

I support projects in Dallas, Texas, over the entire construction process, from pursuit to construction to the project close-out phase. In my work, I manage and create digital representations of the physical characteristics of buildings. We build in 3D first and then we optimize the build, which means we get to know all the issues before we go to ground.

Essentially, we test new ways of building. This allows us to be a step ahead when we get to the site. Using virtual design helps flag areas that need to be addressed in advance or where we’ll have potential issues that waste time and resources.

By modeling the level of detail from design and fabrication to installation, we can create an accurate and data rich as-built model. We rely on the model and start building with certainty knowing the design has been tested. We basically build a project twice ― once in a virtual world and once on-site ― resulting in time and cost savings.

What is your legacy? How do you make an impact?

I hope to leave a legacy of “never stop learning.” This is what keeps me going, keeps my zest and zeal up and always motivates me to learn and adopt new tools and technologies.

The BIM industry is evolving every day with new trends emerging every moment. I feel proud when my work positively alters a project’s outcome and we deliver a lean project to the owner and the community. With the use of technology, sometimes the cost savings are huge and it is satisfying knowing I helped to do that.

What’s next in infrastructure for you? How do you see that trend shaping the work you do today?

There are a lot of new trends that are helping us with what we do every day when it comes to coordination through BIM technologies. To name a few, I seek to learn and grow more by using:

• 3D Printing: This helps us understand the dynamics, functioning and efficiency by analyzing a structure through its look and feel, which is not possible in 3D models.
• Prefabrication: This is something I see picking up speed in the near future where modular and prefabricated construction can reduce the time of the coordination project and increase its efficiency.
• Internet of Things (IoT): IoT has the potential to transform the entire BIM modeling and project installation process. IoT can simplify the process of data release to pre-fabrication workshops, general contractors and modelers. It can also help us a great deal in capturing real-time data that can be used to augment the design on the construction sites.

What advice would you give to someone pursing a STEM education or a career in the AEC sector?

Enhance your skill set: The AEC sector is dependent on specific technology tools. These tools are continuously being upgraded and new tools are being introduced into the market. My advice to the people wanting to build a career in this sector would be to keep up with the newest advancements and learn new tools and see how effectively these tools can be used on the projects they are going to work on.

Learn and apply: Applying lessons learned is another great advice which should be practiced as you are gaining experience from project to project. It would greatly affect the progression and completion of the project on-time and with good quality.

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I am the vice president of creative services with ArchTam’s Construction Management business, overseeing all creative design projects, translating marketing objectives into creative strategies, and advancing the firm’s brand identity. I lead and direct a team of designers and production artists in the development of high-profile proposals, presentations and marketing materials.

Finding my inspiration

I was born in Paris, France, and as a teenager, was really into American culture. I loved the automobile industry, especially the cars from the 50s to the 70s. I loved the seaside motels and their architecture.

I remember enjoying the film title sequences designed by Saul Bass. He designed all the great credits for Hitchcock and Kubrick movies. That was my inspiration.

Opening up a world of opportunities

My first experience in construction was when I was hired as a production artist by Lehrer McGovern Bovis. I just could not believe the projects that were landing on my desk. It was the renovation of The Statue of Liberty, the renovation of Grand Central Station, Canary Wharf in London. It was just this opportunity that opened, and I was right in the midst of new building and old building construction. And then I could walk in the street and see that building being built, in the process of being built.

My purpose and passion

To be able to participate in the building of next generation of skylines, of vertical towers — in this country, as an immigrant, it’s a real honor and an amazing privilege.

An everlasting legacy for the community

Whether people realize it or not, ArchTam’s work is embedded in the fabric of New York City. I think the most impactful project for me is our work at the World Trade Center. For many New Yorkers the Twin Towers didn’t just dominate the skyline, they were the skyline, which was part of why their absence was felt so viscerally. The new World Trade Center is perfectly fitted for the community. The vertical towers standing tall is a visual representation of our rebound as a nation; we get our freedom of movement back with the Transportation Hub; and a calming oasis for reflection at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and Liberty Park.

Lessons for new graphic designers

First, fall in love with a range of great designers. You need to study the classics and pay attention. Design is everywhere — Paul Rand’s collection of visual identities, Charlotte Perriand and Ray Eames’ furniture, Milton Glaser’s “I love NY” ad campaign, even album covers like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. This is your framework, recognizing what works.

Then you can move on to architects, builders, and their iconic creations — the Sheats Golden Stein residence, the Shard, the United Nations Headquarters, the Gateway Arch, the Sidney Opera House and so many more! Challenge yourself to ask questions and find the answers. Why was it designed this way? What were the solutions to obstacles and challenges? Observe the details, like the Chrysler Building’s sunburst pattern of the stainless-steel cladding.

With love comes curiosity, research, knowledge and understanding. Graphic design is an integral tool in successful marketing departments. The craft of creating visual content to communicate is like learning a new language. Stay open-minded, listen to unexpected sources, accept criticism and directions to improve your work, be patient to let ideas develop, try new technology, never stop learning and enjoy the problem solving!

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I began working with ArchTam in 1999 as a structural engineer with the bridge design group in Tampa, Florida. My area of expertise is in design of complex bridges, such as segmental, cable-stayed, arch or non-conventional bridges. I also work on conventional bridges, such as girder and concrete.

An inspiration for me is working on large projects ― projects that will be recognized by our industry. I enjoy working on interesting, international projects with other teams across our company and appreciate the opportunity to learn more about different cultures.

Uniting communities for a better world

I am proud to have worked on two U.S.-based projects. One is the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge – also known as the Q-Bridge — because it is a “signature” bridge in New Haven, Connecticut. The second is the Big-I Interchange in Albuquerque, New Mexico, because it was my first project when I began working at ArchTam.

My line of work is important because bridges are connectors. You can’t have transportation without bridges and this work helps with the development of a country. Without bridges we can’t move goods or travel effectively.

When my kids were young, I would go to their schools to participate in “What does your parent do?” or “Career Day” events and my presentations were always about engineering. I would explain that engineering is about everything we see and use. Helping to design roadways and bridges that unite us, help deliver goods and aid travel around a country is part of how I help to deliver a better world.

It’s amazing to see the bridges I designed being built and then used. I was able to show my kids the 17^th Street Bridge in Atlanta, Georgia — a bridge I designed. It’s a proud feeling.

Currently, I am working on the global modeling of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between the cities of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Canada. This bridge, which is part of a US$5.7 billion project for a much-needed new international crossing, will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the U.S. and one of the longest in the world, with a total bridge length of 5,125 feet (1,562 meters) and a main span of 2,800 feet (853 meters). The new bridge with a roadway width of 100 feet (30.5 meters) will carry in eight lanes of international commercial traffic between the U.S. and Canada. Working on this project is what an engineer dreams about. I am so proud to be part of the fantastic design team working on this signature bridge and looking forward to the day, once it is built and in use, when I can go visit it and be able to say that I was part of a great team that designed this bridge.

Next frontier in bridge design

I appreciate how bridge design is evolving through project technologies like newer and faster computers and sophisticated structural analysis and design software. The newest trend in engineering design is BIM (Building Information Modeling), where an intelligent 3D model is used for all stages of the planning, design, drafting, construction and maintenance. We are not yet using this new technology in bridge design, but I have seen a couple of preludes and I am excited to take a further look at this.

Basics first, tools second

Personally, I have always said I am proud of the education that I received during my undergraduate years at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, in Lima, Peru. My education was cemented (no pun intended) when I obtained my master’s degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. I believe that the courses that we take in our initial years of engineering, be it math, physics, statistics, dynamics, materials, mechanics, etc., are important as every advanced engineering principle is based on the subject matter learned therein. Learning them, and most importantly, understanding the basic concepts is what has helped me deal with complicated design issues in my career. Another important piece of advice is to learn how to efficiently use engineering computer programs, and from there, to learn how to effectively “model” in structural engineering software for the bridge structures that we imagine.

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