On February the 4th, I have presented at the HATII, for its research seminars, a lesson entitled "The emerging needs and the long standing issues curating digital assets from the Construction Industry". In this presentation I have retraced the introduction of digital tools in the Architecture practices and delved into the recent emerging procedures in Digital Design to discuss against both the DIDECU and the DEDICATE results the issues, requirements and expected development in the Digital Curation of assets from the Construction sector.

1. Digital Curation for
Architecture
The emerging needs and the long standing issues curating
digital assets from the Construction Industry.
Dr Ruggero Lancia
Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute
University of Glasgow

2. 70
ICT in Architecture
First CAD system for micro-computers!
1977 Interact CAD (origin of AutoCAD)
First commercial mechanic CAD!
1972 ADAM by MCS first commercially available
mechanical design packages for 16-bit computers!
Microcomputers!
1977 Commodore PET 2001 is the first popular
non-kit microcomputer
Idiosyncratic CAD systems!
1972-1975 M&S Computing (Intergraph) terminal
Tektronix serie
Electronic messaging!
1978 electronic messaging dial-up services and
tools became widely available
First Productivity Suits!
1978 word processor WordStar released for
CP/M operating systems
Begins CAD Formats Standardisation!
1979 Boeing, General Electric and NIST develops a neutral
file format called IGES (Initial Graphic Exchange Standard). !
CAD systems diffusion!
At the end of 70s a typical CAD system was a 16-bit
minicomputer with maximum of 512 Kb memory and 20
to 300 Mb disk storage at a price of 125,000 USD.

3. 80
ICT in Architecture
Microcomputers diffusion!
In 1982 microcomputers with much more power at less
cost started to appear.!
Productivity Suits in DOS systems!
1982 WordPerfect by SSI ported to DOS!
First Commercial GIS!
1982 ARC/INFO by ESRI is the first commercial GIS
software for microcomputers!
Future CAD leaders packages first released!
1982 CATIA v.1 by Dessault and AutoCAD-80 dy Autodesk!
Open Formats for CAD exchange!
1983 starts the work on STEP (Standard for the Exchange of
Product model data)!
First BIM implementation!
1984 ArchiCAD by Graphisoft is released for Mac!
OS!
1985 Microsoft introduces Windows!
Scripted Design facilities in CAD packages!
1986 AutoCAD includes AutoLISP programming language
GIS for DOS!
1986 MIDAS is the first desktop GIS software for DOS!
Parametric Modelling for PC!
1989 T-FLEX is the first parametric mechanical CAD program for PC!
Office Suite!
1989 Microsoft Office is announced!
First use of Mechanical CAD in Architecture !
1989-1992 Frank Gehry adopts CATIA for the Fish
Sculpture at the Barcelona Villa Olimpica!

4. ICT in Architecture
90
AutoCAD!
1990 Autodesk’ AutoCAD becomes the most diffused
CAD software!
CAD packages customisation!
1991 F. Gehry designs the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with Digital
Project (an original CATIA customisation)!
Scripted Form Optimisation and Static Analysis!
1992 Shoei Yoh project for the Galaxy Toyama Gymnasium!
Databases integration in CAD!
1992 AutoCAD r.12 supports SQL database integration!
Autodesk!
1995 Autodesk is the fifth soft-company in the world!
Microsoft Windows as platform!
1993 AutoCAD r.12 for Windows is released!
1995 Microstation 95 by Bentley is released exclusively for Windows!
1999 ArcGIS 8.0 by ESRI released for Windows !
NURBS based 3D modelling!
1998 RhinoCeros v.1 by McNeel is released!
Opensource GIS !
1999 Grass GIS v.5 is licensed with GNU GPL license!

5. ICT in Architecture
10
Remote Sensing!
in the early 2000s first LIDAR scanners capable of 50,000
pulses per second are shipped!
Leaders CAD vendors adopt BIM!
2000 Revit v.1 by Revit Technology Corporation was released (Autodesk will buy the company in 2002)!
2001 MicroStation v.8 is released (native DWG compatibility and new extensions such as Bentley
Architecture for BIM)!
Generative Design!
2001 MicroStation v.8 is released (native DWG compatibility and new extensions such as Bentley
Architecture for BIM)!
2003 Generative Components by Bentley Systems is released (scripted parametric modelling)!
2007 Grasshopper 3D by McNeel is released (visual programming language for RhinoCeros)!
2013 Dynamo by Autodesk is released in beta version as Visual Programming environment for Revit
Architecture practice becomes CAD vendor!
2013 Digital Project by Gehry Technologies is publicly released (based on CATIA v.5.0)
First 3D printed room!
2012 Grotto by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger

6. The Architectural Product
Recent influence of ICT on the Architect profession
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) in Architecture - the product
is the sum of its Processes
Generative Design - the Design Process is the actual product
Co-Design - the Mediation is the actual Design product
CNC Fabrication - the building materials are the Design product
IMAGEbyNicolasBorel:FRACCentreOrleansbyJacob+MacfarlaneArchitects

7. PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) in Architecture
BIM!
'Building Information Modelling is digital representation of physical and
functional characteristics of a facility creating a shared knowledge resource
for information about it forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life
cycle, from earliest conception to demolition.’(RIBA-CPIC-buildingSMART)!
!
buildingSMART openBIM:!
‘Open BIM is a universal approach to the collaborative design, realization
and operation of buildings based on open standards and workflows. Open
BIM is an initiative of buildingSMART and several leading software vendors
using the open buildingSMART Data Model.’ (buildingSMART)!
IMAGE: Beijing National Aquatics Center by PTW Architects

8. PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) in Architecture
BIM - Industry Foundation Classes (IFC - IFC4 ISO 16739:2013)!
‘The data schema comprises information covering the many disciplines that
contribute to a building throughout its lifecycle: from conception, through
design, construction and operation to refurbishment or
demolition.’ (buildingSMART)
IMAGE: buildingSMART family of
corresponding standards – IFC/IFD/IDM
IMAGE: staged BIM implementation by
BIM Task Group of the UK Cabinet Office

9. Generative Design - the Process is the Design product
Performative simulation, form finding and design automation – tools
and languages!
Grasshopper (Rhinoceros plug-in by Robert McNell & Associates),
GenerativeComponents (by Bentley Systems), Dynamo (Revit and Vasari plug-
in by Autodesk).!
MATLAB, VBA, Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), Python, Processing, RhinoScript,
AutoLISP, VectorScript, Ruby.!
IMAGE: Pylons for TERNA S.p.a. by HDA

10. Co-Design - the Mediation is the actual Design product
Participatory Design as Network Design Process!
dreamhamar is a participation and network design process led by Architecture
firm Ecosistema Urbano to redesign the Stortorget Square in Hamar, Norway.
Social media, Blogs and Participatory Web-platforms are integral part of this
project.

11. Co-Design - the Mediation is the actual Design product
flickr.com/dreamhamar!
facebook.com/dreamhamar!
twitter.com/dreamhamar!
dreamhamar.org/digital-lab!
dreamhamar.app
Ecosistema Urbano - Presentation of dreamhamar
Ecosistema Urbano - Stortorget Sq. , Hamar, Norway
Ecosistema Urbano - SpainLab, Venice Biennale 2012
OTHER INITIATIVES PROMOTING SOCIAL INCLUSION AND COLLABORATION IN DESIGN: !
Think Commons - Ambient Intelligence Network (web platform)
unMonastery by Edgeryders - Minds wide open (co-design)

12. CNC Fabrication - the building materials are the Design
product
Digital Fabrication - Expanding Small Scale CNC Manufacturing
applications!
Architects and fabricators are even more separated by the increasing
specialisation going along with the use of modern fabrication technology.!
File-to-Factory: an envisaged revolution.!
!
Tools and Languages!
G-code ( ISO 6983/RS274D) numerical control programming language is
particularly diffused across the machines adopted in these practices. Other
CNC programs files used in these applications are: PRG files (LRA bending),
MB4 (MELFA-BASIC files) and POS (Teach point files).!
STEP-NC ( ISO 10303-238) as device independent communication format
between CAM and CNC machines.
IMAGE: Puppet Theatre by MOS

13. Digital Assets
Which digital assets are produced?
Lack of surveys data about common architectural practices
High professional diversification complicates the acquisition of
consistent information on the produced Digital Assets
Advanced Digital Design practices have complex but renown/
explicit/well documented procedural contexts
Small size of practices linked to idiosyncratic procedures (i.e.
90% of Scottish Practices in 2011 had less than 5 employes -
source IDBR 2011)
IMAGE: Metropol Parasol by J. Mayer H.

14. Digital Assets
Which digital assets are produced through the Digital
Architecture Design?
2D CAD/CADD/CAM drawings 3D CAD/CADD/CAM models!
Documents Representations Raster Images !
Office Suite documents Databases Emails !
Point Clouds Datasets !
Building Information Modelling Datasets Scripts CNC Programs !
GIS Datasets Websites Datasets Databases Audiovisuals
Exchange Formats Vector Based Illustration !
Print Outputs Desktop Publishing Files
Expected Typologies:
IMAGE: Multifunctional dwelling complex by S. Skuratov

15. Digital Assets
DIDECU / DEDICATE / CABLES
studying local Architecture Practices during difficult times
Source: BD survey 2013

16. Digital Assets
DIDECU (DIgital DEsign CUration) [2010-2011, First Step Award]
This knowledge exchange project was aimed at transferring curatorial
competences and procedures to an Architecture practice while evaluating both the
feasibility and the adequacy in a medium sized commercial context of the audit
tools and methodologies, policies and requirements established by the Digital
Curation community. !
!
This investigation resulted in an audit of the data held, the infrastructure
implemented and the procedures adopted by the project partner, complemented
by their correlated risk assessment, and in a complete preservation plan detailing
policies, requirements and suggested procedures tailored to the project partners'
procedural and technical context.!
IMAGE: Centre for Scottish War Blinded by Page Park Architects

17. Digital Assets
DEDICATE (DEsign’s DIgital Curation for ArchiTecturE) [2013, AHRC]
This project investigated the requirements and procedures to build a common
sustainable framework for the curation of Built Environment related data across
disciplines and professional contexts. !
!
This project gathered a select group of Scottish Architecture practices and Engineering
consultancies as project partners. Their assets, creation and management procedures,
technical framework and standards compliances were audited. In particular, their digital
assets underwent extensive characterisation analysis.!
!
For more information on all the activities of DEDICATE visit its website:!
http://architecturedigitalcuration.blogspot.co.uk/
IMAGE: Loch Leven Heritage Trail by GRAS

18. Digital Assets
CABLES (Cultural Artefacts, Building, Landscapes, and Environments:
Scotland) [2013, AHRC]
In 2010, after almost fifty years of influent activity, the practice Campbell and Arnott
Architects collapsed under the weight of a financial crisis. Following its closure, the
practice's digital repository was donated to the RCAHMS. Spanning two decades of
works, this collection includes about 200 GB of files in a variety of formats and versions.!
!
This project is aimed at initiating the curatorial activities for the appraisal of the assets to
be ingested in the RCAHMS archive. By conducting a data audit and an assessment of
a group of the projects documented in the Campbell and Arnott collection, this initiative
is gathering both demographic information on the collection's data files and their
characterisation.!
!
For more information on all the activities of DIDECU visit the website:!
http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/arts/knowledge-exchange/themes/digital/didecu/
IMAGE: Pitlochry Community Hospital by Campbell and Arnott Architects

19. Filetypes Population
Small/Medium Scottish Architecture Practices

20. Filetypes Population
Small/Medium Scottish Architecture Practices

21. Filetypes Population
Experimental and Speculative International Activities

22. Filetypes Population
Experimental and Speculative International Activities

23. Long standing Issues
Analogue surrogates based procedures
• scarce implementation of Information Management Systems!
• print documents Management procedures (i.e. folding hierarchies) often
literally translated into the digital domain !
• almost absent datasets enrichment procedures!
• PDF/A - PDF/X - PDF/E formats are generally ignored!
• the firms’ professional liability is documented through their physical
Archives (in medium sized practices, often with a significant economical
impact).
IMAGE: ‘Algae-Cellunoi’ by marcosandmarjan with Richard Beckett and Guan Lee

24. Long standing Issues
Proprietary Formats
• frequent lack of documentation i.e. Autodesk DWG protection
strategy)!
• rapid format version obsolescence - a 9 months turnover is common
for major CADD/CAM packages!
• numerous dependencies limit the long-term re-use and accessibility
of assets (i.e. software, software components and OS, such as in
the case of most Visual Programming Languages for CADD/CAM)!
• scarce/absent/illegal accessibility of assets across domains (i.e.
numerous packages adopts Theiga SDK to create DWG and DGN
formats - the Open Design Alliance, its developer, has been sued by
Autodesk for trademark infringement)!
• licensing methods and scheduled obsolescence undermine the data
long-term legal management (i.e. CATIA has a complex licensing
structure that never grants actual indeterminate use of the software
and of the models produced)
IMAGE: Cabinet of Post-digital curiosities by Jorge Ayala

25. Long standing Issues
Open Standards
• IGES / STEP / STEP-NC / IFC4 are ISO standards defining export
formats - static documents representations!
• standardisation processes often lack stakeholders inclusion (i.e. IFC
development - see Laakso and Kiviniemi, 2012)!
• software vendors are reluctant to loss proprietary framework
advantages - slow and unreliable standards adoption (i.e. weakness
in IFC import/export in BIM packages - see Malleson et al., 2012)!
• both granular IPR management and liability documentation functions
are still missing - standards awkwardly anticipate professional
renovation (i.e. simplified authorship documentation with IFC4)
IMAGE: Bloom Games by Alisa Andrasek, Jose Sanchez

26. Emerging Needs
Collaborative and Concurrent Design
/
Assets accessibility across domains
• openBIM (ownership detailing, control over liability’s exposure
due to collaboration - open standards still lacking sufficient
forensic depth)!
• scripts and programmes documentation (including contextual
information, such as dependencies, modules and authorship)!
• multiple media, applications, websites and blogs long-term
management, accessibility and reuse (for example in co-design)
IMAGE: Grasshopper study by Chris Wilkins

27. Emerging Needs
Manufacturing Programmes Reuse
• formats migration in Digital Fabrication (G-code legacy - need to record rich
contextual information, such as knowledge base on specific machine operations)
IMAGE: Pike Loop by Gramazio & Kohler

28. Emerging Needs
Specialised Solutions for Assets Curation/Management
• tools to automatise the Information Management processes retaining
curatorial consistence!
• policies, requirements and procedures for long-term authoritative retention
of architectural practices Digital Assets (informal digital archives as
context)!
• to test the recent solutions for CAAD data preservation against both the
requirements demanded by these emerging trends and their feasibility in
contexts of informal data retention and/or scarce resources – i.e. FACADE
and DAArch.
IMAGE: Bloomberg Pavilion by Akihisa Hirata

29. Conclusions
• Architects as principal curators of their assets (as opposed to external stewardship)!
• Digital Curation education for Architects (curatorial competences/technical
knowledge)!
• Open Standards adoption claims could be considered premature and misleading for
curatorial agenda and policies making!
• Activities in this field are sparse and unrelated - A network to coordinate activities
would promote collaboration
IMAGE: Research Pavilionby ICD/ITKE University of Stuttgart

30. Thank you for your attention!
ruggero.Lancia@glasgow.ac.uk
http://architecturedigitalcuration.blogspot.co.uk
@ruggero_lancia