As we catch our breath after an inspirational two days at London’s Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London, we reflect on some of the key themes to come out of NXT BLD and NXT DEV this year
1. Architecture is getting closer to fabrication
There’s huge push to link architecture with fabrication. At NXT BLD, six leading firms shared their ground-breaking work.
WSP is optimising ‘Kit of Parts’ workflows to streamline industrial construction, aiming for repeatable, efficient results. Bouygues Construction has teamed up with Dassault Systèmes to develop ‘Bryck’, an expert system that can take a Revit model, break it down, and produce all the fabrication drawings and costs.
SHoP Architects in New York is closing the gap between design and construction using tools like Revit, Rhino and the 3D Experience Platform. Intel’s modular approach is speeding up its global silicon fab construction.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Facit Homes is scaling up its onsite factory so it can handle housing estates as well as individual homes, while Space Group is developing expert house building systems for Travis Perkins and TopHat.
2. The BIM startups are maturing
We are in the age of the ‘activist customer’, who is turning to start-ups to deliver new capabilities that can be used in anger.
In only the second year of NXT DEV we delivered a ‘world’s first’ on stage, a collaborative effort showcasing the development of a school project from concept to drawings, joined together by new software tools: Skema, Snaptrude, Augmenta, Gräbert, with Esri GIS. Connected mainly through cloud API calls a project was tackled using productivity enhancing applications which crushed the time for: ideation, detail modelling, structural design, automated electrical routing, collaboration, editing and ultimately output to auto drawings.
Plenty of other start-ups showed off their latest developments including ShapeDiver. Spacio, Consigli, Sparkel, SpaceForm and Qonic and Swapp.
3. Community is king
While the presentations are carefully procured, NXT BLD and NXT DEV would be nothing without its amazing community. We would love to thank everyone for bringing their ideas and endless energy.
When navigating the Queen Elizabeth II building, you are never too sure who you’ll meet up with next —an event speaker, past or present, a strategy lead for one of the major software companies, the head of global workstations for Lenovo, the director of research from a signature architect or a specialist investor in AEC software.
Sharing opinions is highly encouraged and you will be surprised at just how many firms share views on technology, product fit, pricing, licensing and what technologies to watch. With your help, we genuinely believe NXT BLD and NXT DEV have become the talking shops for activist customers.
4. Automation is closer than you think
New BIM code streams like Snaptrude, Qonic, and Arcol are leveraging next-gen cloud technology for BIM authoring. Developers are also using AI for automation, as seen with Swapp and expert systems for specific building types like HighArc. Two main tracks have emerged: those aiming to replace Revit and monolithic BIM, and those adding automation to the workflow, reducing timelines and increasing value.
Skema integrates with established BIM tools, allowing users to model with predefined assemblies to achieve detailed models quickly. Augmenta auto-wires buildings and will soon include MEP. The most transformative new tech is auto drawings, led by Swapp and Gräbert, and also being developed by Bentley, Autodesk, Nemetschek, and EvolveLab, potentially halving drawing production work. NXT DEV united the key players in this field.
5. Panelists not afraid to speak their minds
There is nothing worse than going to an AEC technology conference where every talk is a product pitch. NXT BLD and NXT DEV are not about that. If someone is talking about their product or technology, it’s because they are a hot start-up that we rate, or have something very cool in development.
We try to put on panel discussions which include knowledgeable voices from both practice and development. Sometimes we have to address a topic that is negatively impacting the industry and sparks will fly. At NXT DEV this year, the Pricing, Licensing and Business Models panel was a case in point, as HOK, Grimshaw, BIG and Buro Happold let rip.
Check out our other 2024 talking points: Design Automation, Auto Drawings, Open USD, Openness in AEC, AI in general practice, Digital Fabrication and BIM 2.0.
6. Data is becoming granular
A recurring theme each year is data and the conversations are getting more frequent, as firms assess the impact of moving away from files to a data centric world.
At NXT BLD, Autodesk announced its first steps to granularisation of BIM, Greg Schleusner of HOK gave his traditional update on how the industry can harness smarter, open data schemas to take back control, and Julien Moutte, CTO of Bentley Systems reinforced the move to open data for the industry.
While many of the for-profit, publicly listed CAD vendors are speaking about openness, we were honoured to host Antonio González Viegas CEO of That Open Company and Francesco Siddi the General Manager of Blender on hand to add true ‘open reality’ to the conversation.
7. Everyone still loves Star Wars
There’s nothing better to brush off the morning cobwebs than a trip into hyperspace. Emmy award nominated visual effects (VFX) supervisor, Scott Pritchard of Industrial Light and Magic, put a Jar Jar Binks-sized smile on everyone’s face as he revealed the VFX secrets of the Star Wars Universe. Digital artistry and VFX know-how met photogrammetry, green screens, and giant LED walls as he inspired NXT BLD’s Jedis.
Catch Up
Watch all the presentations from NXT BLD and NXT DEV 2024 free on-demand here.
