Sep 28, 2018
DPR presents Beyond the Drawing Board. In this series of podcasts designed for our Design Management Academy, we bring to you conversations with Industry Thought Leaders to take a peek behind the curtain at the design process.
Our guest for this episode is Mic Patterson, PhD, Leed AP. He is a designer, researcher, educator, futurist, author, photographer and entrepreneur, as well as an expert in advanced facade technologies. He currently serves as Ambassador of Innovation & Collaboration for Facade Tectonics Institute, Director of Strategic Development for Schuco USA and Professor at USC School of Architecture.
Mic shares his insights about the changes he has seen in his long and illustrious career in this industry - from the use of glass in facades, to the rise of the design-and-build model of delivery, to virtual construction labs. He also highlights the importance of innovation and adaptability to change, and why he believes that constraints are the area to look to in driving innovation. Looking to the future, Mic has some predictions about what lies in the horizon for the construction industry as a whole.
This episode is brought to you by DPR Construction, with our host, Greg Mantz.
Key Takeaways:
[:45] Greg introduces his guest for this episode - Mic Patterson.
[2:11] How did Mic get into architecture?
[4:09] Mic has a PhD in Architecture, he takes a moment to explain more about his field of study.
[7:17] What was Mic's progression in his education and career?
[16:49] Mic shares more about the design-and-build deliver model and his experiences with it.
[17:38] Mic transitioned from ASI to Enclos. What pushed that change?
[21:53] How did Mic develop the same level of expertise in glass, that he had in facade structure?
[23:14] What role does Mic play at Schuco-USA today?
[24:40] What drove Mic to join Schuco?
[28:53] What were some of the projects Mic worked on in his time at ASI and Enclos?
[33:52] Mic shares his perspective on the role of other consulting firms in the industry.
[35:28] How does the virtual construction lab play into the processes in his company?
[39:16] Mic and Greg discuss his book, Structural Glass Facades and Enclosures, and its relevance today.
[41:52] On the topic of logical workflows and integrating teams, where does Mic fit in in the process?
[45:29] How can companies improve their collaborative integration processes?
[48:20] What's happening on the front of curtain wall technologies?
[50:23] What does the future of the building and construction industry look like?
[53:35] The construction industry in general is known for being slow in moving and adapting to change. Why is that, and what can be done to address the issue?
[56:09] What are some of the underlying ideas behind the Facade Tectonics Institute?
[58:49] Who are some of the other industry organizations focusing on the facade system?
[1:01:45] How does Mic see AI, machine-learning and data-driven design affecting advanced facade design in the future?
[1:03:34] How does Mic see the industry reacting to these disruptive changes?
Links:
Design Management Academy Yammer Page
Structural Glass Facades and Enclosures, by Mic Patterson
Structure in Nature is a Strategy for Design, by Peter Pearce