An Exciting and Open Learning Environment
The 'Shimz AEC TECH' event was held from January to March 2024.
AEC Tech is a tech event for the architecture, design, and engineering industry, organized annually in New York by Thornton Tomasetti's Core Studio.
The original AEC TECH event gathers participants from the computational field worldwide. It features high-level workshops, candid lectures, and hackathons that have consistently generated new trends in design tools.
Shimz AEC TECH also followed the concept of the original AEC TECH, bringing together designers from various fields and experts in computation to host exciting workshops, lectures, and hackathons. The event aimed to create an exciting and open learning environment.
In the hackathon, a total of 35 participants took part, with core members being structural designers from Shimizu Corporation's design department, joined by designers from architectural and equipment fields, as well as members from construction and other departments.
On the final day, 11 guest experts from both domestic and international backgrounds joined to conduct evaluations and present awards.
From the Basics of Computational Tools to the
latest international trends
We held workshops such as the Karamba 3D course and Visualize study sessions. Additionally, lectures were conducted where participants could learn about the latest developments from digital professionals not only within the company but also from Core Studio, Heatherwick Studio, and other experts from both domestic and international backgrounds.
Headquarters Digital Studio
NOVARE Forum
Online Participants
Create prototypes of
innovative ideas
A hackathon was held with the keywords 'Beneficial for both myself and others!' and 'Ideas that transcend the fields of architecture, structure, and equipment.' Participants were divided into groups for the 'Equipment Hackathon,' aimed at first-year employees, and the 'Structure Hackathon,' aimed at structural designers and others. Teams were composed of members from various fields working together.
What's a Hackathon?
A hackathon is a portmanteau of 'hack' and 'marathon,' and it is primarily practiced in the IT industry. It involves using technology to experiment on a specific theme and create prototypes of new, interesting, and innovative ideas. Through this process, participants can experience design thinking and learn how to generate exciting ideas as a team.
Theme
Rules
Time Limit:
Complete within one and a half days.
Teamwork:
Experience collaborating with a team of three or more people with varying levels of expertise.
Step Out of Your
Comfort Zone:
Participation is open to everyone. Even without prior knowledge or skills, step out of your comfort zone and take on the challenge.
Evaluation
Criteria
The evaluation was based on three criteria: Technology (technical impact, novelty, applicability), Innovation (whether the idea is groundbreaking and steps out of the comfort zone), and Collaboration (whether participants are working together and enjoying the process). Special emphasis was placed on innovative and exciting applications, the most creative concepts utilizing existing open-source technology, and teamwork that best leveraged diversity.
Seventeen designers from architectural, equipment, and structural fields presented their ideas. Teams were formed based on the themes, resulting in the creation of eight teams.
It is when participants present their desired themes, skills, and the people they want to collaborate with.
An abbreviation for Mergers and Acquisitions. It refers to the process of forming teams after the pitch.
It's short for brainstorming, where each participant freely shares their ideas.
The teams decided on the challenges they would address and engaged in discussions to develop their ideas.
All eight projects were completed and presented, with the top prize going to 'Bilful‘.
Participants' Feedback
It was a meaningful time overall. The challenges we tackled were unbiased and not limited to any specific field, which allowed for cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration with colleagues from other departments. I also rediscovered the excitement of creating things, and it was a valuable opportunity to share thoughts and feelings with younger colleagues in a casual setting, which we don't often get to do in our regular work. Additionally, I felt that the participants' digital design skills were very high (although mine aren't... haha), which I see as a strength of Shimizu Corporation.
The hackathon provided a great opportunity to expand my dreams for design work through interactions with in-house designers and external experts. Digital technology is now indispensable in our daily design tasks, but with new technologies constantly emerging, I felt there were limits to what I could achieve through individual effort alone. However, having the opportunity to develop tools alongside cutting-edge experts greatly broadened my perspective. Moving forward, I want to leverage this experience to design new architecture utilizing digital technology.
Community
Creating continuous learning opportunities to maintain the learning curve of designers
Starting with this Shimz AEC TECH event, the Shimizu Corporation Design Headquarters is hosting various events to ensure that designers maintain their "learning curve" from training and to create "interactive communication spaces" among designers. These activities, which combine both real and virtual elements, serve as a platform for generating a "Commons of Digital Design Knowledge" and are a community in themselves. They include hands-on seminars with the latest tools at the "Digital Studio" on the 15th floor of the headquarters, lectures by cutting-edge external experts, online distribution of archived videos, and information exchange on the internal SNS. To date, 26 events have been held with over 1,100 participants in total. By creating continuous learning opportunities that go beyond the limits of daily tasks and encouraging mutual information sharing, we aim to strengthen horizontal connections.
OTHER EVENTS
The 'MOKU DIGI Building Block Exhibition,' which showcased prototypes of future manufacturing.
Shimizu Structural Design Exhibition 2023: Genetic Diversity
An exhibition organized by the Structural Design Department of Shimizu Corporation.
It showcases the history of structural design at Shimizu Corporation, as well as the buildings and visions created by structural designers who continue to challenge and evolve.
vol.1: Building Thin and Strong Roofs - Chiba JPF Dome
vol.2: Open-Concept Office in a Snowy Region - Shimizu Corporation Hokuriku Branch New Office Building
vol.3: Designing Modern Wooden Architecture - Urawa Akenohoshi Girls' Junior and Senior High School Cafeteria Building
vol.4: Designing Clients' Dreams - Kyokuto Shokai Headquarters Building
vol.5: Manufacturing with Digital Design - National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Zero Emission Tree
