Week 4 - Discipline

Digital technology has dramatically changed the way we work within business and this is particularly true in the architectural industry. This digital technology has allowed for new career opportunities, each having specialized disciplines 1. One such person is the digital architectural model maker, a career that didn’t exist some ten years ago.

Over these ten years, people involved with creating these digital models have taken advantage of the increasing processing power of cost-effective and advanced software programs. While drawing 2D diagrams on CAD programs have been around longer then 10 years, it has been the emergence of 3D modeling and animation software like 3DS studio Max courtesy of the gaming and entertainment industries 2.

The digital architectural model maker is usually involved in creating two forms of digital visualization, one is disciplinary and the other is interdisciplinary.

Disciplinary, involves the model maker to construct 3D models, renders and animations to have help explore, understand and communicate the architectural information in new ways. This form of digital visualization has helped digital architectural model makers be a more mainstream and important job, and they change the way a building can be presented.

In interdisciplinary digital visualization, is an increasing and rapidly growing area, with many model makers getting increasing involved in this area. The model makers create artificial architectural environments in computer programs/games such as in Unreal Tournament 3. This form of visualization is almost exactly what we are doing for our assignment, by creating an artificial environment of the Dam Theater in UT3 3.

Digital architectural model maker are one of many specialist collaborating in a team environment either being permanent or temporary employees, as well as specialist consultants contracted from outside 4.

The digital architectural model maker works along side all members of the design team, as it helps the team with a more graphical representation of a building allowing them to understanding the overall scheme and design of the building. This of course can’t be achieved in the 2D world and by seeing it in 3D; it allows the architects and the clients to view their building in a realistic real world environment.

References

1. http://www.acadia.org/ACADIA_whitepaper.pdf, Digital Technology & Architecture - White Paper : Digital Pedagogy- Digital Foundations: Building a Base for Digital Futures by George Proctor, written by various authors, edited by Julio Bermudez & Kevin Klinger, viewed on 3rd April
2. http://scan.net.au/scan/magazine/display.php?journal_id=45, Digital Architecture, by Alex Munt, viewed on 3rd April.
3. http://www.acadia.org/ACADIA_whitepaper.pdf, Digital Technology & Architecture - White Paper: Digital Visualization by Julio Bermudez, written by various authors, edited by Julio Bermudez & Kevin Klinger, viewed on 3rd April
4. http://liquidnarrative.csc.ncsu.edu/pubs/jogd.pdf, Teamwork Constructs in Architectural Design, written by Bharat Dave (Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne), viewed on April 6, 2008