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Final Report - Final Presentation - Reflection - ABET Evaluation

Personal Reflection on AE Thesis 2010

This past year's work on my AE senior thesis, and the new pilot IPD (Integrated project Delivery) and BIM (Building Information Modeling) Thesis project has been a great experience.  Not only getting to work on an architecture icon of the New York City skyline, but a chance to really get to understand the other disciplines of AE.  Working side by side with a student from the Structural, Mechanical, or Construction management options, is much different then being able to say, I took a few classes in those courses.  Taking the classes lets you learn the language and elementary design concepts, but working along with them on a single collaborative project, let me see all the work and time they put into their design work.  They look at things never mentioned in our introduction classes and having them take time out of their work time to talk me through their design process, and explain the systems they are researching, helped us be able to understand each other on a whole different level then the standard single person thesis every would have done. 

Sure there were problems along the way.  Some regarding miscommunications between the teams and faculty, but also, in this new process it was found that less time could be dedicated to small fine details.  We had to get what we needed and be able to hand off the proper information to the team member that needed it in order to provide them with the amount of time they needed to get a certain phase of the design done on time.  This, at first, became frustrating.  Everyone wanted to produce the best, most accurate results, though, with some information not provided by the building owner or original design teams, assumptions had to be made, and the design had to move on.  Though we had a few problems along the way, it is mine and others belief that IPD and BIM is where the industry is going.  To be at the leading edge of this type of work gave me an experience I will not soon forget.

The Capstone Project Electronic Portfolio (CPEP) is a web-based project and information center. It contains material produced for a year-long Senior Thesis class. Its purpose, in addition to providing central storage of individual assignments, is to foster communication and collaboration between student, faculty consultant, course instructors, and industry consultants. This website is dedicated to the research and analysis conducted via guidelines provided by the Department of Architectural Engineering. For an explanation of this capstone design course and its requirements click here.

Note: While great efforts have been taken to provide accurate and complete information on the pages of CPEP, please be aware that the information contained herewith is considered a work-in-progress for this thesis project. Modifications and changes related to the original building designs and construction methodologies for this senior thesis project are solely the interpretation of Dan Cox. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the original design contained errors or was flawed. Differing assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.