Jul 23, 2024
New York is about more than highways and traffic. The city is filled with resilience, community, sustainability, and more elements that support a healthy built environment. How will architecture impact the future of New York’s communities
Welcome to the third season of Architecture 5 10 20! I’m your host, Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast are pioneers and visionaries shaping the future of the built environment across various disciplines. Join me in exploring their remarkable journeys, discovering how they reach their current heights, and envisioning what lies ahead in the next 5, 10, and 20 years.
Join me today as I have a conversation with my friend Tom Scarangello, Thornton Tomasetti's managing principal and senior advisor and an industry thought leader in innovation and technology. With over four decades at the forefront of innovation in structural engineering, Tom brings a wealth of experience and a visionary perspective on the industry's evolution.
We dive deep into Tom's journey with Thornton Tomasetti, from its humble beginnings to becoming a global leader in proactive innovation, with Tom reflecting on pivotal moments such as the firm's response to the 2008 economic downturn and the strategic merger with Wide Langer in 2015. This discussion provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Thornton Tomasetti leveraged intellectual property and embraced technology to redefine industry standards!
Tom also shares his thoughts on the shift from reactive to proactive innovation, the impact of building information modeling, and the exciting developments in AI. We explore how AI is accelerating design processes and reshaping the future of structural engineering, and Tom highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between technological advancements and foundational engineering principles, ensuring that innovation enhances rather than overshadows core expertise.
This episode is truly a fascinating exploration of how technology is transforming the built environment and what lies ahead for the industry. Listen to hear Tom’s insights on navigating these changes and the role of curiosity and open-source data in driving progress!
Time stamps:
[01:40] - After 40 years, Tom has seen his firm evolve
from small to global leaders in innovation.
[04:54] - Tom drove diversity and innovation, investing in untapped
IP and creating initiatives.
[06:39] - Tom's industry lagged in innovation, relying on outdated
methods, despite advances like AutoCAD.
[09:01] - Transitioning to smart models and BIM has accelerated
Tom's industry’s innovation and digitization.
[11:07] - Hear how Tom improved project delivery by experimenting
with XSteel and embracing new technology.
[13:45] - Tom explains how entering data directly into Tekla
improved efficiency and control over some aspects of
connections.
[15:39] - Tom's company developed Construe to enable effective use
of data across different modeling platforms.
[16:58] - Experience helps engineers make quick, informed
decisions, enhancing value and creativity in design!
[19:06] - Tom argues that AI can enhance efficiency in design,
focusing on creative solutions rather than physics problems.
[21:36] - Human oversight is still crucial; AI can't replace
responsibility for ensuring safety and compliance!
[24:38] - Tom points out how early versions of ChatGPT impressed
him, with its capabilities having rapidly advanced in less than two
years.
[26:37] - Tom discusses the book Co Intelligence by Ethan
Malik.
[29:40] - It's important to embrace new tools; resisting change
could ultimately limit career longevity and impact.
[31:04] - AI tools generate multiple design solutions quickly,
allowing focus on choosing the best one.
[33:03] - Learn how urban redevelopment reconnects communities and
should be advocated despite lingering challenges.
[35:42] - Urban redevelopment projects reconnect communities, and
Tom expresses eagerness to volunteer for such initiatives in the
Bronx.
[38:43] - Architects, engineers, and contractors are collaborating
more effectively, driven by technology to address challenges.
[41:42] - Tom feels that having conversations like this podcast
helps improve the industry and shows that others share the goal of
solving problems collaboratively.
[42:15] - Tom's enthusiasm for technology and AI in the AEC
industry highlights the need for curiosity and creativity to
address challenges.
Links / Resources:
Guy
Geier
Instagram |
Twitter
Thornton
Tomasetti
LinkedIn
Ethan Mollick - Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with
AI