Group D - Databases in Design Firms

In all honesty going into this blog post I had no idea, nor did I think it was really beneficial for a design firm to use a database system.  I just didn’t see any connection, thinking databases were really reserved for accounting/cost tracking and large name lists, but then I read about SEED databases and it opened my eyes on the subject.  While SEED databases acronym may not make sense, as the full title is, “a Software Environment to support the Early phases in building Design” the principles behind the database and the assistance it can provide engineers and designers is sound.  SEED in its briefest form is a way to database solutions to problems that a building designer may typically face.  SEED breaks down the design process into three modules; Architectural Programming, Schematic Layout Design, Schematic Configuration Design.  These three modules each have a set f problems that designers typically face.  What the software does is takes the knowledge it has stored of these problems and provides the designer with some typical solutions that have been designed or investigated in previous buildings.  For example in the Architectural Programming module the designer may be faced with making the architectural program for a elementary school.  The SEED database would assist by bringing up a typical program for an elementary school with an equal occupancy and the designer could then tweak it to the individual projects need.  In the Schematic design aspect may be a designer is tasked with laying out an OR suite in a hospital.  The SEED could bring up typical circulation plans for OR suites, with information on the performance of the circulation plans to aid again with the decisions as to what the end design may be.  The SEED system will also database and track the solutions you come up with as a designer and allow you to access them easily for later design challenges.  The one problem I see with this system though is much like the problem that architects run into with specs.  By making the process so automated and easy to copy and paste the solution may not apply to the specifics of the project.  I can’t tell you how many times on my coop I had to work with GC’s and Architects to resolve problems that stemmed from architects pulling a spec from a database and just copying and pasting it into the project when it had no real application to the project.  If the SEED system is abused I could see this becoming a problem and also aiding to the “cookie-cutter” buildings out there today.  Just like any great “tool”, SEED systems need to be treated just as that a “tool” and not the end all solution for the design problem in front of the designer.

References:

·      Ulrich Flemming, Case-based Design in the SEED System, Automation in Construction Volume 3, issues 2-3, July 1994, pages 123-133

·      U. Flemming, R. Coyne and R. Woodbury, SEED: a software environment to support the early phases in building design, in: ARECDA093 (1993) 111-122.

·      R.F. Coyne, ABLOOS. An evolving hierarchical design framework, PhD Dissertation, Dept. of Architecture, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1991.

Comments on posts:

http://ae-510-ay13-14.blogspot.com/2014/02/sql-structured-query-language.html

I really again was blind to the fact that there is standard language out there for database purposes.  I find it interesting that technologies used by companies outside of the design world like google and amazon as you mentioned could be used for out industry.  Is this the system that revit uses to relate all of its geometry?

http://ae-510-ay13-14.blogspot.com/2014/02/group-d-uses-of-databases-in-design.html

Good summary of how RDBMS databases can assist with the designers and architects.  It is very much like what the gentleman from Bentley was describing for the spec packaging program.  I think this will have a great impact on the construction field as you will no longer be printing out spec binders that are a couple thousand of pages.

http://ae-510-ay13-14.blogspot.com/2014/02/donahue-uses-of-databases-in-design.html

Good post!  I really like how you bring in personal experience to defend your points.  I agree that databases make great tools and help eliminate errors when designing buildings.  The idea of having an existing conditions database is awesome.  I have seen many problems arise on construction sites most caused from discrepancies between the existing conditions and the drawings.  I hope to see databases assist in relieving this issue.