Smartgeometry 2013 underway in UK – Bentley event news highlights

Smartgeometry brings together the brightest industry leaders and showcases the most innovative tools, technologies, and methodologies in one event. As co-founder of the event, Bentley will be sponsoring this year’s Smartgeometry conference as it returns to London where it all started ten years ago.

Construction for Uncertainty

The theme this year, “Construction for Uncertainty” focuses on the transition of computational design from the hard space of the ideal to the soft reality of an uncertain built environment. Importantly, the theme recognizes that design and construction are increasingly more information-centric and are simultaneously faced with computational ambiguity since only a subset of the relevant factors can be fully captured and evaluated in traditional design models.

Among the many renowned computational design leaders and practitioners who be sharing their insights on these and other design issues are Tristram Carfrae, Arup structural engineer, Arup board director; Michelle Addington, Hines professor of sustainable architectural design at Yale University; Sarah Jane Pell, artist and researcher; and Ben Cerveny, data visualization artist.

01 - 2013 Smartgeometry Conference kicks off this week in London.

Huw Roberts, Bentley vice president, stated, “We’re proud to sponsor, for the tenth straight year, this great conference that draws forwarding-thinking architects, engineers, and members of academia from around the globe. What sets it apart from other design conferences is a unique approach that brings together research and practice in ways that tangibly advance the architectural and engineering design processes through the use of computational tools.”

Conference Details

The conference consists of a two-day conference that includes a Talkshop, Symposium and Reception. Renowned speakers will share their insight and experience during the conference that follows a hands-on four-day workshop, where 100 participants explore various ways using advanced technology like GenerativeComponents software from Bentley.

• Talkshop Day, April 19 – Through a series of panel discussions, this interactive first day provides an opportunity to share with tutors and participants critical reflection on the advanced design work of the previous four days during the Smartgeometry 2013 Workshop being held April 15-18, 2013, at The Bartlett. The Workshop enables architectural and engineering professionals, academics, and students to explore this year’s challenge, “Constructing for Uncertainty.” Workshop participants will tackle the realities and future uncertainties and will realize digital design prototypes that cope with the soft reality of an uncertain built environment employing GenerativeComponents – Bentley’s generative design software.
• Symposium Day, April 20 – Day two includes insightful presentations by renowned experts on the theory and practice of computational and parametric design approaches. This is regarded as the world’s premier symposium on the interaction of new technologies, methodologies, and principles in design practice.

• Reception, April 20 – The conference ends with a social gathering celebrating the innovation, creativity, and leadership of the generative design community. It also provides an opportunity to view the work developed during the four-day workshop.

Shane Burger, director, Smartgeometry, said “Smartgeometry is celebrating its 10th anniversary in London, the same city in which it was founded. In reflecting on 10 years of events, the Smartgeometry Community developed the sg2013 Challenge, ‘Constructing for Uncertainty,’ as a means of projecting forward 10+ years to better contextualize our work within a changing built environment. Working with Bentley Systems, our longtime partner since the first Smartgeometry Workshops, and Bartlett, our host for the event, we are able to deliver this year a Smartgeometry Workshop and Conference that will be the most expansive and challenging yet.”

For additional information about, and to register for, the Smartgeometry 2013 Conference, visit www.SmartgeometryConference.com/2013.