From design to construction, new technologies help architects of all ages

It is believed that the current moment the world is going through will be known years later as that of a " technological revolution ". This is a phenomenon that is changing the way people view reality and that has an impact on all areas of life – from work relationships, to contact with friends and the way we view our homes. Several professions have emerged thanks to technology and many are yet to come, and even those traditional careers, which have existed since ancient times, have also undergone changes. Medicine, for example, has never been as advanced and assertive as it is today, and part of this efficiency comes from the modernity of procedures. In architecture , technology has also made major changes, and professionals are already preparing for the next challenges .

Technology as "natural evolution" in architecture

CASACOR specialists, whether new generations or veterans, are adapting to the technologies of the so-called " digital architecture ". To demonstrate the phenomenon, we brought two personalities who understand the subject: Quintino Facci , who will participate in his first CASACOR São Paulo in 2022 and is a young architect who recently graduated, and Filipi Oliveira , from MF+Arquitetos, who founded his office in 2009 (13 years of activity), in Franca. The two architects currently work with different systems that help with the routine and operationalization of their projects – including those of CASACOR. For Filipi Oliveira, from MF+Arquitetos, technology is present in all stages of his team's work . "We use it from the conception of projects to their execution." Quintino began to see technology as a means for his work while still in college, when he began doing an internship in the area. "I realized that all offices needed 3D images to sell projects, because that was how the client could see what was being sold." He reported that he realized that this was still a very scarce service at the time because few professionals were able to do it.

Ultra-realistic renders

One of the most popular technologies among architecture professionals are ultra-realistic renders . This is software capable of reproducing a faithful copy of the final project digitally on a reduced scale . This way, it is possible to present the ideas to clients more clearly and also to the professionals involved in the works with a more realistic dimension and with the correct measurements of what needs to be done in practice. Filipi said that he uses renders as a tool that helps express what he is looking for. "A rendering or a 3D image must always be the closest expression of the as yet non-existent project, it must carry emotion and truly express what is expected from the project ." For MF+Arquitetos, despite the complexity that processes can present at times, the technology needs to be simple to meet the studio's demands. "Without being laborious, in a way that can facilitate and help us achieve maximum quality at each stage of our processes", explains Filipi. Quintino Facci began to improve his rendering and look for modern software that reproduced the project as faithfully as possible – from the structure, finishes and even the colors chosen for the final project are identical to those used in the renderings. "When I present my projects, people even have doubts about what the rendering and the final project are."

Gain in productivity

The approval and modification of projects also takes place in record time , which perhaps great names in architecture from the past would not believe. If the customer wants to change something, it is simpler to adjust. Errors also decrease considerably , as the scales used for the digital version are very faithful to those of the physical space – in Quintino's view, not using technology can increase the chances of errors, especially in the more structural part of a work, such as hydraulics, electrical, etc.

The future is technological

Experts agree that the future will be technological because it will be a maturing of this new era that we are already experiencing. Anyone who is not adapting to the tools runs the risk of being left behind. The vision may be a little drastic – and it may even be a suit – but the truth is that new software creates a real bridge between an architect's ideas and what his client wants . Faster, more assertive and less arduous.

Social media

Social networks also entered the scene and became excellent sales, promotion and inspiration channels for several professionals, including Filipi and Quintino. The two agree that networks are a great channel to reach their clients and attract new audiences – whether those who are going to complete a process in suits or admirers of the work. Quintino Facci states that social networks are what help most in his work. "I managed to show my work, reach a lot of people. In two years at the office I managed to serve influencers, and if it weren't for the internet this wouldn't have been possible ." He understands that for more veteran architects, receiving nominations ends up being more natural, and therefore, he advises that young architects invest in Instagram, Facebook and other media to publicize their work and create interesting connections. Filipi Oliveira, in turn, saw social media as a way to expand his work , including breaking geographical barriers . "Today we have projects under development in several places in Brazil, including projects abroad such as Chile, Uruguay, Australia, Pakistan and Greece. We believe that these possibilities of developing new projects so far away only appear due to social networks", he states.

Metaverse: a new world of digital lands

Among one of the technological trends that have emerged in recent times, the Metaverse is certainly one of them. The term gained prominence at the end of last year after Facebook Inc., the company that owns the social networks Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced the name change to Meta. The Metaverse is an entirely new universe with a particular characteristic: it only exists in the virtual world . In this environment there are several plots of land for sale, and the buyer can live in the environment with their avatar – and will even need to declare it on Income Tax. It may seem like a simple video game, nothing very different from what was seen years ago, but several brands have joined this space, such as Adidas, Gucci, Balenciaga, among many others. In fact, in 2022, a Fashion Week show took place for the first time on the virtual platform, one of the first in the Metaverse, Decentraland. It didn't take long for architects around the world to start preparing to build projects on these virtual lands (and production can be more complex than it seems). Zaha Hadid was one of those names, who designed an entire city within the Metaverse . In Brazil, the movement is moving forward and enthusiasts are beginning to emerge. At CASACOR Rio 2022 , Gisele Taranto presented a project on the Metaverse . But the next steps are still a mystery, but the new universe is already proving to be a real trend (and one that many are already looking at how to integrate). [april-see-also]W3siaWQiOjEyNDExMiwidGl0bGUiOiI3IHZldGVyYW5vcyBkYSBDQVNBQ09S xMjI2MTUsInRpdGxlIjoiTyBlc3QmI3hGQTtkaW8gWmFoYSBIYWRpZCBBcmNoaXRlY3RzIHByb2pl dGEgdW1hIGNpZGFkZSB2aXJ0dWFsIG5vIE1ldGF2ZXJzbyJ9LHsiaWQiOjEyNTY0MiwidGl0bGUiO i JCYW0mI3gyMDE5O0JvJiN4MzVFO28gQmFyIHRyYXogYSBhcnRlIGVtIHYmI3hFMTtyaWFzIGRpbWVucyYjeEY1O2VzIHBhcmEgbyBSaW8gZGUgSmFuZWlybyJ9XQ==[/abril-see-also]