SmartPlan Intro

By Ken Goulding posted on Tue, 2009-06-30 11:22 , 1159 reads, 0 comments

Building Information Systems have transformed the way architects develop options, make decisions and share information with clients, developers and contractors. This has been made possible by software that links many key decisions to dynamic variables that can be reconsidered or tweaked at any point in the design and documentation process. Sasaki Associates has developed an urban planning tool with a similar objective: as planning and design options are developed, keep variables flexible and avoid lock-in to create a change-friendly, dynamic design environment.

 

This tool, dubbed SmartPlan is changing the way designers and planners collaborate and revolutionizing the way the firm interacts with clients in worksessions.

 

 

Although options prepared in advance of a work session could be quantified, designers could only estimate at the program consequences of options considered during the course of a worksession and it could be days before the numbers could be run and reported to the client. Now designer, planner and client can test program assignments & density assumptions together and immediately understand the implications of their decisions.

 

Depending upon the factors critical to a particular project, any number of models can be run and key outputs can be tracked and compared for different alternatives. Such models include traffic (trips generated), parking (supply/demand), storm water runoff, fiscal analysis, financial pro forma, carbon emissions models or anything else that needs to be considered. When the plan under consideration does not support the client's goals,  it can me modified and  reconsidered in the worksession. By "striking while the iron is hot", push-back can occur while all players are still flexible and the options are still fresh in their minds.