LWK + PARTNERS on the growing importance of digital transformation

Today more than ever placing design and architecture high up on the global urban development agenda urges us to utilise technology as a tool to enhance our everyday lives. As mother of the creative arts and the stage for the perpetuation of human culture, architecture has always as sought to be experimental and adopt to change. Clearly, the way that projects are delivered is changing, but so are the way that architectural practices are run. Adopting digital formats for design activities have been around for decades, LWK + PARTNERS dates back over twenty years now, solving real-world problems offering strong partnerships, digital fluency, and strategic proficiency. Our multidisciplinary platform of design specialities and collaborators forms a trove of knowledge and insight that has led us to many transformational schemes, creating digital twins and piloting projects globally that set the fundamentals of design future, which come into sharp focus in these uncertain global times.

The power of Data helps us to predict, plan and manage with real time feedback that mainstream processes making them much more efficient, sustainable and responsive. Simply digitising the traditional processes does not work. We seek to harness technologies to do things in a different and more integrated manner, and this is what we believe digital transformation represents. LWK + PARTNERS became a pioneer when it decided to experiment with BIM in 2004, representing a paradigm change throughout the workflow and thinking process.

We face challenges in the process daily, but we persist to develop a single source of understanding for each project for optimal outcomes. In this new (and lasting) digital-first world, tools that just connect us are not sufficient. The paradigm will necessarily be switched from clients passively watching / listening, to clients actively interacting with their projects. Interactive experiences in which customers are put in the driver’s seat help to focus attention, provide true engagement and accurate knowledge, and result in much greater project efficiency, reducing project costs and improving long-term certainty and choice for clients. Reimagining how you bring together people, data and processes to create value is at the heart of digital transformation.

Big data platforms via Common Data Environments, integrate the features and capabilities of numerous data application and utilities within a single solution. Switch from analogue to digital technologies and massive growth of data are some key aspects that will drive the flip into digital transformation for architecture and infrastructure, delivery and procurement and the management and enhancement of assets long term. It is time for organisations and clients to harness the advantages of big data to eventuate new and better opportunities and outcomes. LWK + PARTNERS employ its own bespoke Common Data Environment (CDE) and use it as the single platform to integrate, gather, manage and distribute documentation, graphical model and non-graphical data for the project team. This includes all project information created in Building Information Modelling (BIM) or in a conventional data format. Creating this single source of information enabled smoothly into a collaboration medium, avoids duplication and decreased error margins significantly in addition to manifesting significant cost savings during construction and facilities/asset management. We have successfully implemented digital transformation strategies on several projects including: Digital Twin of Central Kowloon, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Innovation Tower, Guangzhou –Shenzhen -Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Hong Kong Airport Terminal Expansion and Rolling transformative collaborations out across the MENA Region.

Currently, we are actively collaborating closely with the government bodies and significant early adopter stakeholders across the MENA Region developing and managing the formation of ‘Digital Twins’ of significant development initiatives that will enable the use of project data to assist the delivery of project program in addition to full BIM capabilities from 3D to 8D all within our CDE that allows full integration of multiple software, classifications and outputs. LWK + PARTNERS’ success in BIM is buttressed by a strong partnership with sister company isBIM, which specialises in 3D technologies to provide professional consulting services to leading institutions and public sector internationally. It is a cherished collaboration which LWK + PARTNERS will continue leveraging to deliver premium projects around the globe for building smarter cities. Our creative process focuses on encouraging digital data mapping, informed research, understanding interactions between people and their environment and going beyond addressing existing needs. Fostering possibilities – that’s how we make a difference, and this is one of the reasons that we are one of the 40 largest architecture practices in the world. We live in a Fast-changing world where digital technology is establishing new paradigms of communication and challenging perceptions of traditional communication, urbanism and architecture, now is not the time to retreat.

Transformative technologies will be able to carry considerable value, conveying meaning through digital metaphor to the physical environment and embody cultural understandings by aiding in creating places for all to cherish. LWK + PARTNERS believe that now is the time for bold leadership and active engagement. Projects Digital transformation to create true client engagement and powerful project data is an immediate imperative.

Images credits: LWK + PARTNERS, isBIM