Architecture, Digital Techniques and Project Management

With the invention of computers, Architecture and other Engineering disciplines have undergone revolutionary developments offering new opportunities for improving efficiency and opening new frontiers for creativity. For example in architecture and urban planning, the discussions have been extended from conventional writings to cover cyberspace, virtual architecture and digital city. Moreover, computers have helped in the realization of many complex projects that would be inconceivable with traditional drawing techniques. This is clearly demonstrated in the works of Frank Gehry's, Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and many others. In deed, digital techniques have changed the design creative process and how the architects think. Traditionally the structured development architectural ideas from 2D drawings (plans, sections, elevations) towards 3D resolution has been replaced by more interactive approach of 2D & 3D. The changes that digital techniques have brought to the field of Architecture, including practice and education, can obviously be viewed from different angles and incite many discussions and questions. However, the purpose of this presentation is to discuss the role of digital techniques within the overall framework of project management in Gulf Housing Engineering. It starts the discussion with a brief on architecture and digital techniques in the Gulf Region, especially during the “boom period”, a period characterized by rapid production of buildings relying heavily on virtual images. It is against this background, the role of digital techniques is evaluated from a practice point of view. In fact in GHE, digital means are integral parts of the holistic project delivery process starting form initiation, to various design stages to construction ending with project completion. In this process emphasis is paid to the inter-relationships between IT Systems and Quality Control which in turn facilitate measuring, monitoring and reporting on various managerial, technical and design and budgetary aspects of the project. The presentation is supported by real case studies of GHE portfolio. It emphasizes that digital techniques should be an integral part of an overall process and should be seen as means to enhance efficiency and creativity, and should contribute to the betterment of the built environmen