Portland, Ore.-based Hoffman Construction is a national contractor that prides itself on using digital tools to complete its projects.
So, in mid 2015, when it was planning to renovate a 10,000-sf office space in Seattle, Hoffman challenged its interior designer, Gensler, to take a similar approach that would highlight Hoffman’s digital integration and technical delivery techniques.
With the help of a host of digital products—including SketchUp, Revit, Faro, Navisworks, Cyclone, AutoCAD and CNC—the Building Team designed the space in just four weeks and helped the client build it in seven.
“Hoffman is always looking to do the impossible in a possible amount of time. Gensler saw us as innovators showcasing our talents with this project,” says Kevin Ryan, operations manager and GM for Hoffman Construction in Seattle.
The focal point was the Think Tank, a 2,000-sf space that would serve as the office’s central hub. That space, according to Jeroen Teeuw, Senior Associate at Gensler who was Lead Designer on this design-build project, is clad in over 100 unique panels that were fabricated from shop drawings produced by digital scans. Fuller Cabinets in Eugene, Ore., supplied the panels, which were fabricated by Straight-Up Carpentry in Oregon.
Photo courtesy of Heywood Chan Photography.
Teeuw says that, before this job, Gensler had only rarely employed digital scanning for interior projects. The scans, he says, were accurate to the point where no tweaks to the design were necessary. “Hoffman had a lot of trust in us,” he says.
Demolition started on Sept. 1, 2015, and included four weeks of asbestos mitigation. Building started the first week October. Hoffman wanted to occupy the building by Christmas, “so we had to identified what absolutely needed to be done in order to satisfy the fire marshals and inspectors,” recalls Ryan. The Building Team stripped the floors, knocked down walls, and installed new T-bar ceilings.
For the renovation, the Building Team broke up the shop drawings into several packages, which Ryan says all but eliminated material waste.
Hoffman achieved its goal, even though the office wasn’t fully completed until April 2016. The space includes conference rooms and private offices, a central teaming area, pantry/lounge/kitchen, open workspace, facilities space, and a reception area.
Related Stories
Architects | Oct 20, 2015
Four building material innovations from the Chicago Architecture Biennial
From lightweight wooden pallets to the largest lengths of CLT-slabs that can be shipped across North America
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 19, 2015
A robotic arm can 3D print, etch, solder, and carve from a desktop
It’s not just a 3D printer. The creators say Makerarm can also etch, solder, and put icing on cake.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 19, 2015
New web tool from MIT organizes human movement in interactive graphs
Users can explore the mobile phone activities in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 12, 2015
NIBS launches effort to develop BIM guideline for owners
Aim is to provide uniformity in the delivery of BIM projects.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 11, 2015
VR for all: How AEC teams are benefiting from the commercialization of virtual reality tools
AEC teams are using gaming engines to not just showcase their projects, but to immerse their clients, end users, and Building Team members in highly detailed, fully lit environments that simulate the final structure.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 9, 2015
Facebook’s data center complex has become economic engine for one North Carolina town
Cities are now vying for these facilities with sizable tax incentives.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 7, 2015
Skanska and University of Washington offer new BIM program
The 11-week course is available for students and professionals and teaches BIM software skills, virtual design, and construction processes.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Oct 7, 2015
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 – designed with the AEC industry in mind
Sasha Reed sits down with Microsoft’s Senior Director of Programs, Pete Kyriacou to discuss the unique challenges AEC professionals face and why the Surface Pro 3 was designed to help them be more productive.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Oct 1, 2015
How can owners make better decisions with the help of analytics?
Sasha Reed sits down with David Fano, Chief Technology Officer for WeWork (formerly with CASE), at BIMForum to discuss how owners make better decisions with the help of analytics.
Modular Building | Sep 23, 2015
SOM and DOE unveil 3D-printed, off-the-grid building
The Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) building features a high-performance shell with a photovoltaic roof and built-in natural gas generator.