Trimble and Frank Gehry announced today that they have entered into a strategic alliance to collaborate to transform the construction industry by further connecting the office to on-site construction technologies.
As part of the alliance, Trimble has acquired Gehry Technologies, the software and consulting services business that has been instrumental in delivering Frank Gehry’s visionary designs while keeping cost and schedule in line for his clients.
The alliance combines deep Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry experience with advanced construction technology to empower visionary designers such as Gehry Partners to build groundbreaking projects on time, under budget and without change orders—enabling designers, builders and operators to collaborate more efficiently.
"This merger is a dream for me. In Trimble, we find a partner who has like-minded ambitions and goals to create efficiencies in the AEC industry that allow the creativity of the architectural profession to flourish and deliver value-added creative solutions within the realities of our economic times. I am very excited to expand our mission with a great new partner," said Frank Gehry.
“We are honored to enter into an association with Frank,” said Steven W. Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble. “His unique architectural vision has always challenged the conventional. Equally impactful are his views on the potential for transforming the entire design-build-operate continuum. Gehry Technologies has been key in allowing Frank to realize the potential of his designs without compromising cost or schedule. Together, we expect that our common commitment and our combined capabilities will accelerate the adoption of technology in this trillion-dollar industry with resulting breakout benefits. We are delighted with the prospect of working with Frank as he continues his strong personal advocacy for change in the construction industry.”
Based in Los Angeles, Calif., Gehry Technologies is an AEC technology company that provides design and project management solutions, consulting services and project collaboration software tools. Gehry Technologies solutions include GTeam™ software, a Web-based 3D file management and project collaboration platform, building information modeling (BIM) technology as well as advanced project delivery services for leading owners, architects, engineers, builders, fabricators and industry professionals worldwide. The solutions allow customers of all sizes to communicate more effectively, improve design and construction quality, and accelerate project cycle times.
Gehry Technologies’ consulting services aid in the design, execution and management of the build environment. With a globally distributed team of architects, engineers, builders and computer scientists, the company delivers solutions that define and optimize project delivery processes and tools, enabling creative architecture with integrated engineering, high-precision fabrication and assembly, and improved risk management.
The combination of Gehry Technologies solutions and professional services with Trimble’s broad technology portfolio in positioning, BIM, analytics and visualization, automated machine guidance and real-time telematics accelerates total lifecycle solutions that will allow architects, engineers, contractors and owners to access data captured during the building planning, design, construction and renovation phases, providing deeper insight, better operating decisions and better asset performance.
Gehry Technologies will be reported in Trimble's Engineering and Construction Segment. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Nurturing the Community
The best seat in the house at the new Seahawks Stadium in Seattle isn't on the 50-yard line. It's in the southeast corner, at the very top of the upper bowl. "From there you have a corner-to-corner view of the field and an inspiring grasp of the surrounding city," says Kelly Kerns, project leader with architect/engineer Ellerbe Becket, Kansas City, Mo.
| Aug 11, 2010
AIA Course: Historic Masonry — Restoration and Renovation
Historic restoration and preservation efforts are accelerating throughout the U.S., thanks in part to available tax credits, awards programs, and green building trends. While these projects entail many different building components and systems, façade restoration—as the public face of these older structures—is a key focus. Earn 1.0 AIA learning unit by taking this free course from Building Design+Construction.
| Aug 11, 2010
BIM adoption tops 80% among the nation's largest AEC firms, according to BD+C's Giants 300 survey
The nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction companies are on the BIM bandwagon in a big way, according to Building Design+Construction's premier Top 50 BIM Adopters ranking, published as part of the 2009 Giants 300 survey. Of the 320 AEC firms that participated in Giants survey, 83% report having at least one BIM seat license in house, half have more than 30 seats, and near...
| Aug 11, 2010
World's tallest all-wood residential structure opens in London
At nine stories, the Stadthaus apartment complex in East London is the world’s tallest residential structure constructed entirely in timber and one of the tallest all-wood buildings on the planet. The tower’s structural system consists of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels pieced together to form load-bearing walls and floors. Even the elevator and stair shafts are constructed of prefabricated CLT.
| Aug 11, 2010
Integrated Project Delivery builds a brave, new BIM world
Three-dimensional information, such as that provided by building information modeling, allows all members of the Building Team to visualize the many components of a project and how they work together. BIM and other 3D tools convey the idea and intent of the designer to the entire Building Team and lay the groundwork for integrated project delivery.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Healthcare
11. Operating Room-Integrated MRI will Help Neurosurgeons Get it Right the First Time A major limitation of traditional brain cancer surgery is the lack of scanning capability in the operating room. Neurosurgeons do their best to visually identify and remove the cancerous tissue, but only an MRI scan will confirm if the operation was a complete success or not.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Collaboration
9. HOK Takes Videoconferencing to A New Level with its Advanced Collaboration Rooms To help foster collaboration among its 2,212 employees while cutting travel time, expenses, and carbon emissions traveling between its 24 office locations, HOK is fitting out its major offices with prototype videoconferencing rooms that are like no other in the U.
| Aug 11, 2010
2009 Judging Panel
A Matthew H. Johnson, PE Associate Principal Simpson Gumpertz & HegerWaltham, Mass. B K. Nam Shiu, SE, PEVP Walker Restoration Consultants Elgin, Ill. C David P. Callan, PE, CEM, LEED APSVPEnvironmental Systems DesignChicago D Ken Osmun, PA, DBIA, LEED AP Group President, ConstructionWight & Company Darien, Ill.
| Aug 11, 2010
Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity
Office design has always been linked to productivity—how many workers can be reasonably squeezed into a given space—but why isn’t it more frequently linked to creativity? “In general, I don’t think enough people link the design of space to business outcome,” says Janice Linster, partner with the Minneapolis design firm Studio Hive.
| Aug 11, 2010
BIM school, green school: California's newest high-performance school
Nestled deep in the Napa Valley, the city of American Canyon is one of a number of new communities in Northern California that have experienced tremendous growth in the last five years. Located 42 miles northeast of San Francisco, American Canyon had a population of just over 9,000 in 2000; by 2008, that figure stood at 15,276, with 28% of the population under age 18.
