Gehry Technologies and the MIT School of Architecture Symposium; Digital Practice in the Building of the MIT Stata Center

Business Wire, May 6, 2004

News Editors/High-Tech Writers

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2004

Gehry Technologies(R), an independent company created by Gehry Partners, together with the MIT School of Architecture, today held a Symposium in the Kirsch Auditorium of the newly opened Ray and Maria Stata Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Symposium was arranged to coincide with the official opening of the Stata Center, a project designed by Gehry Partners using digital practice technologies.

Some 500 construction professionals, academics, faculty and students attended the Symposium, which focused on the application of digital practice to the Stata Center as well as a preview of Gehry Technologies' DIGITAL PROJECT(TM) software.

Three sessions were held:

The first session, moderated by Jim Glymph FAIA, Partner at Gehry Partners, featured managers of the design, engineering and construction team on MIT's Stata Center, discussing experiences from the field, lessons learned and directions for the future of building practice. Presentations were made by: Marc Salette, Project Principal, Gehry Partners; Paul Hewins, Project Executive, Skansa USA; Christine Clements, Field Architect, Cannon Design; Nancy Joyce, Project Director, MIT; Ron Lee, Project Manager, John A Martin & Associates; Tony Micielli, Project Manager, CAPCO Steel Corp; Chris Terman, Senior Lecturer, EECS MIT; and by Bill Zahner, President, A. Zahner Company.

Session two was a roundtable discussion on the impacts of technology on building practice from some of the leading voices in the industry, moderated by Professor William J. Mitchell, Head, MIT Media Arts and Sciences Program. Panel members included: Jim Becker, Vice President, Skanska USA; Jim Glymph FAIA, Partner, Gehry Partners; Kent Larsen, Director of Housing, MIT Media Laboratory; Daniel L. Schodek, Professor of Architectural Technology, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Dennis R. Shelden, CTO Gehry Technologies; and Mark R. Mendell, FAIA, MRAIC, President, Cannon Design. Following this session, there was a walk-through tour of the new Stata Center.

In the third session, Gehry Technologies provided an overview of its technologies, services and initiatives. Participants were introduced to 3D integrated work methods for design, development and construction documentation. The potential for digital technologies to address the challenges of building design and construction was presented through demonstrations and case studies of projects by Gehry Partners and other leading architectural firms.

Gehry Technologies is developing a suite of products named DIGITAL PROJECT, dedicated to the building industries collaboration and digital contracting experience that Gehry Partners gained while building world-renowned structures with Dassault Systemes' CATIA(R) software. DIGITAL PROJECT will enhance communication and collaboration between architects, agencies, engineers, contractors and fabricators. It is an integration and coordination tool that manages paper and two-dimensional representations of information as a secondary by-product of a process, and is based on working with systems and assemblies in three dimensions. DIGITAL PROJECT is designed for technical development and coordination of building systems through visualization of a "3D virtual building model" that is a gateway to project information. It includes full 3D authoring, editing, workflow and versioning, as well as morphing productivity tools for architects, engineers, and detailers.

About Gehry Technologies, LLC

Gehry Technologies, LLC (GT) was established in 2002 following fifteen years of experience in technology and process innovation at Gehry Partners. GT's mission is to commercialize and expand upon this work in developing digital tools for building design and construction innovation, making the tools and technologies available to leading design, construction and management companies everywhere. For more information, visit http://www.gehrytechnologies.com.

Gehry Technologies and DIGITAL PROJECT are registered trademarks of Gehry Technologies, LLC, in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

(C) Copyright 2004 Gehry Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.