Nnamdi Anombem is the BIM Manager at PG Design Studio, a leading client-centric architectural Firm in Waterloo ON. He holds a bachelor’s Degrees in Environmental Science and Architecture.
With over 20 years of experience in the AEC industry in various capacities, his colleagues call him a true “BIM Jedi”. He is a teacher at heart and loves sharing the knowledge he has gathered over the years while continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible with BIM.
Please tell us about PG DESIGN STUDIO.
PG Design Studio specializes in delivering projects using a collaborative approach. We pride ourselves on working closely with clients, developers, stakeholders, builders, sub-trades, procurement specialists and project consultants through all stages of the project, delivering well-coordinated, efficient building designs to our clients.
We strive to deliver strong project concepts, innovative ideas, and strategies that fit the specific requirements of each site, client, and program. The resulting projects are well situated within their contexts, addressing human, urban, geographical, environmental, functional, and practical considerations, and doing so with unique architectural style. This PG Design Studio approach has resulted in the construction award-winning projects.
Please tell us about the culture and philosophy for digital technology and innovation at PG DESIGN STUDIO?
BIM lies at the centre of everything we do in our organization. Due to the unique nature of our organization, we have fully adopted a collaborative methodology for completing all our projects.
All project stakeholders are engaged early in the design process and we leverage our BIM tools to ensure that our projects are delivered on time and on budget. We are currently pushing an internal strategy to reduce our use of paper by 50% by the end of the year and become totally paperless by next year.
Please tell us about an interesting project/case study/product where technology is being implemented or has been implemented at PG DESIGN STUDIO?
THE HUB is a 14 Storey High-Rise Mixed-Use development on Columbia & Albert Street in Waterloo Ontario.
The Hub maximizes residential density, provides commercial space at the ground floor, and creates pedestrian focused urban / landscape space for the tenants. Consisting of 5 buildings around the perimeter of the site with a public promenade through the center, a central pedestrian-centric urban development lined with commercial shops was created.
The architectural design was developed through a dialectic between the historical, the contemporary, and the future. The buildings sit on the promenade, a pedestrian-focused urban space completed with historically themed art installations referencing Waterloo’s cultural and historical roots.
The complex and interconnected nature of the precast concrete development comprising of multiple unique buildings coupled with the number of people working on the project required almost seamless coordination between all the disciplines.
AutoDesk Revit was our primary BIM authoring tool and it played a huge factor in the successful delivery of the project.
In your opinion, how will BIM reduce time and costs?
The very nature of BIM when properly implemented results in significant cost reductions for all stakeholders in the AEC industry. BIM can be leveraged within any organization to create innovative workflows that will improve project performance throughout the entire project lifecycle. Consultants can deliver well-coordinated projects much quicker with a higher level of precision. This, in turn, results in less expensive builds with potential issues being resolved even before the project moves to the site.
Finally, please share your thoughts on what technologies will impact the AECOO industry in the next five years?
I believe that 2 major technologies will impact the AEC industry in the coming years are Computational Design and BIM driven Municipal Permit approvals processes.
The former involves leveraging and analyzing building data to better inform both interior and exterior building design. The latter will streamline the permitting process and allow for better and more transparent interactions between the reviewer, consultants and stakeholders.
Thank you for taking the time to share with us!
