Imagine: The future of Google

[de-co1]

With Google Earth (I only discovered got to see this last night for the first time) setting to cross boundaries the world over, improve the chances of being stalked by your ex, and being able to pinpoint where exactly in Heathrow you want to land yourself and your parachute... there are some things that could make our construction industry either a wonderful place to be, or a complete nightmare...

Now imagine - you want to submit your design to your local council for approval (bridge, building, landscape proposals et al), but in order to do it, you need to upload a completed 3D model of it into google earth, so that your idea can be judged within it's context. What's the good in this - many architect's will actually be able to see how bad their design is within it's context... and the bad - many architect's will actually be able to see how bad their design is within it's context, as well as the extra work required by all companies to provide 3D models.

Now also imagine... you want to call your mate on the other side of the world, you type in their number, and the search hones into a new device fixed to their kitchen wall. A small window pops up, much like a web cam window, yet, he could take the cordless handset, walk outside, and wave at you on the satellite image of Google Earth...

What's the good in this? VOIP is taken to new levels and you get to see friends you haven't seen for ages in their larger immediate surroundings, and not just a tiny little yellow cast web cam image... if that's at all worth anything!

And the bad...

but then, his / her ex happens to spot him / her, just by chance, and with the development of Google Earth, a reverse search is done, she / he manages to obtain your mate's home number, and then it all goes downhill from there for your poor friend...

Just imagine...



PS

no - thankfully I'm not being stalked

[scwegner]

Now imagine - you want to submit your design to your local council for approval (bridge, building, landscape proposals et al), but in order to do it, you need to upload a completed 3D model of it into google earth, so that your idea can be judged within it's context. What's the good in this - many architect's will actually be able to see how bad their design is within it's context... and the bad - many architect's will actually be able to see how bad their design is within it's context, as well as the extra work required by all companies to provide 3D models.

That's not as far away as you think. A good friend of mine runs a ski resort in Norway where they've just started building a new apartment complex. He was showing me the drawing files and that included in that was one which places the model of the building onto the official town model. Apparently the town provides a 3d model of the land and you're required to insert your building as part of the permit process.

[de-co1]

Personally, I think it's a good way to be able to judge a proposal, and eventually approve a submission, and not only that, create a database for others to use... the downside of course being that smaller companies will begin to suffer.

[scwegner]

Personally, I think it's a good way to be able to judge a proposal, and eventually approve a submission, and not only that, create a database for others to use... the downside of course being that smaller companies will begin to suffer.
Well, his is a small company in a small town and it seems to work quite well. Plus it's just cool to be able to look at the whole town in a 3d model, complete with infrastructure. Someone in the town put a lot of time into it.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi "de-co1" (Sorry, I don't know your real name)

Please note I have *moved* this thread from the Coffee Without CAD (http://forums.augi.com/forumdisplay.php?f=45) forum to this one...

Why? - I think this subject could / should make a very interesting topic for discussion... is also directly related to CAD and working practices, therefore it would be a shame to lose it within the general carry-on of CWC.

Thanks, Mike

Forum Moderator

[Mike.Perry]

BIM + Global Database + Bandwidth = The Future, Today (http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2005/08/bim_global_data.html)


I’ve been playing with Google Earth (http://rcd.typepad.com/personal/2005/07/google_earth_20.html) and think it could revolutionise how companies with geographic resources, projects or assets, access their data.

In a recent article, on AECbytes (http://www.aecbytes.com/), Tom Sweeney comments that the convergence of BIM data, global geo-referenced databases, instant search and high speed data links could revolutionise design and the design process.

A BIM project that extended to a site, or maybe suburban layout, can now be placed in context. Anyone with a broadband net connection can have the world on their desktop today. Your project is part of that world.

What impact will this have on how you do business?

I live in a Google World but I work in a Pre-Google One - AECbytes Viewpoint #16 (http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/issue_16.htm)

[de-co1]

Hi "de-co1" (Sorry, I don't know your real name)

Hi Mike...

I don't know how to change my name up there, and thought that it was generated by my e-mail address. I have now included in my signature to help out

:)



BIM + Global Database + Bandwidth = The Future, Today (http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2005/08/bim_global_data.html)

Yes, this is very interesting indeed. I will read through it and the links properly over the weekend though, but yeah, the future possibilities are endless, and the ramifications could be disastrous in the wrong hands.

I'm sure global intelligence have covered it and are on top of it, so for this particular forum, I would say it's all good. Extra strain on the 3D guys and IT managers, but imagine how truly spectacular the civil and architectural industries could become if say, for instance Koolhaas designs a new public library that nobody likes, and the public actually have a say on it based on conceptual models placed in a 3D cityscape.

Ideas around this certainly could revolutionise the way in which industries have to approach projects, and the manner in which they see them through. It certainly would have a massive impact on our constructions industries, and I wonder to what extent things in the average office would have to change in order to cope / keep up.


That's not as far away as you think. A good friend of mine runs a ski resort in Norway where they've just started building a new apartment complex. He was showing me the drawing files and that included in that was one which places the model of the building onto the official town model. Apparently the town provides a 3d model of the land and you're required to insert your building as part of the permit process.

SCWEGNER does say that this is a small firm, and they have managed. I need to ask though, is this process simplpy to satisfy the local council, or is it open to public scrutiny?

[Mike.Perry]

I don't know how to change my name up there, and thought that it was generated by my e-mail address. I have now included in my signature to help outHi David

Not quite possible yet, but should be coming to a store near you very soon... myself and a few others will be carrying out further tests this coming weekend, if they go as planned it should mean all systems will be go very shortly...

:beer: Mike

[Brian Myers]

This is a process that will revolutionize many industries. In my own industry (Residential Design) it will have a sweeping effect in the way developers will do business.

Imagine scouting potential building sites from MLS data then viewing the satellite imagery of the property and community. When a property has potential then overlaying the GIS and engineering data to scout for site usability will be the next step followed by laying in virtual buildings to get a feel for the site, community and total project costs..

After purchasing the property, the data and imagery will be used for everything from getting the project passed through zoning to organizing the construction process and the workflow of the trades to sales literature and finally tracking the growth of the community. Data will be embedded in the virtual landscape to track the life span of roads, electrical, pipes, new construction, probable property values, etc. which will in turn help determine future budgets and perhaps even Tax rates for your community.