For the first time in the event’s seven-year history, TECH+, presented by AN and aec+tech, will come to Los Angeles. Featuring the latest in AEC technology, the conference includes a full-day symposium and an exhibition of cutting-edge technology products. The event will be held at the LINE LA and will be co-chaired by Niknaz Aftahi, founder and CEO of aec+tech.
Lucas Museum + Digital Twin
The program kicks off with a presentation from Michael Siegel and Cory Hill of Stantec, covering their work on the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Using a cloud-based BIM model, the design team has embraced parametric modeling to deliver a paperless project.
Digital Transformation: AI, ML, and New Applications
Digital Transformation will feature a presentation led by Alloy Kemp and Sila Gulgec of Thornton Tomasetti, Thomas Kerns from Perkins+Will, and Rohan Jawali, founder and CEO of Joist.ai. Panelists will discuss the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools into the design process at their respective firms, as well as the future of generative modeling.
Investor Insights: Navigating Opportunities and Trends in the Design and Construction Industry
Led by AEC venture capital leaders, this roundtable will emphasize the importance of entrepreneurship and technological innovation in the AEC industry. The discussion will include Nikhil Choudhary, founding partner at Nirman Ventures, Curtis Rodgers, partner at Brick & Mortar Ventures, and Vivin Hegde, founding partner at Zacua Ventures.
Tools for Environmental Optimization
Kathleen Hetrick of Buro Happold and Lauren Karnath of Walter P. Moore will discuss technological innovation as it relates to sustainability, energy modeling, and high performance design.
Advanced Technology and Education
This spotlight will show the work of the USC School of Architecture’s Masters of Advanced Architectural Research Studies (MAARS) program. Delivered in a pecha kucha style, the session will feature short presentations from a diverse selection of the USC architecture faculty including Alvin Huang, Wendy W. Fok, Matt Conway, Lisa Little, Jia Zhou Zhu, and Sarah Hammond.
BIM and the Digital Twin
Thesla Collier, Gensler Los Angeles’ design technology manager, and Cesar Escalante, a BIM instructor at Academy of Art University and member of the AIA Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) leadership council, will share their expertise in digital design, emphasizing practical takeaways.
Womxn in Technology for Architecture
Wendy W. Fok, director of WE-DESIGNS, will take the stage accompanied by Laure Michelon, Julia Koerner, Soomeen Hahm, Biayna Bogosian, Bz Zhang, and Lucia Tahan for a roundtable highlighting womxn in the design technology field.
AI and the Design Imaginary
Finally, TECH+ LA will conclude with a presentation by Hasan Ragrab, a multi-hyphenate designer exploring the frontier of AI-generated design as it relates to architecture and art writ large. These topics will intersect with broader debates about artistic authenticity and ownership spurred by innovations in AI image generation.
TECH+LA is brought to you by The Architect’s Newspaper and aec+tech, and will provide six AIA Learning Units for all attending this one day event.
Click here to view additional conference information and register.
