Case studies / Improve Communication/Collaboration
Since its founding in 1969, HMFH Architects has established a national reputation for design excellence. By its distinguished range of award-winning work—from renovated urban buildings to new campuses— HMFH is recognized as a leader in the design of innovative K-12 learning environments.
HMFH is a women-owned business (WBE) led by five Principals, two Associate Principals, and a core group of Senior Associates and Associates who have an average of 17 years with the firm. This stability enables HMFH to provide its clients with continuity and commitment from start to finish of a project.
The firm is comprised of more than 35 architects and designers, including specialists in interior and graphic design, programming, sustainability, acoustics and lighting, historic preservation and reuse, and construction administration.
The City of Boston hired HMFH Architects to design the new Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS), an impressive high-rise facility in the heart of Boston’s Chinatown, to support 650 students in grades 6-12. To help streamline the coordination process, HMFH used the BIM Track module of Newforma Konekt’s cloud-based coordination platform. With Newforma Konekt, HMFH overcame many critical coordination and design challenges while fostering effective communication between stakeholders.
The JQUS school is a significant project for the City of Boston. Originally initiated in 2011, it began with a complex, extended site selection process that lasted over a decade. Stakeholders ultimately landed on the current site at the threshold of Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood, an optimal location that satisfied all parties involved.
Devin Canton, an Architect and the Technology Innovation Leader at HMFH, joined the JQUS project team during the construction documentation (CD) phase of the design process. As the project moved into construction, coordination became a significant challenge. In response, Canton implemented Newforma Konekt’s BIM Track module into HMFH’s workflow to help streamline this process and bridge the gap between project managers and team members using authoring software such as REVIT, Enscape, and Navisworks, by facilitating real-time communication and efficient issue resolution.
“The school has been under construction since the Fall of 2021 and is scheduled to open in 2024. Coordination is key when designing and constructing a public project of this scope. Designers, contractors, and consultants must stay in constant communication to ensure that each element of the project, from the steel structure to control joints, is built as designed and to ensure that the project comes in on time and within budget.”
Devin CantonArchitect and the Technology Innovation Leader
Newforma’s cloud-hosted, web-based platform, Newforma Konekt, provided an ideal solution to HMFH’s coordination needs. HMFH’s client leveraged Newforma Konekt’s BIM Track module to facilitate seamless collaboration and information sharing across all stakeholder groups. Specifically designed for construction project coordination, the module shares action items across many types of design, pre-construction and construction software.
Using the BIM Track module of Newforma Konekt, which includes the ability to track action items and issues between team members, HMFH successfully bridged the gap between project managers and those using Autodesk REVIT. This enabled in-office drafting teams to see the action items and associated information in real-time as the on-site teams log them
Reduced dependency on construction coordination meetings
The implementation of Newforma Konekt's BIM Track module facilitated real-time communication and issue resolution, significantly reducing the need for time-consuming and costly construction coordination meetings
Real-time information sharing among project teams
The BIM Track module allowed project managers and team members using authoring software to see and address action items in real-time, enhancing collaboration and reducing delays
Comprehensive issue history for reference
Logging action items through the BIM Track module created a comprehensive history of the project, making it easy for stakeholders to access information on both current and resolved issues, eliminating redundancies, and facilitating efficient issue resolution.
Enhanced project efficiency and communication
By streamlining coordination and communication, the Newforma Konekt solution improved overall project efficiency, helping ensure that project elements were built as designed and that the project stayed on time and within budget.
Cost savings through streamlined coordination
While it is impossible to determine with exactitude, what is clear is that with fewer construction coordination meetings and improved communication, the project was able to save hundreds of hours over the course of its lifecycle.
Improved working relationships among stakeholders
The ease of visualizing and tracking the coordination process and the efficient issue resolution process led to improved working relationships among designers, contractors, and consultants, fostering a more collaborative and harmonious project environment.
By leveraging Newforma Konekt’s BIM Track module, HMFH successfully streamlined construction coordination for the Josiah Quincy Upper School project. Real-time information sharing, comprehensive issue history, and improved transparency significantly enhanced project efficiency and communication. Newforma’s solution effectively bridged the gap between project managers and software users, resulting in satisfied stakeholders and a well-coordinated construction process.
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