Driving Creativity and Innovation Through Engineering and Technology

New York is about more than highways and traffic. The city is filled with resilience, community, sustainability, and more elements that support a healthy built environment. How will architecture impact the future of New York’s communities

Welcome to the third season of Architecture 5 10 20! I’m your host, Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast are pioneers and visionaries shaping the future of the built environment across various disciplines. Join me in exploring their remarkable journeys, discovering how they reach their current heights, and envisioning what lies ahead in the next 5, 10, and 20 years.

Join me today as I have a conversation with my friend Tom Scarangello, Thornton Tomasetti's managing principal and senior advisor and an industry thought leader in innovation and technology. With over four decades at the forefront of innovation in structural engineering, Tom brings a wealth of experience and a visionary perspective on the industry's evolution.

We dive deep into Tom's journey with Thornton Tomasetti, from its humble beginnings to becoming a global leader in proactive innovation, with Tom reflecting on pivotal moments such as the firm's response to the 2008 economic downturn and the strategic merger with Wide Langer in 2015. This discussion provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Thornton Tomasetti leveraged intellectual property and embraced technology to redefine industry standards!

Tom also shares his thoughts on the shift from reactive to proactive innovation, the impact of building information modeling, and the exciting developments in AI. We explore how AI is accelerating design processes and reshaping the future of structural engineering, and Tom highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between technological advancements and foundational engineering principles, ensuring that innovation enhances rather than overshadows core expertise.

This episode is truly a fascinating exploration of how technology is transforming the built environment and what lies ahead for the industry. Listen to hear Tom’s insights on navigating these changes and the role of curiosity and open-source data in driving progress!

Time stamps:

[01:40] - After 40 years, Tom has seen his firm evolve from small to global leaders in innovation.
[04:54] - Tom drove diversity and innovation, investing in untapped IP and creating initiatives.
[06:39] - Tom's industry lagged in innovation, relying on outdated methods, despite advances like AutoCAD.
[09:01] - Transitioning to smart models and BIM has accelerated Tom's industry’s innovation and digitization.
[11:07] - Hear how Tom improved project delivery by experimenting with XSteel and embracing new technology.
[13:45] - Tom explains how entering data directly into Tekla improved efficiency and control over some aspects of connections.
[15:39] - Tom's company developed Construe to enable effective use of data across different modeling platforms.
[16:58] - Experience helps engineers make quick, informed decisions, enhancing value and creativity in design!
[19:06] - Tom argues that AI can enhance efficiency in design, focusing on creative solutions rather than physics problems.
[21:36] - Human oversight is still crucial; AI can't replace responsibility for ensuring safety and compliance!
[24:38] - Tom points out how early versions of ChatGPT impressed him, with its capabilities having rapidly advanced in less than two years.
[26:37] - Tom discusses the book Co Intelligence by Ethan Malik.
[29:40] - It's important to embrace new tools; resisting change could ultimately limit career longevity and impact.
[31:04] - AI tools generate multiple design solutions quickly, allowing focus on choosing the best one.
[33:03] - Learn how urban redevelopment reconnects communities and should be advocated despite lingering challenges.
[35:42] - Urban redevelopment projects reconnect communities, and Tom expresses eagerness to volunteer for such initiatives in the Bronx.
[38:43] - Architects, engineers, and contractors are collaborating more effectively, driven by technology to address challenges.
[41:42] - Tom feels that having conversations like this podcast helps improve the industry and shows that others share the goal of solving problems collaboratively.
[42:15] - Tom's enthusiasm for technology and AI in the AEC industry highlights the need for curiosity and creativity to address challenges.

Links / Resources:
Guy Geier
Instagram | Twitter
Thornton Tomasetti
LinkedIn
Ethan Mollick - Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI