EXTON, Pa. – Five universities in Australia and New Zealand will host showcase events this month spotlighting student designs completed using GenerativeComponents (GC), Bentley’s unique generative design software that provides architects and engineers with unprecedented freedom to explore innovative designs and quickly compare many alternatives. The students will present their designs before an audience of fellow students, professors, and practicing architects and engineers, who will gain valuable insight into the advantages of this technology. Each showcase event will also provide networking time for the student designers and audience members to discuss GC’s capabilities, as well as an opportunity to peruse student projects in a gallery setting.
The events are made possible through the universities’ participation in Bentley’s GenerativeComponents University initiative. Part of the BE Careers Network Academic SELECT subscription program, this initiative grants universities access to GC software and provides them with an experienced GC tutor from academia or professional practice. The tutor leads a two-day on-site training session exclusively for the studio or unit project participants. At the end of the semester, the design studio shares the results of its applied learning by hosting a showcase event.
The Australian and New Zealand universities hosting upcoming student showcase events include:
- University of Melbourne, Nov. 14
- University of Queensland, Nov. 20
- Auckland University, Nov. 27
- Queensland University of Technology, Nov. 28
- University of Technology, Sydney, Nov. 28
“These showcase events provide our students with a rare opportunity to show off their talent, skills, and knowledge of advanced design software to an audience of potential employers,” said Anthony Burke, director, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology, Sydney. “Later, in a less formal setting, they will get to exchange ideas and ‘talk shop’ with these same practicing professionals from top architectural and engineering firms, enhancing an already rich experience.”
Burke continued, “The experience, of course, begins with the students gaining access to cutting-edge technology – the same technology that is already enabling leading architects and engineers around the world to deliver inspired sustainable buildings.”
Scott Lofgren, global director of BE Careers Network, said, “The first showcase event took place last May at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Students from two graduate design studios discussed the inspiration behind their projects as well as their use of GC software to explore a variety of forms and alternatives in completing them.”
The showcase events promote student success in the application of GC technology and strengthen relationships between the academic community and professional practice. “Through this initiative, the university is associated with leading-edge design, the students are exposed to potential employers, and the design studio is recognized for its talent and accomplishments,” continued Lofgren.
Added Michael Davis, head of studio and architectural media studies at Auckland University’s School of Architecture and Planning, “The GC University initiative allows us to disseminate knowledge and use the technology in our studio. That, in turn, results in a strategic deployment of the software by students to facilitate the exploration of new possibilities that would otherwise remain untapped.”
“The program will help our students be more innovative in their approach and combine creativity and intuition with logic,” commented professor Bharat Dave of the University of Melbourne.
Said Michael Dickson, senior lecturer, University of Queensland, “Bentley’s innovative applied learning program enables us to test new technology for complex form generation and manufacture that opens new avenues for architectural expression.”
“By using GC technology in their course work, our aspiring architects are finding new ways to efficiently explore alternative building forms without manually building the detail design model for each scenario,” said professor Robin Drogemuller of the Queensland University of Technology. “This also makes them more efficient in managing conventional design and documentation.”
For additional information about the university GC showcase events taking place this month in Australia and New Zealand, contact Megan Mckellar at +61 7 30310117 or e-mail megan.mckellar@bentley.com.
About GenerativeComponents
GenerativeComponents enables architects and engineers to pursue designs and achieve results that were virtually unthinkable before. Empowered by computational methods, the designers can direct their creativity to deliver inspired sustainable buildings that are freer in form and use innovative materials and assemblies. GenerativeComponents facilitates this by allowing the quick exploration of a broad range of “what-if” alternatives for even the most complex buildings.
This unique generative design software captures and exploits the critical relationships between design intent and geometry. Designs can be refined by either dynamically modeling and directly manipulating geometry, by applying rules and capturing relationships among building elements, or by defining complex building forms and systems through concisely expressed algorithms. For additional information about GenerativeComponents, visit www.bentley.com/gc.
About BE Careers Network
BE Careers Network is dedicated to helping students graduate with the technology skills needed for today’s infrastructure professions, including civil engineering and architecture. It accomplishes this by providing programs for students, teachers, and schools, including free and discounted software licenses, training, curriculum counseling, and scholarships. The programs are geared to the needs of students in universities, colleges, technical schools, and high schools. For additional information about BE Careers Network, visit www.bentley.com/becareers.
About Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Bentley is the global leader dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure. Architects, engineers, constructors, and owner-operators are indispensable in improving our world and our quality of life; the company’s mission is to improve the performance of their projects and of the assets they design, build, and operate. Bentley sustains the infrastructure professions by helping to leverage information technology, learning, best practices, and global collaboration – and by promoting careers devoted to this crucial work.
Founded in 1984, Bentley has more than 2,800 colleagues, offices in more than 50 countries, annual revenues surpassing $500 million, and since 1993, has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions. Nearly 90 percent of the Engineering News-Record Top Design Firms are Bentley subscribers, and a 2008 Daratech study ranked Bentley as the world’s #2 provider of geospatial software solutions. For additional information about Bentley, visit www.bentley.com.
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