In Practice Course | Coordination with a Structural Engineer

Lesson 1 – The principles of co-ordination with an engineer (17:50). We dive into the crucial process of coordination between architects and structural engineers. Using real-world examples, you’ll learn how to communicate design changes effectively, ensuring that elements like columns and windows are aligned without clashes. The focus is on manual coordination, helping you understand key principles before exploring automated tools like Navisworks. Whether working in Revit or CAD, this lesson teaches essential techniques to avoid costly mistakes and foster smoother collaboration with your engineering counterparts.

Lesson 2 – Examples of poor co-ordination (12:07). Here, we explore the risks of poor coordination between architects and structural engineers. Using real-world examples, you’ll see how small errors can lead to significant consequences, including costly design modifications and legal claims. This lesson highlights the importance of careful, precise planning and regular communication with engineers to avoid issues like columns obstructing circulation or cold bridges disrupting thermal performance. By fostering strong relationships and a collaborative approach, architects can catch potential issues early and work efficiently to resolve them, ensuring smoother project outcomes.

Lesson 3 – How to comment on an engineer’s work (17:56). Explore how to effectively comment on an engineer’s work, focusing on providing feedback using both 2D and 3D methods. You’ll learn best practices for marking up plans, providing clear instructions, and using visual references to flag potential issues. We also cover the importance of methodical approaches, such as grid line references and colour coding, to ensure clarity in communication. By mastering these techniques, you’ll enhance your coordination skills and foster better collaboration with engineers, leading to more streamlined project execution.

Lesson 4 – Project setup and aligning to world co-ordinates (15:06). In this lesson, we delve into the essential process of setting up world coordinates for an architectural project. You’ll learn how to use surveys, such as topographic data, to align your project accurately within Revit. This involves understanding key terms like northern and easting (similar to latitude and longitude) and ensuring that elevation levels are correctly set above sea level. By following a precise workflow, including linking CAD files and validating coordinates, you’ll establish a solid foundation before sharing your model with engineers, ensuring smooth collaboration and accurate coordination.

Lesson 5 – Inserting an engineer’s model and initial exploration (11:14). Learn how to import the structural engineer’s model into Revit, ensuring it aligns using shared coordinates. The process includes linking the Revit model, verifying correct placement, and conducting an initial inspection using section boxes to check for clashes. Use visual overrides and revision clouds to flag any issues for the engineer, and make issues easier to spot. The lesson emphasises methodical exploration in 3D, floor plans, and sections, ensuring structural elements are correctly placed within the architectural model, allowing for clear communication and refinement with the engineer throughout the coordination process.

Lesson 6 – Reviewing the engineer’s drawings and model (30:30). Follow a step-by-step process for providing comments on both Revit models and engineer drawings. We walk you through marking up models and 2D drawings, taking screenshots of key issues, and organising them in a report for ease of communication. Using InDesign to compile these reports, the lesson focuses on flagging discrepancies, suggesting revisions, and ensuring coordination between architectural and structural models. The process includes highlighting specific areas in red, categorising observations, and ensuring efficient communication for model adjustments.

Lesson 7 – Re-loading an engineer’s model & working with revisions (14:45). In Lesson 7, the focus is on updating the Revit model based on feedback given to the structural engineer. After submitting comments in a methodical way, the engineer sends back an updated model with revisions. The lesson explains how to organize project files into folders such as “Consultants” and subfolders like “Structural” and “Revit Models.” We demonstrate the process of loading the updated model into Revit, using shared coordinates, and comparing it with the previous version to verify changes. The lesson emphasises ongoing coordination, checking for remaining issues, and maintaining clear communication with the engineer.

Lesson 8 – Working with an engineer’s information (16:49). In the final chapter, the focus shifts to practical applications of working with an engineer’s model after coordination is complete. We cover the importance of using the frame as the primary element to set out the building’s internal layout, noting that everything is built off the frame. The lesson explains how to establish setting-out points from grid lines for walls, doors, and other key elements. It highlights the significance of using top-of-steel levels and coordinates for accuracy, as well as aligning secondary steel elements like cladding rails. The lesson also covers integrating these items into drawings for better project management.

Lesson 9 – How structural information affects an architect’s drawings (15:06). In Lesson 9, we emphasise the critical role of structural engineers in architectural design, highlighting how their input affects elements like beam depths, ceiling heights, and floor thicknesses. Early coordination with engineers ensures accurate designs, minimises risks of error, and prevents costly changes. This lesson stresses the importance of integrating an engineer’s information as soon as possible in the design process to create precise, coordinated drawings that improve overall project efficiency and accuracy.

Lesson 10 – Lessons learned from my career (15:16). In the final lesson, we share key advice for managing architectural projects, particularly the importance of working closely with engineers. Early coordination with engineers, especially using Revit, is critical to avoid costly mistakes. Key tips include maintaining good relationships with engineers, using a responsibility matrix to define roles clearly, and never overstepping into other professional domains. The lesson stresses the need to be thorough, patient, and to avoid rushing decisions, all of which lead to smoother projects and better outcomes for clients.