Jamie Frankel’s career within the built environment continues to serve owner, architect, engineering and construction clients. We talked with Jamie about the sides of doing business that are not often addressed: Leading high-stakes negotiations and similar discussions. Dealing with powerful people with strong, sometimes divergent interests in business negotiations. Managing Conflict. Navigating situations with politics … Continued
Change does not come easy to the A/E/C industries, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t challenge our thinking about the best ways to do business. The needs of the present (and the future) are unlike any we have previously faced. But it’s not so much that we should be doing different things when designing and … Continued
Technology plays a critical role in what a firm can accomplish today It is now the framework to distinguish firms and their value propositions of enhancing processes to deliver more insightful services in shorter time frames. It has an impact across the board, including on how we do business development and recruiting. It changes how … Continued
Irrelevance is the bête noire of professional service firms. In the past two decades, we have seen the rise of BIM, generative design, digital twins and other technologies that are fundamentally changing the design process and construction documentation. The traditional roles, relationships and power dynamics within the design and delivery process have shifted, hastening the … Continued
Foreword: In November 2018, one of Australia’s leading offsite manufacturers in the residential market, Strongbuild, went into voluntary administration. In response, DFC Australia Managing Director Alexia Lidas shares her thoughts on the status of innovation in the market. Researching and sharing, listening and learning from colleagues over coffee: that’s how I spend a lot of … Continued
When I stepped into the role of president of tvsdesign in January 2017, I was only the third person to hold that position since we opened for business in 1968. Having been a leader at tvsdesign as a studio principal, I was already deeply passionate about the firm, and understood the challenges and opportunities I … Continued
In 2015, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research facility, conducted a study for DOE on buildings of the future and developed a vision framework. Five key building interactions were considered, based on the roles a building should and could play in the future: • Building and environment • Building … Continued
David Ronksley—managing director of C2R Consulting (a DFC Australia member firm)— talked with Mark Farmer, founding director and CEO of Cast Consultancy, about the future of construction. This is part two in a two-part series David Ronksley (DR): So, to go back to the offsite construction challenge, what remains the biggest barrier? Mark Farmer (MF): … Continued
As a venture capitalist, I believe creating a more sustainable environment is an investment opportunity that is not only profitable, but necessary for our future. Our physical world is under increasing pressure, and not living sustainably now will perpetuate future problems. For example, today the largest contributor to landfills is construction waste. The operation of … Continued
James Frankel, Esq.
Julian Anderson
Nirva Fereshetian
Bob Fisher
Alexia Lidas
Janet Simpson
Dr. Nora Wang
Mark Farmer and David Ronksley
Jesse Devitte