Low productivity and high costs have led to an increased interest for industrialized construction methods in Sweden. Several new construction systems have been developed to increase productivity and contribute to a more efficient construction process. Virtual Design and Construction is another term for efficient management of “design-construction projects, including the product (i.e., facilities), work processes and organization of the design - construction - operation team in order to support explicit and public business objectives” (CIFE, Stanford). By streamlining all these areas a cost-effective building process can be achieved. VeidekkeMAX, an open building system that has its roots in the Virtual Design and Construction, has been developed with a focus to increase productivity and be the most cost effective option while the keeping the flexibility in the design of various building components. This thesis has studied the repetitive construction process of the structural system of VeidekkeMax buildings. Vico Office have been used to automate the 5D planning of the construction process of the structural system. A reference project of a VeidekkeMAX building has been used as a basis for the development by comparisons and identifying similarities and differences with the project. The proposed method is based on the definition of a reference file in Vico Office that is supported by information and connecting structures from other software for the 5D design work process. In order to create a reliable procedure it must be designed with the knowledge of how the information is interpreted by different users. In addition the building parts need to be predefined and supplied with the correct specification id, a cost and activity recipe and be connected to a particular work process in the production schedule.

Denna uppsats har för avsikt att beskriva och redogöra för området videoscenografi och hur en videoscenograf arbetar. Videoscenografer har 90- och 00-talets snabba utveckling av prestanda inom datakraften att tacka för sin funktion, i en värld som kräver alltmer av kreatören frågar jag mig hur videoscenografen ser på sin omvärld. Videoscenografen verkar i området mellan det konstnärliga, scentekniska och grafiska. Deras position är fortfarande under förvirring just eftersom deras arbetsfält är så brett. Uppsatsen klargör för läsaren vad det är de sysslar med inom en scenkonstproduktion och varför videoscenografin är en sak för framtiden. Video inom scenkonstproduktioner blir allt viktigare, samtidigt som dekormålares arbete blir allt mindre, men endå tvingas videoscenografen att utföra sitt arbete under trängda förhållanden, med full ljussättning på scen, eller samtidigt som repetitioner pågår där de riskerar att störa en kreativ process. Insynen i vad de sysslar med är högst begränsad eftersom det är ett ungt yrke, med så pass få utövare. Denna uppsats klargör för varför videoscenografens arbete är viktigt och varför de bör ges mer tid att utföra sitt arbete.

Purpose: Low productivity, poor quality and rising costs are some of the problems within the building industry. These problems can be attributed to the complexity of the building industry, low digitisation and outdated ways to manage building projects. Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is a way of working which can reduce these problems and lead to improvements and higher efficiency.  VDC is used by several actors in the building industry, mainly during the design process but not so much during construction even though it would render an even bigger effect if used then as well. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate difficulties and incentives regarding implementation of VDC in construction. Method: This qualitative study is based on a literature study and a case study which provides good validity and reliability. The case study includes observations and interviews with personnel at two different building projects as well as a design process manager. Findings: Difficulties found in this study are the building industry´s high level of institutionalization, lack of information concerning the meaning of VDC and poor communication of the educations, guidelines and management documents that exists regarding the use of VDC. Further difficulties are the low level of VDC knowledge within the construction teams and compatibility issues and costs that may arise when introducing new technology. Among the incentives found are the way VDC contributes to a greater product through more thought-through solutions, increased understanding and increased involvement of all concerned. Using VDC leads to clearer communication, easier management and a better overview of projects and safer workplaces as risks are more easily detected. Another important incentive found is the positive attitude among the construction team members towards the use of VDC. Implications: The result of the study provides a basis for successful implementation of VDC in production. To overcome the difficulties noted, clear communication about what VDC is and how it is used is recommended, as well as designing management documents and developing and communicating VDC education to construction team members. It is also important to involve the staff in changes of work procedures, take notice of their opinions and to take advantage of their experience. Limitations: The result ought to be applicable to companies where VDC is used in the design process and that has similar ambitions as the company this study was carried out in cooperation with. Keywords: Virtual Design and Construction, building virtually, 3D-models, construction management, change in work-processes. / Syfte: Byggbranschen har problem med bland annat låg produktivitet, bristande kvalitet och stigande byggkostnader. Många av dessa problem kan härledas till branschens komplexitet, låga digitalisering och omoderna sätt att styra projekten.  Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) är ett arbetssätt som kan minska dessa problem och leda till förbättringar och effektiviseringar. VDC används av flertalet aktörer i branschen men då till största delen under projekteringsfasen av ett projekt trots att det skulle ge ännu större effekt om det även användes under produktionen. Målet med detta arbete är därför att undersöka hinder och drivkrafter gällande införande av VDC i produktionen. Metod: Arbetet är en kvalitativ studie och bygger på en litteraturstudie och en fallstudie vilket ger god validitet och reliabilitet. Under fallstudien har observationer gjorts och semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med personal från två olika projekt samt med en projekteringsledare. Resultat: Arbetet visar på hinder som byggbranschens höga grad av institutionalisering, bristande information om innebörden av VDC samt bristande kommunikation om de utbildningar, riktlinjer och styrdokument som finns kring VDC-användning i projekt. Andra hinder är den bristande kunskapen hos produktionspersonalen och de kompabilitetsproblem och kostnader som kan uppstå vid införandet av ny teknik. Drivkrafter som arbetet belyser är bland annat att VDC bidrar till en bättre slutprodukt genom mer genomtänkta lösningar, ökad förståelse och ökat engagemang av samtliga berörda. Att använda VDC leder till bättre och tydligare kommunikation, enklare styrning och bättre översikt av projekten och säkrare arbetsplatser då risker lättare upptäcks. En annan viktig drivkraft är de anställdas positiva attityd till VDC. Konsekvenser: Arbetets resultat ger förutsättningar för en lyckad implementering av VDC i produktionen. För att övervinna de hinder som uppmärksammats rekommenderas en tydlig kommunikation om vad VDC är och hur det ska användas, att styrdokument utformas och att VDC-utbildningar till produktionspersonalen vidareutvecklas och förmedlas. Det är även viktigt att involvera personalen i förändringsarbetet, ta hänsyn till deras åsikter och dra nytta av deras erfarenhet. Begränsningar: Resultatet bör vara tillämpbart på företag där VDC används i projekteringen och har liknande ambition som företaget arbetet utförts i samarbete med. Nyckelord: Virtual Design and Construction, virtuellt byggande, 3D-modeller, produktionsplanering, förändringsarbete.

The purpose of this study is to develop knowledge about collaborative procurement strategies and how these strategies can contribute with motivation for an effective project performance in smaller municipal infrastructure projects. The study also aims to develop an understanding about how a construction logistics centre is applicable to an infrastructure project. Also, how the procurement strategies can create motivation to obtain an effective utilization of a construction logistic centre. To achieve the purpose with the study, a case study of Stockholm Royal Seaport (Norra Djurgårdsstaden) with focus on two infrastructure projects with a mandatory utilization of a construction logistic centre, has been examined. By an abductive method, in terms of literature studies and semi- structured interviews, this study results in that partnering and the payment form cost reimbursement have been a considerable important strategy for the project success. The main conclusion in this study is that collaborative procurement strategies and its components are applicable to a smaller municipal infrastructure project. Significant components to obtain an effective project performance has also been found. Furthermore, the study has shown that a construction logistics centre, designed as in Stockholm Royal Seaport, is not fully adapted to infrastructure projects with similar conditions as the two studied projects. This makes it difficult to draw general conclusions about how procurement strategies should be formed to create motivations for an effective utilization of a construction logistic centre. However, suggestions are given about how procurement can create motivation to obtain an effective utilization of a construction logistic centre by using literature studies. Conclusions can be drawn that partnering and a focus on long term relationships has created motivations for the actors to work effective. / Studiens syfte är att skapa kunskap kring samarbetsinriktade upphandlingsstrategier och hur dessa kan skapa drivkrafter mot ett effektivt projektgenomförande i mindre kommunala anläggningsprojekt. Studien syftar även till att skapa en förståelse om hur ett bygglogistikcenter förhåller sig till anläggningsprojekt samt hur upphandlingsstrategin kan skapa drivkrafter mot ett effektivt nyttjande av ett bygglogistikcenter. För att uppnå syftet med studien har en fallstudie av Norra Djurgårdsstaden med fokus på två anläggningsprojekt, med ett obligatoriskt nyttjande av ett bygglogistikcenter, undersökts. Genom en abduktiv forskningsmetod, i form av litteraturstudier och semi- strukturerade intervjuer, resulterar denna studie i att samverkan och ersättningsformen löpande räkning har varit en betydande strategi för projektens framgång. En huvudsaklig slutsats i studien är att samarbetsinriktade upphandlingsstrategier passar i mindre kommunala anläggningsprojekt. Betydelsefulla komponenter för att uppnå ett effektivt projektgenomförande har även påträffats. Dessutom har studien visat att ett bygglogistikcenter, utformat som i Norra Djurgårdsstaden, inte är helt anpassat till ett anläggningsprojekt. Detta gör det svårt att dra slutsatser från resultatet kring hur upphandlingsstrategier bör formas för ett effektivt nyttjande av ett bygglogistikcenter. Däremot ger studien förslag på hur entreprenadupphandlingen kan skapa drivkrafter för ett effektivt nyttjande av ett bygglogistikcenter med hjälp av litteraturstudier. Avslutningsvis kan slutsatser dras om att samverkansentreprenader, och ett fokus på långsiktiga relationer, skapar drivkrafter till aktörer att utföra ett effektivt projektgenomförande.

Propõe-se um método de construção arquitetural de espaços virtuais, baseado na sobreposição de diversos modos de pensar o espaço e no uso de estruturas da mnemotécnica. Para essa tarefa, faz-se, inicialmente, uma análise crítica do estado da arte em dois campos disciplinares recorrentemente envolvidos na construção de tais ambientes: Interface Usuário-Computador e Realidade Virtual. Em seguida apresenta-se a maneira de se sobrepor diversos modos de pensar o espaço em Arquitetura, a qual constitui o terceiro campo disciplinar desse estudo, explicitado através da introdução e da análise de diferentes exemplos de concepções arquitetônicas pertencentes ao âmbito virtual. Definido como pertencente à mente, o espaço virtual é concebido através de métodos arquitetônicos, acrescidos do uso da Mnemônica, que é a arte e a técnica de se desenvolver e fortalecer a memória. O processo de memorização torna-se central no processo de construção do contexto virtual. Introduzido através de exemplos na história e de recentes aplicações artísticas em realidade virtual, a tese propõe a inclusão da mnemotécnica para a estruturação espacial arquitetônica no virtual / A method is proposed for the architectural construction of virtual spaces based on the overlaying of diverse ways of thinking about space and by using structures of mnemotechniques. In order to achieve this task, a critical review is first carried out of two disciplines which are regularly involved in the construction of this kind of spatiality: Human-Computer Interface, and Virtual Reality. Architecture, as a third and central discipline, presents its method of overlaying diverse ways of thinking space, made explicit through the introduction and analysis of different examples of architectural construction in the virtual realm. Defined as belonging to the mind, the virtual space is conceived through architectural methods by adding the use of Mnemonics, which is the art and technique of developing and making stronger the memory. The memorization process itself becomes central in the process of constructing the virtual context. Introducing examples in history and recent art applications in virtual reality, the thesis proposes the introduction of mnemotechniques for the architectural spatial structuring of the virtual

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The prevalence of Virtual Team (VT) configurations in organizations has come to challenge the relevance of traditional management practices based on traditional, physically collocated teams. Creativity—a topical and multidisciplinary issue—has been under-researched within the context of virtuality. Predicated on the premise that creativity may be expressed differently in the context of VTs, I draw the conceptual foundations for this research from the fields of virtuality (i.e. VTs) and creativity, and use engineering design as the empirical context, with the aim of pursuing a better understanding of creativity in relationship with virtuality in the context of Virtual Design Teams (VDTs). Design constitutes a pertinent empirical context because (a) designers have to deliver outputs requiring creativity; and (b) their work is increasingly accomplished in VDT environments. I report on the findings from three case studies involving temporary VDTs. Studies 1 and 2 comprised student engineers. Study 3 was a comparative case study focusing on a team of professional engineers, who completed one design task while physically collocated (face-to-face, F2F) and another one while geographically dispersed (virtually), with the aim of isolating factors that are unique to virtuality. With an interpretive stance guiding this research, the same analytical approach for each case study, and with the team serving as the unit of analysis, I analysed the collected data (interview data, observations, video recordings, photographic material, documents, communication extracts, design and other outputs) qualitatively with the use of visual and thematic analysis. The thesis makes the following theoretical contributions: (a) it advances understanding of creativity within the VDT lifecycle; (b) it elicits factors influencing creativity in the temporary VDT context; and (c) it explains how the unique characteristics of virtuality influence creativity within this context. The thesis’ limitations as well as implications for research and practice are also discussed.

Na medida em que surgem novas tecnologias de criação de ambientes tridimensionais virtuais, como o WebGL, ampliam-se as possibilidades de uso destes e possibilita-se um aprimoramento da qualidade gráfica e das formas de interação com os mesmos. A presente pesquisa objetiva aproximar designers e a promissora tecnologia WebGL, ainda muito ligada a conhecedores da programação computacional escrita e distante de grande parte dos designers. Com isso, visa-se melhorar a qualidade de criação e distribuição dos trabalhos de Design Virtual. Para tal, propõe-se uma sistemática de criação de conteúdos interativos tridimensionais utilizando o padrão WebGL, balizada por requisitos estipulados com base na revisão bibliográfica do assunto. Dentre os principais requisitos estão a utilização de softwares e recursos que não exijam conhecimentos prévios de linguagem escrita de programação, a compreensão dos três principais pilares dos ambientes virtuais 3D (modelagem, animação e interação) e a exportação facilitada do conteúdo criado em um arquivo (HTML) executável nos principais navegadores web, empregando o padrão WebGL, sem o uso de qualquer complemento (plug-in). Após a análise de 34 ferramentas, escolheu-se o conjunto de programas Blender + Blend4Web para ser utilizado na sistemática. Como resultado, obteve-se uma sistemática de criação de ambientes virtuais tridimensionais com recursos bastante diversificados, que se mostrou útil na atualização dos conhecimentos de estudantes e profissionais de Design Virtual. / As new technologies for the creation of three-dimensional virtual environments, such as WebGL, the possibilities of their use are expanded and it is possible to improve the graphic quality and the ways of interacting with them. The present research aims to approach designers and the promising WebGL technology, still very much related to the knowledge of the written and distant programming of most of the designers. With this, it aims to improve the quality of creation and distribution of the Virtual Design works. For this, a systematic creation of three-dimensional interactive contents using the WebGL standard is proposed, based on requirements stipulated based on the bibliographic review of the subject. Among the main requirements are the use of software and resources that do not require prior knowledge of written programming language, understanding the three main pillars of 3D virtual environments (modeling, animation and interaction) and facilitating the export of content created in a file (HTML) executable in major web browsers, employing the WebGL standard, without the use of any plug-in. After the analysis of 34 tools, the set of Blender + Blend4Web programs was chosen to be used in the systematics. As a result, a systematic creation of threedimensional virtual environments with very diversified resources was obtained, which proved useful in updating the knowledge of students and professionals of Virtual Design.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has set up a mark in the construction industry over a decade. In order to gain benefit of BIM in estimating the project cost at the early stage of construction with the limited data available, a new concept of MacroBIM has been introduced in the industry. However, limited amount of research has been implemented to determine how MacroBIM has been accepted in the construction industry. Most research was focused on the accuracy of the conceptual estimation. This research attempted to determine the effectiveness of MacroBIM process applied at early stages of construction for conceptual cost estimation. Experts from the discipline of architecture, contractor and owners were interviewed and their professional opinions on MacroBIM were analyzed using grounded theory. The results show that, compared to the traditional conceptual estimating process, MacroBIM is an effective method for 1) saving labor hours, 2) conveying assumptions with the help of its visualization capabilities, 3) enhancing the collaboration among the project participants, and 4) evaluating multiple design scenarios. However, fear of using MacroBIM and trust in its outcome existed among some contractors, architects, and owners because this technology has not matured yet. Moreover, the need of interoperability between the MacroBIM tools and MicroBIM tools, such as Revit, has also surfaced in the study.

This thesis analyzes the application of computer aided design tools and online collaboration environments in design education. The focus of this study is the utilization of online collaboration environments in design education in order to conduct an efficient and effective virtual design studio course. The requirements of design education and online collaboration environments will be identified and the coinciding and conflicting points will be discussed. The elements of design education / the concept generation phase of design process, peer learning in design studio and design juries will be evaluated with regard to the literature survey and the findings of the case study. The findings of the case study indicated that in concept generation phase of design process the number of concepts created was not less than a similar project in a traditional design studio and publishing students&rsquo / works to public via a shared online environment motivated students in a positive way to participate in studio activities in a positive way.