Parsons explores the advantages of generative design and optimization tools (such as Dynamo & Refinery) in the scope of evaluating and altering the form, orientation and Gross Floor Area (GFA) of residential buildings in existing master plans, using Reem Island Sector 4 as a case study. A superblock is selected from the original design and studied in an attempt to deliver a proof of concept for optimized design oriented solutions, efficiently developed and scientifically driven to meet our client’s needs.

A variety of business trends have emerged in the past few years, including collaboration and co-creation, big data, the transformation of products into services, and sustainable design. New technologies are increasing the ability for businesses to connect together to take advantage of these trends, which is leading to accelerated adoption.

Pressure for improved top line and bottom line results is relentless. Manufacturers must reduce time to market and improve product capabilities for generating revenue growth, while manufacturing efficiency, material cost optimization, and warranty improvement are key factors that impact profitability. Successful manufacturers are increasingly adopting simulation to simultaneously spur revenue growth and reduce costs. Learn how simulation can improve your business results by making it an integral part of your development process.

The future of design visualization will be interactive. Come to this M&E Innovation Forum and hear from our panel of experts—Taylor Cupp, Mortensen Construction; Jose Sanchez, USC School of Architecture; and Brian Pene, Autodesk —who will discuss how viewing, interacting with, and even simulation and testing of design data is changing, becoming more interactive, more intuitive, and more powerful, thanks in part to new technologies like high-quality game engines.The session will be followed by a cocktail reception.

The world is changing at an ever-increasing rate. This coming decade is set to see some of the most significant and fundamental economic, demographic, and technological change ever witnessed. As these events unfold, what will their impact be on the global construction industry? Covering everything from the future of the commodities supercycle, through the impending entry of the Millennial generation to the workforce, to the rising hegemony of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) economies, this session will identify the major external trends which will significantly shape the construction sector over this decade—drawing and coloring a "risk/opportunity view" of these macro-challenges, identifying how construction business models and practices are likely to change, and posing the question, "How might technology be a component of that response?"

During this session Autodesk will share its vision for the future and discuss why subcontractors are important players in the Future of Making Things. Attendees will learn how fabricators are already disrupting the industry through the adoption of new technologies and work processes. Finally, you’ll hear from innovative Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) companies who will illustrate how their move to BIM has driven significant productivity enhancements. We will also hold a happy hour after this event with beer, wine, and snacks.

Competitive advantage—how much do you have? Greater transparency, greater predictability, and greater productivity…you can see the attraction of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and how that might form an alluring proposition to customers. Judging by the latest adoption rates though, so can the majority of the industry. So here’s a question for you: What happens to your advantage when that "majority of the industry" also uses BIM to deliver projects better, faster, and cheaper, just like you? As adoption levels head towards saturation, BIM-based execution is on track to becoming the new commoditized norm for project delivery. What are the implications for your specific company in such a market? This session will focus on managing BIM strategically in a saturated market, with an emphasis on sustaining competitive advantage and the "big-ticket" enterprise key performance indicators (KPI) of revenue, margin, brand, and more. Consider this a pre-fight workout for the impending era of intense BIM-based competition.

If you want to see what innovation looks like, just look at the computer games industry. With the advancement of real-time interactive 3D graphics engines, low-cost, high-powered computer graphics hardware, and new types of input devices, the video game industry is transforming the way others are using these technologies. As a result, new trends and solutions are now being adopted by businesses and organizations outside of the gaming industry to streamline the understanding of complex projects and information and better the overall ability to make faster, more informed decisions. This class will give you a bird’s eye view of how others in government, military, and corporate businesses sectors are adopting trends and making use of technologies from the video game industry to create solutions that would otherwise not be possible with traditional industry tools.

Keynote Opening Session

What does the future hold? How will you and your business be able to keep pace in a world where accelerating technology is leaving entire industries in the dust seemingly overnight? The accelerating complexity of challenges we each face every day can be terrifying as we try to bring new products to market, deliver improved levels of service, and compete in a ferocious global economy. Fortunately, a broad spectrum of enabling technologies is becoming widely accessible to everyone. These enablers can allow us to overcome complexity and take full advantage of the challenges of today to create the opportunities of tomorrow. Attend this mind-blowing session to learn from the world's most innovative experts about the incredible work they are doing today and about the shocking future of making things that they see in front of us. This session features Mickey McManus, president and CEO, MAYA; Mark Hatch, CEO, Techshop; Ash Notaney, VP of Product and Innovation, Project Frog; Domenic Di Giorgio, digital creatureologist, Creature Technology; Jason Martin, founder, CEO, Carbon Audio; Patrick Triato, lead designer, Carbon Audio; Sarah Krasley, thought leader, Autodesk; and Jay Rogers, CEO, Local Motors. Come to this awe-inspiring session to challenge your perceptions and learn how the future of making things will alter personal manufacturing forever.

Project Notre Dame arose as the spontaneous response of a group of BIM (Building Information Modeling) enthusiasts with a fascination for old buildings. Digital tools extend our ability to think about the world: where we’ve come from and where we’re going. Why should we restrict the use of BIM to the narrow confines of our day jobs? Crowd-sourced "learning by doing" has the potential to combine Wikipedia and Google Earth 3D to create a new kind of online museum experience. This case study describes the work of a global team of volunteers taking a deep dive into an 800-year-old building laden with cultural meaning, each one pursuing their interests and passions. How did they communicate? What did they discover? Come to the session and find out.

Here we say goodbye and close out the conference.

Smart cities have become a landmark in urban planning. They are the result of knowledge-intensive and creative strategies aiming at enhancing the socio-econimic, ecological, logistic and competitive performance of citires. This session cover how disruptive technologies are being harnessed to deliver on smart cities of the future.

Break new ground with the exciting opening Keynote at the Connect & Construct Summit. Hear from some of the most forward thinking leaders in the construction industry, embracing change and planning for the future. During this inspiring session, you will hear valuable insights to help you plan and deliver more successful projects today and leave with valuable ideas to help your business thrive.

Watch some of the best minds in the business sharing insights, provoking exploration, and inspiring creativity.

Whether you're an architect, engineer, or contractor, join us to learn how Autodesk and leaders across AEC are using today’s tools to design and build better, smarter, and with more project insight.

AECOM’s Dale Sinclair will join a variety of speakers from Autodesk’s industry strategy and product teams to explore what the opportunity of better means for the AEC and Manufacturing industries, and what we have to gain as these industries converge.

Manufacturers are under more pressure than ever to deliver better products faster, at lower cost, and with less waste. Join us to explore future manufacturing trends and technology that can help you succeed in this rapidly changing era of digital transformation. Better product design and manufacturing start here

Our industries are changing faster than ever. And though the uncertainty we're all facing is accelerating, so is the technology available to us all. With AI looming ever larger for all of us, it feels like our industries are reaching a tipping point. As the cloud connects more of your data, it enables AI to unlock powerful new ways of working. Join Autodesk President and CEO Andrew Anagnost and colleagues as they show how our Design & Make Platform is taking us closer to the cusp of a new era, one where technology will unleash your productivity and your creativity, no matter what industry you work in.

Everywhere you look, there are headlines that impact the built world. Talent gaps, materials shortages, climate events, and digital acceleration. The future of the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations industry depends on turning disruption into opportunity. Join Nicolas Mangon and other industry leaders for a look at what's new in AECO Design and Make, including Autodesk Forma, artificial intelligence, and announcements across our portfolio, as well as a celebration of the customers who are tackling the headlines in real-time.