Collaboration of Architects and Engineers in Structural System Configuration Through The IDECAD Platform A Case Study

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a multidisciplinary design workshop with the aim of improving the collaboration between architects and civil engineers in choosing an appropriate structural system configuration for a design project. The workshop was conducted with the participation of undergraduate students of architecture and civil engineering at the Istanbul Kultur University who were asked to work together in selecting an appropriate structural system configuration of a simple reinforced concrete residential dwelling. The participants were asked to experiment with various design options and to evaluate the implications of their design decisions on the overall cost and constructability of the design project. IdeCAD Structural for structural design and IdeCAD Architectural for architectural design, were selected as the software for design collaboration due to the ease of exchanging information, the ability of checking designs according to Turkish design codes and the similarities in the user interfaces.