Project Summary
Hillier Architecture aims high. And then delivers. In 2004 alone, the New Jersey-based firm garnered 13 awards, including the New Jersey AIA’s highest form of recognition, the Honor Award. One of the firm’s guiding principlesand a key to its successis the belief that each project must uniquely express the client’s dream. In pursuit of that goal, Hillier architects and designers bring industry-leading expertise in architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, and interior, urban, and graphic design to every project. In its 39-year history, the firm has attracted some of the leading names in industry, real estate, education, health care, and government, including the Ritz Carlton, Princeton University, and Motorola. Today, in response to fierce industry competition and rapid technological change, Hillier has renewed its focus on several crucial success factors: improving the win rate for new business, increasing profit margins, and building strong, long-lasting client relationships. To help meet those goals, Hillier uses Revit Architecture.
The Challenge
The first step on any project is winning the business. We compete for our fees, especially with our public clients in libraries or higher education, says Joe Rizzo, a principal at Hillier. In most cases, they do not have limitless funds to draw from. Yet to win new business, the firm needs to assemble compellingand often costly presentations at its own expense.
New Demands
We need a solution that makes it easy for all parties to interact with the building information and to contribute, says Rizzo. In addition, any system we choose must enforce data integrity. No user should ever be able to misclassify a building component. Finally, ease of use is paramount.
Revit Architecture has significantly improved document coordination and accuracy. On one recent project, the CDs were so complete and accurate that we only had to process a single RFI and one change order.
Joe Rizzo
Principal, Hillier Architecture
Hillier Architecture
The Solution
Revit Architecture software helps architects and designers do all that and more. They can use Revit Architecture to create a single digital model of the project. All information is entered once, and only once. Yet all team members can easily view, use, or represent it in many different ways. And Revit Architecture is easy to learn. When our Washington staff tried it out, most of them were able to use it within two days, says Rizzo.
Win More Business
The architects at Hillier used Revit Architecture to prepare presentations for the new St. Norbert Library in De Pere, Wisconsin. We used Revit Architecture to model the interior and created a very detailed model of the exterior, says Rizzo.
As a result, the client didn’t need a physical model or professional renderings. Our 3D models, floor plans, and interior perspectives did the job. The project was approved.
Work More Efficiently
Libraries look deceptively simple, says Rizzo. There are a lot of wide open spaces. But I’ve always made an effort to show furniture early in the design process. It’s a great way to get people to understand what I’m talking about. We began this job by developing a prototypical layout that included furniture and casework, along with all the appropriate information. Automatically generating accurate furniture schedules later on was easy with Revit Architecture.
Build Excitement
Revit Architecture is a great communication tool. Revit Architecture allows us to create a large number of compelling renderings, says Rizzo. That builds excitement. Right in the middle of the design processstill sketching at concept levelour client can already begin to see what the finished project will look like.
Make Better Decisions
Recently, the architects at Hillier completed a large addition and renovation to the Doha InternationalSchool in Qatar. Revit Architecture enabled us to create models for three different concepts, says Rizzo. From practically the first presentation, the clients had a sense of how this complex would develop. That made their selection process much easier.
Save Valuable Time
Revit Architecture helps the architects at Hillier win and complete projects faster. Some of these projects have absolutely lunatic schedules, says Rizzo. Revit Architecture helps us get a tremendous amount done in a very short amount of time between meetings.
The Result
Within a few months, we’ll have seven buildings under construction that are 100 percent completed using Revit Architecture, says Rizzo. In time, we’ll standardize on Revit Architecture. It has made us easy to work with from a client’s perspective. On every Revit Architecture project, our clients have been very happy. In the long run, that enhances our reputation and makes it easier to win more work.
To learn more about Revit Architecture, visit www.autodesk.com/revitarchitecture.
Hillier Architects has found that with Revit Architecture, they can
“ Kick-start projects with easy-to-use project templates containing preloaded annotations and building parts, such as walls, doors, ceiling types, and light fixtures
“ Easily enforce company standards for drafting and documentation
“ Generate furniture, door, and fixture schedules directly from the building information model
“ Cut sections anywhere in the model, anytimeso everyone can better understand the design
“ Put clients inside their buildingsbefore constructionwith panoramic view.
“ Spend less time on coordination because Revit Architecture does it automatically