Herzog & de Meuron powers design data flexibility with Speckle

At Herzog & de Meuron (HdM), innovation meets complexity head-on. Known for its boundary-pushing designs, HdM tackles various projects, from small objects to vast master plans, each with unique regional standards and client requirements. This complexity demands a robust data management solution, and that's where Speckle comes in.

Based in Basel with a whopping 550 employees, HdM tackles iconic projects like London's Tate Modern, local Swiss initiatives like Chasserug in the Alps, and major developments like UCSF in San Francisco. Within the Design Technologies team, Aida Ramirez Marrujo—Senior Architect and Team Lead at Building Analytics—and Julian Höll—BIM Manager and Senior Architect at Design Technologies—oversee the entire design process, from the initial sketches to the final delivery.

The design process at Herzog & de Meuron is dynamic and non-linear, with multiple iterations and simultaneous phases. This leads to an exponential growth of data, often stored in different software versions and formats, creating a chaotic data landscape.

• Project Diversity: Herzog & de Meuron handles numerous projects, to say the least, which makes standardisation difficult.
• Design Complexity: In a typical AEC style, the design process can be chaotic, with multiple iterations and simultaneous phases, leading to data management issues.
• Data Growth: Exponential data growth throughout projects results in difficulties managing and comparing data across different software versions.

Speckle integrates seamlessly into HdM's workflows, offering a flexible and transparent solution for managing design data.

By storing raw model data in Speckle and processed information in Directus, HdM ensures data is organised and accessible without duplication. This separation is crucial for maintaining data integrity and enabling seamless collaboration across diverse projects.

By embracing Speckle's capabilities, HdM navigates project complexities easily, making informed design decisions that push architectural boundaries.

• Data storage and transparency: Speckle stores raw model data, while Directus handles processed data, ensuring data is organised and accessible without duplication.
• Project snapshots: Speckle enables the creation of standardized project snapshots, capturing key aspects of projects at various milestones for easy monitoring and comparison.
• Custom tools: HdM leverages custom tools like the Area Bridge app and CALC LCA Tool, which utilise Speckle's capabilities to enhance design accuracy and sustainability. CALC, in particular, estimates embodied carbon emissions by creating a library of detailed assembly elements and systems, providing benchmarks and reference values for projects.

Speckle's integration at Herzog & de Meuron delivers tangible results. Aida and Julian create 3D dashboards that combine spatial and performance metrics by standardising project data visualisation using Speckle.

This holistic view allows designers to make informed decisions that balance creativity with sustainability. The CALC LCA Tool plays a crucial role here, offering detailed carbon emission estimates that guide sustainable design choices.

HdM's journey with Speckle continues to evolve. The firm plans to enhance its data management system by finalising and publishing a project platform that includes content from all running projects.

The assembly library will be used for LCA calculations and as Rhino and Revit modelling assets. Additionally, HdM is exploring operational energy use cases and improving its GIS asset library, with Speckle Automate harnessed to streamline these processes.