KPF Head of BIM New York Veronica Quintero and Senior Computational Designer Joe Brennan shared their expertise as session leaders at Autodesk University 2025, highlighting the firm’s leadership in computational design and digital innovation.
On September 16, Joe Brennan presented “Megascale, Microdata: How Revit and Computation Enabled Global Coordination on a Supertall Tower,” a case study centered on KPF’s North Bund (Lot 91) project in Shanghai. The design of this 480-meter, all-electric tower demanded sophisticated coordination across global teams, achieved through advanced computational workflows. Joe’s session demonstrated how Rhino, Grasshopper, Microsoft Excel, Rhino.Inside.Revit, and Autodesk Construction Cloud were integrated to manage geometric complexity, automate documentation, and maintain design fidelity for more than 20,000 façade panels. Attendees learned how exchanging data instead of geometry and scripting rationalized façade systems enabled accuracy, constructability, and easy collaboration on a megaproject.
On September 18, Veronica Quintero joined a panel of industry leaders for “Automation or AI: A Discussion on the Boundary Between AI and Traditional Automation.” This session examined the distinctions between artificial intelligence and traditional automation in BIM and design workflows. Veronica and her fellow panelists discussed when to leverage AI versus automation, the advantages and limitations of each approach, and strategies for optimizing development resources. The panel aimed to provide professionals with practical guidance for technology adoption, ensuring that innovation is both purposeful and effective in advancing architectural practice.
