Designing with the Chain

This paper will describe the case studies of Design-Build projects to discuss the use of digital and computational technologies as facilitators of a new role in AEC process, devoted to establishing the “missing chain” in the AEC sector, too often affected by fragmentation in several, conflicting actors. The “Design Mentality”, by nature oriented at synthesis, and at bringing topics together can be the most effective “productivity boost” for the sector, but it needs a change in relationships and a different framework of responsibility. The architect needs to enjoy the management role, that means “make things happen”, designing the context in a wider sense, including the selection of partners, of companies, packages, and solutions, and establishing the right “rules for form” that can keep the project identity. The “wireframe method” will be discussed as a geometrical method to manage the deployment and aggregation of parts in an adaptive process.