"Because the building information model ensures that no information is lost, “with Autodesk Revit, we’re looking at a potential 50 to 75 percent time savings” as projects move forward."

—Scott Kremer, President, Studio Kremer Architects

To keep up with the fast pace of its busy practice, Studio Kremer Architects, an energetic six-member firm based in Louisville, Kentucky, is standardizing on the Autodesk® Revit® building information modeler. The firm designs a wide range of projects, including single-family residences, condominiums and apartments, schools and churches, and commercial buildings of all types. The best known and most productive multifamily residential designer in its market, Studio Kremer Architects chose Autodesk Revit because it helps the firm exceed clients’ expectations.

The Challenge
With an average of 75 to 80 projects a year, it’s no wonder Studio Kremer found that its DOS-based AutoCAD® Release 12 system just couldn’t keep up. With virtually all of their consultants working on more advanced software systems, they found that their processes were out-of-date and, more importantly, incompatible with their partners’ systems. With business growing rapidly and projects getting larger, something had to give.

So when the Studio Kremer team saw a demonstration of the Autodesk Revit Building information modeler presented by reseller Advanced Solutions, they were more than ready to make the leap. “We were dumbfounded by Autodesk Revit,” says Scott Kremer, president of Studio Kremer Architects. “We loved the fact that as you designed the foundations and floor plans, the elevations and wall sections were being developed at the same time. Here was a piece of software that was doing that for us automatically.” After seeing that demo, the firm’s decision to standardize on Revit was easy.

Off and Running
Studio Kremer wasted no time in putting Autodesk Revit to work and currently has about a dozen Revit projects in the pipeline. Among them is a bank redesign. Short-listed for the project, the firm was asked to put together a proposal for an addition that would double the square footage of the bank’s headquarters building. Facing stiff competition from architects with 30 years’ experience in bank design, they had their work cut out for them.

Initial plans called for an addition compatible with the original 1830s residence that housed the bank’s headquarters. Studio Kremer took the existing drawings as well as a group of ideas gathered during a conversation with the bank president, and in just four days produced a dozen renderedviews of the building from all angles. Scott Kremer used a laptop and a projector to present the results to the bank’s president and board of directors.

“They were amazed that we went to the effort and could show them threedimensionally in a rendered perspective what their building could look like,” says Kremer. “I think it went a long way in helping us secure that contract.”

The effort put into that initial visualization will not be lost in successive phases of the project. All information used for visualization will also be used in design and construction documents, saving the firm time and money while reducing errors.

Immediate Productivity
Many firms are wary of using new software on their important projects. But with basic training on Autodesk Revit from Advanced Solutions, Studio Kremer’s investment paid off right away. Says Kremer: “I would say that a DOS user, who is not familiar with Windows, can be up and running in Revit in one week, and could really learn Windows and master the software in a few months.” Kremer estimates that his company is already experiencing a significant productivity gain of up to 20 percent.

The Power of Parametrics
Much of Studio Kremer’s retail and residential work involves developing and adapting prototype facility designs, an area where the Autodesk Revit parametric change technology excels.

With prototypes for apartment and condominium projects developed in Autodesk Revit, Studio Kremer can count on the software to keep the entire design current. For example, in Revit, typical apartment units can be parametrically defined. If the client wants a bigger bathroom, the change is made once—and all units are automatically updated, eliminating tedious manual coordination. “That is one of the most incredible things about parametric software,” says Kremer. “It’s not just one change vertically, but one change a multitude of times. Fantastic.”

The Benefits of Visualization
The benefits of the Autodesk Revit visualization capabilities are clear to Kremer: “Clients see a three-dimensional picture, and they completely understand the look and shape of their new building. With this technology, I think there will be fewer misunderstandings, and we’ll have much happier clients.” And what’s more, says Herb Shulhafer, director of business development at the firm, “Being able to show clients the three-dimensional aspect at a very early stage will become a basic architectural service.”

Clients Come First
“Our product is service,” says Shulhafer. “Clients want us to be right. They want us to meet their timetable, which is short. And they don’t want problems in the field. We see Autodesk Revit helping us in all of these aspects.” For example, Kremer says that the building information model decreases the risk of errors in the field and “lessens our liability because we are going to have more accurate drawings that are all linked together.”

Studio Kremer is creating most new work in the Autodesk Revit program and converting older projects as needed. “Revit is eventually going to be our only software product,” says Kremer. He maintains that the software gives the firm a competitive advantage and keeps clients coming back to Studio Kremer for more projects. “They see that we’re moving forward, advancing our abilities to serve them.”

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