Session 1.3
The New Revit Sample Project – A virtual rescue – digitally reimagining a historic downtown
Synopsis:
America’s aging infrastructure includes many small downtowns in disrepair. This session explores using digital tools to reimagine one such historic downtown area. Learn about the collaboration between the Perennial Project (A local non-profit), municipal authorities and Autodesk to create a fictional redevelopment located on a real site in Brownsville, PA.
Learning Objectives:
1. Learn how digital tools empowered community engagement.
2. Participants will be able to see how a virtual building can bring back to life a demolished building site.
3. Participants will be able to see how they can partner with community organizations to drive meaningful discussions that go beyond the of designing buildings.
4. Participants will see a firsthand example of a virtual redevelopment using the latest technologies and how they can apply them to their current projects.
Body:
America has an aging infrastructure. This includes many small downtown areas in various states of disrepair. One such area is the municipality of Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Brownsville has over 50 historic structures in its downtown area. However, many of these are in danger of being lost. One such cluster of these buildings with wonderful brick and stone facades became unsafe and sadly were demolished in 2020. This session explores an alternate reality. What if those buildings, (or at least their historic facades) had been rescued and incorporated into a new development? What would such a development possibly look like? What tools could be used to imagine such a development? And would the municipal authorities in the area be interested in such an alternate reality?
The answer to all these questions is the subject of this session! Using digital tools like Revit, Civil 3D, Twinmotion, and even PowerPoint the site along Market ST and its lost facades was used as the location for a hypothetical mixed-use development including retail, commercial, dining and live/work residential spaces. The reimagining of the heart of historic downtown Brownsville began with a laser scan of the area taken fortuitously just months before the demolition occurred. This survey and the subsequent project were done in partnership with Fayette County Pennsylvania, The Brownsville Borough, the Perennial Project (A local non-profit) and Autodesk. The result is a fictional redevelopment located on this very real site.
The best part is that result of this endeavor is included now in every copy of Revit starting with the 2024 release. So, you can explore and experience the project yourself firsthand! Join us in this session where will take you on a virtual tour through the project, but perhaps even more exciting, we’ll give you a peek behind the curtain and discuss the process that went into creating it. We will have members of the team on stage and will walk through the very “real” process used to create this “unreal” project.