Talking about digitalisation in 2020 is not the same as it was in 2019.

The reason is quick to explain. Rarely in recent times has an event opened our eyes so visibly and traumatically to a latent need in society as the emergency caused by Coronavirus. Just as the Fridays for Future opened the eyes of many young people and adults to the impossibility of postponing any further the decarbonisation process of our economy, the Covid-19 pandemic has also led, among other things, to the discovery of the digital opportunities for the few who had not yet seized them. Covid was a negative event like no other, particularly for Italy, but it set in motion the process of long-term cultural transformation that had long been called for by the most innovative players in every sector.

It is now no longer a question of whether to start a genuine digitalisation process, but when. And the world of architecture is no exception.

For many years DVA, and the others who work with digital tools have been doing their utmost to disseminate these innovative technologies in the public and private sectors, but this requires training that is not easy to provide, although it is fundamentally important. The process of digitalisation, in fact, is indispensable for the very survival of the numerous operators, often of small size, that characterise our market. That is another reason why we are concretely committed, by participating in discussion forums, round tables, and training courses. Our most recent activity for disseminating the culture of digital tools among designers, particularly the use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a video course created by DVA in conjunction with CNAPPC (the National Council of Architects, Planners, Landscape Designers, and Conservationists) and the PPAN networking platform. A cycle of lessons created by architects for architects and divided into two modules of four hours each. As we have also reiterated via our social channels, this members-only training offer is an opportunity to overcome resistance to change and to orientate investment correctly.

The economic advantage is obvious. To understand it, simply consider any of the dozens of operations that DVA has dealt with since the day when it was set up in 2015. Two paradigmatic projects show the advantages of using digital tools at the concept design stage and during construction: the new Bocconi University Campus and the Bellini 35 residential building.

The new Bocconi Campus, designed by SANAA, was a response to the increasing demand for dedicated teaching, tutoring, student accommodation, and recreation spaces in a university setting. The sinuous lines of the blocks, with their strong aesthetic impact, required particular care and posed not a few challenges during the construction. The contractor Percassi’s involvement of DVA, to develop digital mock-ups of the classrooms and WC blocks, was a fundamental step. The provision by DVA to the client of a virtual prototype of the new spaces made it possible to respect the shapes the designers had created, and facilitated their construction. Thanks to the information embodied in the 3D model it was also possible to manage the time factor, one of the most important elements that can influence the costs of any building operation. The availability of 4D digital scenarios made it possible, in fact, to configure construction processes that were able to predict and optimise each step, thereby significantly reducing construction costs.

Bellini 35 in Sassuolo is one of the projects that best represent the DVA approach. Our client entrusted us with the construction and management of all the stages, from concept design to the works on site. Bellini 35 is an NZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) that harmonises with its context. It was completed in a short time, thanks mainly to the use of BIM at each stage. Building Information Modelling also made it possible to resolve interferences in real time, managing the costs with a level of precision that would be almost impossible with traditional methodology. This is an advantage that the building manager will be able to take forward throughout its whole life cycle, thanks to the assignment of a virtual alter ego to each element.