As one of the measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, many hit countries call on working people to work from home as much as possible. Architects are also responding to this call. Archello is asking offices from around the world about how they are giving shape to this. Greg Truen, Director at SAOTA, offers insight into how their South African office manages during the crisis.
The crisis has just started in South Africa, the African country with the highest recorded cases so far has today (the date of the interview) announced it will go on lockdown. How is the current situation for your office?
COVID-19 has inevitably impacted all businesses in South Africa and will have a knock-on effect on the global economy. The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought a lot of uncertainty and has transformed the way many designers work. About two weeks ago, we decided to start working from home (WFH). We have successfully migrated our 211-member team to a fully operational WFH model. As most of our work is already remote, we were able to transition almost immediately. This flexible model will no doubt remain in place after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
Working from home can be a challenge, how did or will your office organize this?
“The challenges are ongoing. The real transformation is that COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the technology that our office utilizes and it is unlikely that we’ll stop using these tools once the crisis is over.
We are using cloud collaboration for file sharing and conferencing, as well as cloud resource and project management. Cloud resource management is great for mapping out content and ideas and to ensure all team members understand the different stages projects are in.
With projects in multiple cities across the globe, most of the work is already remote which ensures a high level of business continuity. We have worked on projects in 86 countries, across six continents. In times of crisis, global operations could face risks, but with most work already remote, the studio has the required systems and tools in place to maintain a high level of business as usual. Meetings, communication and projects are continuing as planned.
With world-class communication tools in place, the digital workflow has grown even stronger and disruptions are minimal. VPN is used for data access and a remote virtual reception and switchboard has been implemented. Another key cloud-based tool is BIM 360, a unified platform for connecting our project teams and data in real-time. SAOTA was operational as soon as employees were able to switch on their computers at home.”
Could you work optimally this way? How is the contact between colleagues and other parties, such as clients?
“Being a type of service and company that can work remotely, we are in a far better position to be able to weather WFH situations and are able to work optimally in this way. We were able to transition almost immediately from the office to the home situation. This flexible model will no doubt remain in place after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
We do value the physical interaction and energy that an office situation promotes, so we don’t have any current plans to make this a long-term alternative. However, we remain open to considering it where this could be beneficial to staff members and to the office.
Digital technology is essential to continue to collaborate among peers and clients. As it is an uncertain time for a lot of people, it is key to check-in with teams regularly and to keep communication channels open. We’ve addressed a lot of challenges through a virtual reality tool, LUX Walker, which ensures ongoing design innovation and uninterrupted client support and engagement. LUX Walker enables clients to walk through and explore proposed building spaces virtually. A unique characteristic is that one can share the virtual space with multiple other guests or SAOTA designers, based either in the next room or continents apart. LUX Walker was developed by Tenebris Lab, an architect lead and VR focussed technology company that SAOTA invested in. Virtual Reality, and specifically LUX Walker, has allowed SAOTA to bring its award-winning design capabilities to clients across the globe, all from the home base in Cape Town.
Our internal company events, that are at the core of the SAOTA culture, we try to continue via video conferencing. One event that has a longstanding tradition, Design Fridays - a platform for staff to present current projects and design inspiration to the entire studio – is something we are still able to do and a highlight in the staff calendar. RAD (Research, Analyze, Design) sessions are also going ahead. This is SAOTA’s version of an internal Design Charrette where design teams present their ‘work in progress’ to the broader team and Directors. This fosters collaborative design dialogue and leads to innovative design solutions.”
Did the crisis change anything for current and upcoming projects so far?
“At this stage we continue with work as usual. The SAOTA teams are reaching across the globe to ensure that work gets done efficiently by using the best communication tools and software. We are focussed on keeping the communication with clients open and we are in a position and accustomed to working remotely.”
Does the crisis give you other insights?
“We have seen the role that mobility has played in the transmission of the virus. So changes do need to be made. As an example, we’ll probably see more health checks integrated into transport systems.
There is an increasing realisation that society is too unbalanced and that this is a fundamental risk. Public health can only be protected in cities where resources are more evenly distributed and urban planning will need to respond to these challenges.
It is important to stay informed and to learn from other countries; how they overcome challenges in this global pandemic. We have again realized the importance of communication. It is key to keep the team informed and to focus on the well-being of staff in times of uncertainty.“
