Scott Crawford + Jack Chaffin
LMN Architects

Speaker Bios
Scott Crawford is a founding member of LMNts, LMN Architects’ integrated research and development group. Scott splits his time between exploring ways of incorporating new technologies into LMN’s design process and projects while sharing these findings with the outside world through collaboration, blogging, and teaching.

Jack Chaffin is a licensed architect with over 20 years of experience and part of LMN’s Tech Studio. He has led the transition of three architecture firms from CAD-based production to BIM, including LMN’s adoption beginning in 2012. Besides his love of all things BIM, he has a great interest and growing experience in digital fabrication and, as it turns out, he is very compatible with robots as well as people.

Christopher Parsons of Knowledge Architecture interviews Scott Crawford and Jack Chaffin of LMN Architects at KA Connect 2015. 00:05 What did the business plan for Tech Studio (LMN Architects’ R+D Group) get right and what did it not anticipate? 02:08 Who comprises the LMN Tech Studio (LMNts) team? Who are they and what do they do? 03:00 LMN has budgeted for LMNts staff to have a 50-50 split between billable project work and R+D. How did you arrive at that ratio? Is it working? 04:31 How do you identify which staff to designate as Design Technology Specialists? 06:01 How do you prepare Design Technology Specialists to become the emissary of LMNts on their projects? 07:44 Why did you rename Beer Friday to Beer Share? What was the impact on social learning? 09:17 What the research roadmap for LMN Tech Studio. Where do you go from here? 12:47 Why did you decide to put your robots (fabrication shop) in the basement? 16:10 Did the downturn of 2008 impact LMN’s investment in R+D?

Christopher Parsons of Knowledge Architecture interviews Scott Crawford and Jack Chaffin of LMN Architects at KA Connect 2015.