Spreading the Knowledge

Design Build magazine is making some major changes in appearance and in readership. We are making these changes in order to expand our outreach to key constituencies, such as architects and material suppliers. And we are doing this by mailing Design Build to a select part of the readership of Architectural Record, including architects who have indicated an interest or practice in design-build project delivery.

Design Build will continue to be mailed to a portion of the readership of Engineering News-Record–engineers, contractors and other industry decision makers engaged in design-build. And Design Build will be sent to the entire membership of the Design-Build Institute of America and a select group of project owners.

The changes in readership better reflect the collaborative nature of this project delivery method and growing interest on the part of architects to participating in or leading such projects. By sending Design Build to parts of both AR and ENR readership, we now are able to provide editorial coverage in all critical architectural, engineering and construction markets as well as reach out to thousands of new readers. It’s a fine way to spread the knowledge. All three of the magazines are published by the McGraw-Hill Cos.

Also in this issue, we launch a new redesign that adds more style and color. The crisp, clean look and easier-to-read format helps better showcase the important news, projects and information about design-build project delivery that is contained in the quarterly magazine.

Design Build still features three departments–In the News (late-breaking global news), DBIA Today (current issues and events at DBIA) and Boardroom (business practices and topics unique to design-build). And each issue still presents a cover story and three features that highlight the project and geographic diversity of design-build. To complement our new look, we also now have articles on education and owners.

In this issue, we present an inside look at teaching design-build to architect, engineering and construction management students at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California. Students there can take three design-build courses in project delivery, project management and the collaborative process. These keystone courses could go a long way towards changing industry practices and integrating design-build teambuilding techniques into all delivery systems as a new generation of professionals enters the market place.

The University of California at Irvine provides a window on how a dynamic owner is using design-build delivery. UCI currently has over $1 billion of projects in planning or construction and its form of design-build includes a best-value selection process and a best-and-final offer pricing scenario. Associate Vice Chancellor Rebekah G. Gladson is the architect of change at UCI, whose construction program now boasts a 100% on-time, on-budget record for major projects.

Project stories include the restoration and expansion of the Utah State Capitol Complex, which also involves a seismic upgrade. The contractor-led design-build team is working with three design firms. The owner used qualifications-based selection, a detailed management plan and a guaranteed maximum price contract.

A pioneering use of design-build in Pima County, Arizona, took advantage of a new law to redo Tucson’s Skyline Drive. A strong community outreach program helped build support for the controversial project. Spreading the knowledge certainly helped there.

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