Discover the DiSa Lab - a unique resource for interactive learning
The Lab for a Digital Built Environment (DiSa) at Teknikringen 78 offers ABE school teachers and students a living workshop for the digital information process in the built environment. In addition to software for visualisation and BIM modelling, there is VR and AR equipment, scanners, 3D printers and even a small fleet of drones of various sizes.
Kjartan Gudmundsson is a teacher and researcher at the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and tells us more about how you as a teacher at ABE can use DiSa in your teaching.
What is the the Lab for a Digital Built Environment (DiSa)?
- The DiSa lab is a state-of-the-art infrastructure equipped with powerful computers and advanced software for e.g. simulation, data analysis, point cloud management and laser scanning linked to the built environment. The lab was designed based on the needs and wishes of teachers in various departments at the ABE school, with the aim of creating a modern teaching environment where students and teachers can work more dynamically and practically. Today, the lab is used, among other things, for teaching and projects in point cloud management and 3D modelling of buildings, but I really want to encourage more teachers from different parts of the school to take the opportunity to use the DiSa lab in their teaching.
What is different about DiSa?
- The DiSa lab is characterised by its technical capacity and flexibility. The computers are significantly more powerful than those found in standard computer labs or on students' own laptops, making it possible to handle complex calculations and simulations. The advanced software supports several specialisations in the area of the ABE school and allows for innovative working methods by combining theory and practice in the same room. DiSa functions as a combination of lecture hall and computer room in one, allowing teachers to start with a short lecture to introduce e.g. project tasks, after which students can immediately start writing, modelling and calculating. This set-up creates an interactive and engaging learning environment where students are active throughout the teaching session.
The computers are equipped with specialised software and resources such as photogrammetry modelling software and point cloud management for building information modelling (BIM), visualisation, programming and parametric engineering and design, including Revit, Enscape, Rhino, Grasshopper and Python. In addition, there is access to high-quality equipment such as Hololens, augmented reality technology and 3D printers, opening up new educational opportunities. The lab is flexible and can be used for teaching, thesis work, project work and meetings with industrial partners.
How can ABE teachers use DiSa?
As a teacher at ABE, you can use the DiSa lab in several ways. Firstly, it is an ideal resource for interactive teaching where short introductions are followed by independent work with advanced programmes. It is also an excellent environment for group and project work or for thesis work, as the lab offers advanced tools and programmes for in-depth analysis. It is also a place for industrial collaborations, where meetings and workshops with external partners can be held, as well as for tests and teaching experiments where sensors, AR technologies and other digital tools can be explored.