In this episode, hosts Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen sit down with David Mans, Director of AECtech at Thornton Tomasetti's CORE studio, to explore the intersection of computational design, community building, and hands-on innovation in AEC.

David traces his path from undergraduate architecture at Pratt Institute through early computational design experiments to leading what has become one of the industry's most influential technology conferences. He explains how parametric and computational design opened the door to discovery and surprise in the design process, and how that same spirit of experimentation now drives the AECtech hackathon format.

The conversation digs into what actually happens at an AECtech event, from hackathon teams building working prototypes in 24 hours to symposium panels on technology-driven career paths in architecture. David shares standout moments, including the hackathon project that became the foundation for Rhino Compute, and a recent London hack where agents simulated consultant negotiations before a project even started.

David also reflects on the tension between automation and reflection, the value of cross-industry thinking, and why Thornton Tomasetti continues to invest in these events as a way to stay ahead of where the industry is headed.

Key Topics

• How computational and parametric design introduced the idea of discovery and surprise into the architectural design process
• The origin and evolution of AECtech from a single New York hackathon to five global events per year
• Why the hackathon format works: constrained time, self-forming teams, and cross-disciplinary collaboration
• Standout hackathon projects, including the prototype that became Rhino Compute and an agent-based consultant negotiation tool
• The emergence of agentic AI workflows and MCP protocols at recent events
• Career paths for technologists in AEC and how senior leaders who started in computational design are now shaping firm culture
• The importance of reflection and downtime in an era focused on automation and speed
• What Thornton Tomasetti and CORE studio gain from hosting and participating in these events
• Cross-industry inspiration: bringing agile and Kanban workflows from software development into architectural project delivery

About the guest

David Mans is the Director of AECtech at Thornton Tomasetti's CORE studio. David oversees the AECtech conference series, which now runs five events per year across the globe, bringing together professionals from architecture, engineering, construction, software, and AI to explore emerging technologies through hackathons, workshops, and symposiums. David is also the author of over 20 Grasshopper plugins, a Visiting Associate Professor at Pratt Institute, and formerly the Senior Computational Designer at Grimshaw Architects, where David worked on projects including the award-winning Dubai Expo 2020 Sustainability Pavilion, Terra.

Links

• AECtech: https://www.aectech.us/
• Thornton Tomasetti CORE studio: https://www.thorntontomasetti.com/core-studio
• David Mans on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mans-a359505/
• CORE studio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/core-studio-tt