Vellum & Razor Blades is an independent publication launched in August 2022 by Rick Aspin. Rick has over three decades of experience in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry.
When Rick started his career, vellum was the material of choice upon which to design, and razor blades functioned as erasers.
Step one: Design in pencil.
Step two: Seal the design with ink.
Step three: If design changes are needed, take a razor blade and carefully scratch off the vellum's top surface and any unwanted ink.
Step four: Take your thumbnail, rub it on the side of your nose, and apply the natural oils from your nose to resurface the vellum.
Step five: Re-ink the revised design; the ink will avoid running thanks to the oil.
Of course, you could only scratch out so many times; planning was critical, the undo button did not exist.
V&RB is a nod to those early days in the industry, but equally to the work ethic applied throughout his career. Rick has held himself at the forefront of technological advancements and collaborative thinking. He is an innovator who likes to break the rules in the best possible way. Rick aims to share his knowledge on these pages and to play his part in helping drive necessary change in the AEC industry.
Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) and now Artificial Intelligence require a paradigm shift. They need new skills, processes and management strategies to find success, and effective collaboration is at the heart of their needs. V&RB intends to communicate ideas on how this transition can be successful and aims to grow a like-minded community, energetic about seeing the industry make the most of its potential today and in the future.
We hope you are interested in following our development; please subscribe today to get full access to the website and to receive email newsletters about new content when available. Your subscription makes this site possible and allows V&RB to continue to exist. Thank you!
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