Building Information Modelling

The Building Information Model (or BIM for short) is expected to turn the entire construction industry upside down over the coming years. Whereas the construction of a building can currently have a number of surprises in store for the builder (oh, that bedroom’s smaller than I thought and that window isn’t floor to ceiling as imagined), BIM makes the building accessible, both internally and externally, and entirely in 3D. Before the first shovel has even hit the ground or, in the case of repurposing, a single brick has been touched.

Digital construction plans are also a boon to the repurposing and redevelopment sector. 'Bimming' a building is a one-off exercise that pays for itself twice over. Certainly for those who plan to give a building a second, or even a third or fourth life ... architects, materials experts, project engineers and urban planners etc. can all glean a wealth of information from a digital construction model or ‘twin’ of the building concerned. They’ll also be able to request information much faster than today - and that’s to the advantage of existing buildings and sites. We’ll be able to expedite and improve the repurposing process, thanks to this wealth of information.

Add artificial intelligence, or at the very least, smart algorithms, to the mix and you’ll begin to understand why digital construction models such as BIM are set to revolutionise the construction industry. BIM also fits into the bigger picture of emerging proptech, which harnesses various technologies to manage buildings in financial and technical terms. Real time site monitoring will facilitate and improve control and maintenance. The most detailed information will be available anytime, anywhere.

This irreversible evolution, let's call it a revolution, is the reason bow architecten jumped on the BIM bandwagon from day one. All our plans are in 3D. Need a cross-section, literally five centimetres beyond the original cut? No problem! This doesn’t even require any additional drawings! Need a list of all windows, including their specifications? We can likewise produce such a report at the click of a mouse!

Where will that end? We don't know ourselves. But one thing’s for certain: 25 years from now, we’ll be working with buildings in an entirely differently way and will have significantly more information at our disposal. By then, it may be possible to consult all prospective information instantaneously, whereas today, only the plot owner’s name is so readily accessible.

Bow architecten is at the forefront of this revolution. Barely nine percent of all designs in Belgium are currently created using BIM. We, on the other hand, are already harnessing this model-based process for 100 percent of our designs. And, whilst the majority of construction and architectural courses largely ignore Building Information Modelling, we’re actively training our own in-house BIM champions. We don’t intend relinquishing that lead. Because we’re convinced that, sooner or later, the benefits will be immense.