I want to put BIM aside for a moment and talk about 3D virtual building modelling, because the two invariably get discussed in the same breath and we often end up talking across purposes.
BIM is a powerful way to convey information. However what I've come to realise is that the more important thing for us at this point is how we produce that information in the first place. Whether we convey it using dynamic digital information or whether we convey it on paper with 2D drawings, what we need is a workable 3D virtual building model environment to produce that information from in the first place. Otherwise we're simply hanging onto the disadvantages of the 2D drawing board.
And I find it frustrating that some people are still pushing 2D hand drawing paradigms where they're not appropriate:
I want to be able to produce and derive all my documents/information from one source. I want to be able to quickly change an object and have it change throughout all my documents/information. I want our plans, sections, elevations and 3D model all to marry up without quadruple the effort on my part. I want to avoid beam and duct conflicts. I want to be able to predict more accurately what we can expect when we actually get on site and build the building. I want intelligent feedback; I want to be able to plug in the parameters for my site, such as building height limits, and I want the relevant part of model to turn red if I push the building up past that height. I want to be able to predict the thermal properties of the building with a visual interface. Et cetera. All of this needs a workable virtual 3D model.
Some may say we have this capability in VWA but I say it's not workable. General 3D modelling is not virtual building modelling. We need responsive intelligent objects that interact with the rest of the building intelligently and that avoid the need to model everything manually. We need a 3D interface that is as responsive as the 2D interface. We need an interface that understands what a building storey is. We need an interface that understands what gravity is. Et cetera.
And, at least until we move to a digital model-only environment, we need an interface that understands what various architectural documents are (elevations, details, etc.) and doesn't require us to manually cobble them together each time. I'm thinking the project map in ArchiCAD for example, or the ability to know how much detail to show at a certain scale.
The frustrating thing about all of this is that it only takes one kink in the toolkit to stop us from being able to work this way. Something as simple as a window tool that can't model the windows we always use, or can't display them properly in 2D. Or something as simple as the need to pause 10 seconds while you wait for a stair to recalculate because you dared to change a flight width. Or a column tool that needs a pilots licence to operate. These sorts of things make the virtual building concept unworkable in VWA.
It's so frustrating because once these hurdles are overcome the jump in productivity and enjoyment will be huge. And we can just see over the next hill but the end never seems to arrive.
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Christiaan
I want to put BIM aside for a moment and talk about 3D virtual building modelling, because the two invariably get discussed in the same breath and we often end up talking across purposes.
BIM is a powerful way to convey information. However what I've come to realise is that the more important thing for us at this point is how we produce that information in the first place. Whether we convey it using dynamic digital information or whether we convey it on paper with 2D drawings, what we need is a workable 3D virtual building model environment to produce that information from in the first place. Otherwise we're simply hanging onto the disadvantages of the 2D drawing board.
And I find it frustrating that some people are still pushing 2D hand drawing paradigms where they're not appropriate:
http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=121867#Post121867
I want to be able to produce and derive all my documents/information from one source. I want to be able to quickly change an object and have it change throughout all my documents/information. I want our plans, sections, elevations and 3D model all to marry up without quadruple the effort on my part. I want to avoid beam and duct conflicts. I want to be able to predict more accurately what we can expect when we actually get on site and build the building. I want intelligent feedback; I want to be able to plug in the parameters for my site, such as building height limits, and I want the relevant part of model to turn red if I push the building up past that height. I want to be able to predict the thermal properties of the building with a visual interface. Et cetera. All of this needs a workable virtual 3D model.
Some may say we have this capability in VWA but I say it's not workable. General 3D modelling is not virtual building modelling. We need responsive intelligent objects that interact with the rest of the building intelligently and that avoid the need to model everything manually. We need a 3D interface that is as responsive as the 2D interface. We need an interface that understands what a building storey is. We need an interface that understands what gravity is. Et cetera.
And, at least until we move to a digital model-only environment, we need an interface that understands what various architectural documents are (elevations, details, etc.) and doesn't require us to manually cobble them together each time. I'm thinking the project map in ArchiCAD for example, or the ability to know how much detail to show at a certain scale.
The frustrating thing about all of this is that it only takes one kink in the toolkit to stop us from being able to work this way. Something as simple as a window tool that can't model the windows we always use, or can't display them properly in 2D. Or something as simple as the need to pause 10 seconds while you wait for a stair to recalculate because you dared to change a flight width. Or a column tool that needs a pilots licence to operate. These sorts of things make the virtual building concept unworkable in VWA.
It's so frustrating because once these hurdles are overcome the jump in productivity and enjoyment will be huge. And we can just see over the next hill but the end never seems to arrive.
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