A NEW DIMENSION

摘要

We bought BIM software (Revit Architecture) about three years ago and used it on a number of projects but, probably like many others, would often find ourselves falling back into old habits and using AutoCAD, particularly for refurbishment or projects that required a quick turn-around (most projects in a typical architecture practice). Just over a year ago, we took the plunge and committed fully to Revit. We are a small practice based in central London, working in both the public and private sectors, in education, social housing, student housing and commercial developments. What attracted us to BIM was its 3D capability. My background is in complex three dimensional design, having worked for Calatrava and Future Systems before setting up DMA 11 years ago. The practice now is very much about using 3D problem-solving to enhance the design of everyday buildings. We have always developed our projects in 3D and, before adopting Revit, moved between 3D Rhino and 2D AutoCAD, even for the smallest details. We built very detailed 3D models to detect clashes and resolve geometry issues before translating them into 2D drawings — a very time consuming process — so the opportunity to develop the design in a single environment (and only draw it once) was a seductive one.