The DART Column

There has been so much talk lately about BIM (Building Information Modeling) that I thought I should blog about it.  Honestly I do not utilize the software that produces BIM drawings and I have not given the software a test drive either.  So the question is “how can I blog about something that I know nothing about”?  I have read my share of blogs on this subject and many others.  Lots of these bloggers, no matter what the subject is, seem to know very little about what they are blogging about so I thought why not me.  I have read some articles on BIM, so I would have to think that I am an expert by now.

To me BIM is just a new way to draw our construction documents.  A new tool, that provides the drawings, that gets us the building we want.   A new way that has it pro’s and con’s, just as all things do.  Is it the best tool for all projects?  Nope!  Does it work better than other programs for some of the projects?  Probably!  Just like brand A jeans fit me just fine but brand B in the same size, just doesn’t fit right.  Architectural projects, like jeans, vary in so many ways from an interior renovation, door and window replacement, brand new hospitals to the worlds tallest building and everything in between.  Can you guess which of these would probably best utilize BIM?  I can assure you it is not the window replacement.

So for all you BIM experts out there that swear by their BIM software as the only tool that they could imagine using for architecture, try wearing my jeans for a day.

Architectural design can be a very fun and rewarding part of my job.  There are some very spectacular buildings, of all kinds, that are being built.  It seems the only limitation that we have is our imagination and our ability to draw what we imagine.  This however is not necessarily true.  The cost and construct-ability of the buildings are limiting factors.  I believe that these go hand-in-hand because, if it is hard to construct than it is going to cast more.

That brings me to why I am writing this post.  The more we as architects know about construction, the more construct-able the project should be and less expensive to construct.  I was fortunate in the beginning of my career to work for a company that allowed me to go to job sites during construction.  This gave me a better understanding of how and why all the parts went together.  I learned early that just because I can draw it that way does not mean it can be constructed that way.

All architects and/or interns should spend time on the job site and learn as much as possible from the guys putting it together.  They may not always do it the correct way but, we can also learn from their mistakes.  I still enjoy going to the job site because there are many new materials and processes in construction being utilized today.  Don’t be afraid to ask “why are you doing it that way” because knowing the reason why is part of that learning process.

So get out on the job site and watch everything from pouring the footings to putting on the roof.  You will be a better architect and better designer because of it.