With the advent of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the move away from traditional two-dimensional drafting methods, we are fully aware of the implications this has for the future of architecture. The UK Government is heavily promoting and mandating the use of BIM on all its projects by 2016 and because of this, our clients are increasingly asking for BIM and, to some extent, simply expecting it! To meet and exceed client expectations, Make has been implementing BIM on new projects at the very early stages, because the provision of a BIM model gives certainty to the client and creates confidence in the final outcome.
However, at Make we are not just adopting BIM to fulfil what is required; we want to go further and leverage the power of this amazing new technology. By utilising the full spectrum that is available through the use of BIM, we can improve our efficiency and the ability to adjust quickly to changing demands. Using the model not just for drawing documentation and production but also to harvest building information to populate and create detailed schedules, is a huge benefit of this process.
We are currently using BIM on four large-scale projects, ranging from residential to mixed use and commercial buildings – including our state-of-the-art 5 Broadgate scheme, where we implemented BIM before other companies were even considering it, putting us way ahead of the competition.
By not restricting ourselves to just one BIM authoring software, we will always have access to the latest trends and innovations available from the building software industry. This gives us incredible flexibility to respond to different design challenges and client requirements, enabling us to improve collaboration and coordination with engineers, consultants and co-architects. Ultimately this means we always get the best available design solution for our clients.
We have established a core BIM group at Make, bringing together a wide range of expertise and experience. Having this team on hand provides valuable support to our design teams throughout the project lifecycle: from commencement through to design, construction and the hand-over of a data-rich model to the client at the end of the project.
