AGENDA
AGENDA
Q: “WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BIM, WOULD YOU CONSIDER THIS TO BE THE FUTURE OF DESIGN?”
generate 2D or 3D files that can be milled or machined into construction elements. I think the average practices will continue to use it for a long time to come.
DR C A Ida Breed (Pr Larch) Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture at University of Pretoria and ILASA president. I do not foresee that everyone will jump into BIM programmes as we did with AutoCAD. There is no doubt that in an interdisciplinary working environment commonalities are welcomed. For that reason some landscape practices have settled for Revit, since it is the software of choice for technicians in Architectural firms and other professionals in the industry. While there is no doubt that technologically powerful tools can be handy, they remain tools and in no way a measure of better quality design which should be our greater concern. That a practice is better because it uses BIM is the same as saying that a pianist is better because she plays on a Steinway. The argument that BIM offers better quality, more accurate drawings for better estimation is misleading. One may ask: better quality than what? Or, more accuracy than what? Quality is a consequence of our inputs. Some other misconceptions play a role, or at least a marketing role: the fear of being “left behind”, of “becoming obsolete”, which is simply not true. For example, hand drawings are not a thing of the past, underrated invariably by those who cannot draw; they are and will be the primordial design tool of any designer. They are quick, expressive and effective enough to communicate our intentions. AutoCAD is also far from obsolete, it is an extremely precise tool that still works well for the task at hand and more importantly can www.prolandscaper.co.za
Leading designer Patrick Watson relies in building strong relations with clients and contractors to produce some of the best landscapes in South Africa. Needless to say he does not need BIM, software or even hand drawings to achieve this. At the end of the day, the working environment and size of projects in which you work will decide whether your practice needs a BIM solution or not. The one thing I am sure though is that to be a better designer, one that adds quality and save resources by taking the right design decisions, is a far more complex and committing endeavour than selecting the right software package. This is, at any rate, the crucial issue.
What is important to note is that BIM is an innovative approach to a way of working. The industry currently offers us an unprecedented number of software options as well as an extraordinary amount of data. Take, as an example ‘point clouds’ obtained through 3D scanning technology, these can offer far more than a traditional survey, such as existing vegetation and trees’ height, breadth, even overall canopy radius. However, this vast amount of data is often raw, overwhelming, and in its essence inaccessible to the average user. The key is in turning this data into information. This information needs to be easily available and readily useable. How do we do this? We strive for a strategy of never-ending-improvement, we take the time, now, to establish BIM libraries, source files, well associated information, protocols and adaptable workflows. If we take the time to set up such structures with future projects in mind, we will compact data into meaningful information that will optimistically translate into knowledge within a company collective. BIM is the future of design. The first steps towards this “big picture” future need to be taken now. The tasks that any professional in the industry needs to fulfil is to spend the extra effort on smart information modelling before a project’s inception, to benefit from the time savings later, when it’s crunch time.
Astrid van der Laan, BIM Co-ordinator Boogertman + Partners Architects at University of Pretoria and ILASA president. We find ourselves in a paradigm shift when considering the development of projects within the built environment. Whether it be architectural, landscape or urban design, such designs need to be realised quickly and iteratively, drawings produced rapidly, and project costs kept to a minimum. There is no doubt that BIM as a process will help us realise these goals, but not without effort on our part. Pro Landscaper Africa / July 2017
11