From Paper to Pixel – BIM @ WRNS
Technology is integral to the entire lifecycle of our design and project delivery process. From early on, hand sketching and paper study models are our generative design tools, which we complement with digital massing models allowing us to test, validate, and quantify our ideas. Some of the analytical software tools we use at this phase include sun/shadow studies, comparative energy modeling, and visual context analysis. We also use advanced parametric modeling techniques to study and evaluate iterations of facades and curtain walls.
As the project moves into the detailed design phases we rally the design and construction team around the building information model as the primary method of sharing project design information. This fosters a collaborative environment in which all team members learn to trust the model as a proxy for the building, leading the way to better communication among all project participants.
Cloud-based model viewing and coordination tools give all team members real-time access to the latest iteration of the model without the need to install and learn BIM software. This technology makes the rich data sets contained in our model more accessible and therefore more useful to the project team.
Immersive simulation using virtual reality technology is rapidly becoming a feasible decision-making tool and WRNS is exploring its use at many different stages of design. This is just one of the many additional uses of our models that add value to the project.
The BIM becomes a repository for project data that develops in detail and increases in certainty as the project progresses into the documentation phases. We are acutely aware that our digital models add value to the project beyond documentation and visual simulations. They must not only satisfy the requirements of the current design phase but also anticipate downstream uses such as fabrication coordination and facilities management. Our rigorous modeling standards, extensive proprietary object libraries, and model management expertise intensify our collaboration with builders, clients, and other design partners.