For Week 3's blog post each group was assigned a topic to research from a list provided by Pr. Mitchell. As I was assigned to Group A, I was asked to read the BIM Handbook 2011 and learn about BIM Tools and Parametric Modeling from the readings provided. The chapter was very comprehensive and discussed almost everything you would need to know of an overview of Building Information Modeling from history to the specific aspects of the program.
I have used Revit and AutoCAD extensively throughout my internships at Ballinger and EwingCole at the Center City Philadelphia offices. However the readings really gave me a better understanding of the development of the art of BIM and where it has come from. Personally I think that BIM is a very powerful tool and while there are many different programs that use the same concepts it will eventually become as popular as traditional 2D drafting.
The first thing that is explained in the readings is the history of BIM and how orignally there were two different modeling methods being used, B-rep and CSG. These two different modeling systems have since stopped competeing and both are used in modern day applications. "All parametric modeling tools and all building models incorporate both representations, one CSG like for editing and B-rep for visualizing, measuring, clash detection and other nonediting uses."
After that the chapter goes into depth about how parametric modeling is different from typical modeling. The difference that quickly became apparent was how the system can update itself when you change one part of the model. To clarify that concept, parametric modeling associates different parts of the model together so if you change one wall the adjoining wall will follow it in order to not break the building envelope. This is a very interesting trait because it allows users to not have to update multiple objects over time and saves time for designers. However the issues that arises from a tool this powerful is the need for large amounts of computing power and training of engineers in the system. Because one little change can affect the whole system it is important for the engineers to be cognizant of the changes and the domino effect that can occur.
Finally the chapter went into depth describing the individual components of the program such as how files are saved, how the designer function works, and the ribbon functions. All of these are particular interesting if you have never used BIM systems before but are terribly boring to read through for anyone with experience.
Overall I learned a lot of information pertaining to BIM systems that I didn't originally have. I am excited to learn more and the discussion that will come from the class.
Comments: I liked Ester's post and how in depth she went with the history of the modeling. I glanced over that section as it was not something that interested me but after reading her article it seems that I missed out on some very crucial details.
Matt: I'm commenting on your post because you used a .gif and I thought it was cool. I thought you made a good point about the benefits of parametric modeling. Being able to make changes quickly is essential for a designer with a tight schedule, and reactive models are incredibly helpful when adjusting interior layouts or changing parameters in an analysis program. It used to be a huge pain to change one wall in a model because you would usually have to re-adjust the adjacent walls and spaces to accommodate the change. Often times it had a ripple affect and you could find yourself going through the entire model making adjustments. Now, architects can actually bring their laptops to meetings and make changes as requested because the model is capable of updating so quickly. Not only are the physical changes easily fixed, but HVAC or structural analysis being run on the model update immediately as well.
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