WHEN DID YOU FIRST MEET THE BIM DESIGN TECNOLOGY IN THE PRACTICE?

IM:

Honestly, I met BIM technology, or more precisely programs that work on the principle of BIM, a long time ago, back in 2002, while staying at the construction fair in Bologna.

I spent a few days, during a visit to that fair, listening and watching program presentations that work on the BIM platform. I have to admit, I felt back then, that it is a technology that provides completely new possibilities in the entire design process.

As an architect-designer, I dreamed of having an adequate program that allows me significant speed of changes and decision-making during the design process, without implying "mining" work of harmonizing models and technical documentation that is the end result of that process. BIM programs provide that interactive alignment.

And here we are eighteen years, since I became infected with BIM technology, without which I would not be able to imagine working in any architectural environment.

WHAT IS THE BASIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIM AND THE TRADITIONAL BUREAU SETTING?

IM:

The difference is huge. It is reflected in the first place, in the speed and accuracy of the technical documentation. The information contained in one BIM model can be used in various fields and projects of other professions that participate in the process of designing a facility.

By changing this information due to adjustments, which are an integral part of every design process, the information in the final technical documentation changes interactively and automatically, which is the basis on which the facilities are built. Compliance is current and does not require additional alteration.

One of the most picturesque examples are the tables with realized surfaces which are an integral part of every architectural project. By changing the geometry of some rooms, the parameters of the surface or processing material in the indicated tables for those rooms, as well as their final sums, are automatically changed. This is just one of many examples, which, compared to the traditional way of designing, speeds up the process and reduces the possibility of error to a minimum.

And here we are eighteen years, since I became infected with BIM technology, without which I would not be able to imagine working in any architectural environment.

HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOUNG ARCHITECTS IN SERBIA HAVE EXPERIENCE IN WORKING IN THE BIM SYSTEM?

IM:

Unfortunately, I must admit that our environment is again significantly lagging behind world trends. Throughout this period of eighteen years, since I started working in one of the BIM programs, I have had a hard time finding associates who were willing to master BIM in the right way. They were especially difficult to find among young architects.

In the last two years, there has been a noticeable shift in interest in BIM programs, as a consequence of the arrival of many foreign design companies in our area, but only as an imperative for employment in these companies.

Access to BIM programs is still the same as traditional modeling programs. BIM programs, unfortunately, are not just a modeling tool, but significantly much, much more.

WHICH PROGRAM WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

IM:

I mentioned that I met BIM programs back in 2002 at the fair in Bologna. Then in a few days, I was following the presentations of Revit_ver4.5 which was just then purchased by Autodesk, as well as ArchiCAD_ver8.5 developed by Graphisoft.

Like everyone at the time, I used AutoCAD and 3DMax, the flagships of Autodesk, so the logical choice was to choose Revit. I have to admit, switching from AutoCAD to Revit as much as it had comparative advantages, wasn’t that easy.

Coincidentally, a younger colleague who was looking for a job in my studio knew the program ArchiCAD. In that way, I had a unique opportunity to compare the work of one architect in the Revit or ArchiCAD program at the same time. I have noticed, in my humble opinion, that ArchiCAD is more significantly tailored to us architects in terms of many things and the choice has finally fallen on ArchiCAD. From there on, I have been an active user of ArchiCAD more than seventeen years.

WHY DO ARCHITECTURAL OFFICES DEVIATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BIM IN THE WORK SYSTEM?

IM:

They have a resistance, because BIM implies abandoning old habits in designing and new learning. It is simply difficult for people to decide that it is necessary to renew knowledge with new technologies and world tendencies. Learning something new is not an easy choice and so with a line of less resistance they opt for the standard approach, regardless of the fact that BIM brings significant acceleration.

Many studios, in fact, do not see how BIM actually becomes indispensable if they want their office to survive in the very near future.

An example of such short-sightedness, we have the example of Nokia, which simply did not see the future of touch phones and ignoring this information, in a very short period of time from the world's leading mobile phone company, became a company with a minority share in the world market. They just didn’t know how to adjust to the new coming time.

... AND IN THE END, WHY BIM?

IM:

The BIM (Bulding Information Model) is simply a necessary tool in the times we live and work. Modern tendencies tell us that there is an even more significant acceleration in the near future, so that work without BIM programs will not be simply possible.

Imagine this world of ours as the fastest mountain creek in which we all find ourselves. In order to stay afloat, it is necessary to swim. If by any chance, we stop swimming and just stay afloat, the inevitably fast mountain flow of the river will take us miles downstream.

All those who use BIM are those who swim opposite the creek, and those who do not use it are miles downstream. THE DECISION IS UP TO US WHERE WE WANT TO BE.