One of the pioneering BIM professionals of BER SAB ARC Design Studio, Architect Kathleen Claire “Kat” G. Cinco, shares her experience as being the studio's leading BIM Manager.
Initially adapting the process of BIM Modelling particularly in the MEP Sector, Kat noticed the lack of interdisciplinary coordination which revealed issues such as repetitive work, material wastage, inaccurate budget costs, and the absence of clash detection which greatly affected the quality and efficiency of the project progression.
She started to further improve and develop a method of organization between linkages of information and data that can help create a unified and structured system. She then explained the importance of determining these weaknesses and addressing these issues through a collaborative process between Allied Professionals. According to her, it is also important to OBSERVE, STUDY and UNDERSTAND the process to create an automated system that can eliminate the issues and revolutionize the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall project performance and delivery.
“BIM Integration to me is not just limited to clash detection, streamlined workflow for the AEC industry, or ease in documentation and developing drawings, BUT it is for me, the method and the components behind and made thereof. It is the cohesiveness of data and information that will make the project even more successful. From family creation and development, template management, project organization, scheduling and estimates, material maps and specifications, the BIM process would only be fully realized if you understand the full potential it can provide.”
For Kat, becoming a BIM Manager takes years of practice and experience in order to accurately determine its level of complexity and translate that into an effective BIM workflow. Having these skills can open to bigger opportunities of design flexibility and maximizing project efficiency benefiting clients in return.
Architect Emmanuel Angelo ‘Geo’ P. Morados, one of the studios’ emerging talents, shares his experience as he transitioned to a BIM workflow. Having previous experience in construction and site supervision, Geo was trained in the 3D to 2D pipeline realizing that reform is needed in the ubiquitous construction workflow. Through his experience, he learned that it was a challenge to coordinate for site inconsistencies since clash detection study models were unfamiliar back then. At present in the studio, he then learned that BIM offers this kind of efficiency and thus, started his BIM journey. When he began the transition, He openly expressed his difficulties as it really deviated from his previous workflow but then he channeled that energy through incessant learning and exploration of the possibilities of the new paradigm.
According to him, “...There is a steep learning curve while transitioning to BIM. I would say the most challenging part is understanding all the tools and features and how parametric modeling works. Progressing from one level to the next is crucial to grasp the whole scope of BIM. But one feature really piqued my interest. It is the level of ADJUSTABILITY and FLEXIBILITY that greatly adds value for us architects and designers. Having to adjust any part of the structure or plan and see it reflect across all views and disciplines, truly speaks BIM.
It was a laborious yet satisfying journey to be able to progress and reach a certain level of flexibility and self-expression as it opened the opportunity to create fully parametric design iterations. As a designer, Geo, who is naturally meticulous and keen, was able to achieve a more efficient method in coordinating design intent by means of clash detection and automation of repetitive work thus increasing efficiency in project delivery and quality. Others may seem reluctant in transitioning from a CAD to BIM workflow, but for Geo, BIM has drastically improved the quality of design translation and documentation as it is an ideal platform to use for ease, consistency, and quality.