Building Information Modeling (BIM) integrates the design, construction and management of architecture to reduce costs and increase efficiency. The future of architecture is changing more precisely and innovatively through BIM, and the number of cases of its implementation is increasing worldwide.
The game Minecraft has gained popularity by allowing users to do anything they want in a world made only of cubes. The game’s originality and endless possibilities have led it to be used as an educational tool beyond simple entertainment. For example, many schools use Minecraft to create projects that allow students to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills. Through the game, you can meet other users and participate in the Hunger Games, as well as wage war and siege battles. But the real star of this game is something else. It is the “creative” feature that allows you to build buildings and cities. The joy of creating your own world has made Minecraft a game that many people have loved for a long time. Games and programs that have been created due to the development of computers, such as Minecraft, have helped people easily enjoy the pleasure of creating a new world, and in that world, people have become gods who create amusement parks, houses, cities, historical buildings, and even countries. As such, games are expanding their role as tools that go beyond the category of mere entertainment to maximize human creativity and imagination. Among these numerous programs and games, there is one that is the closest to reality: BIM.
If you were asked to draw a house, what would you do? A young child would draw with crayons in a sketchbook, while some college students might design a house using a game like Minecraft. A builder of the past would draw several sections of the house, while a builder of today would model the house in 3D using a program like CAD (Computer Aided Design). CAD is used as an innovative tool in the field of architecture and engineering to simplify complex design work. So what will the builders of the future be doing? At first glance, the homes they build in 3D will look no different from those built by today’s builders. But if you look closely, their homes will include how materials are managed, how much they cost, how they should be managed after completion, and how they should be destroyed. In other words, it includes not only the “present” of building, but also the “past” and “future” in a single program. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a program that manages the life of a building all at once.
If you ask if there has ever been a system that manages construction all at once like BIM, the answer would be no. However, the master builder, who goes back to the Renaissance period and worked on design and construction together, could answer that question. After the Renaissance, as each trade became more specialized, there was no such thing as a trade that encompassed several trades. And drawings were the bridge between the different types of work. However, most of the drawings were distorted, and the damage caused not only increased time, but also wasted 35% of the construction investment.
The main reason BIM is overwhelmingly more useful than drawings is that 3D modeling allows people to understand what the finished building will look like. When using drawings, only a small number of people can understand what the finished building will look like. However, when using the 3D modeling technology of BIM”, the appearance of the completed building can be intuitively verified by a computer. In other words, developers and consumers can be on an equal footing when selecting a building. In particular, this technology provides an opportunity to predict and prevent errors that may occur during the construction process, thereby helping to minimize economic losses.
As such, BIM has significant advantages over current technologies and is already being partially implemented in various places. However, the implementation in Korea is only being done by private companies according to their own needs, so difficulties in institutional and technical issues are expected. On the other hand, in Japan, the government and private companies are already preparing to introduce BIM technology together, minimizing problems arising from various pilot projects and suggesting ways to improve them. The Japanese case has many implications for us and shows that a systematic and integrated approach is needed in Korea as well.
For example, many technologies, including BIM, have been introduced and are being used, and they are unknowingly affecting our lives. In construction-related departments, computer drafting and CAD training are becoming an important requirement, and 3D modeling is not an unfamiliar technology on actual construction sites. Even the Seoul National University Library has gone through a work process using BIM-related technology, so BIM technology is a technology that we will have to live with in the near future. In addition, the development of BIM technology is expected to bring innovation in various fields, such as urban planning and infrastructure management, as well as in the field of architecture. This will play an important role in making the environment we live in more efficient and sustainable.
