Architects prefer Building Information Modeling to Save Time, Money and Deliver Better Design for Commercial Mixed-Use Apartments

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital 3D model of all aspects of a commercial mixed-use apartment building including architectural, structural, mechanical, and other elements.

BIM teams create a virtual replica of a proposed building to troubleshoot during design and for accurate estimates of costs, energy use prediction, functionality, and constructability. Autodesk Revit is the BIM software program that Propel Studio Architecture has adopted which allows an entire team of specialists, from architects to engineers and other consultants to access and collaborate on a single virtual model. With everyone working within one file it is easy to see what information is missing and what areas of the design need to be focused on or refined. The program saves time by being a dynamic tool that tracks changes throughout the model. If a design change occurs (such as moving a window in the floor plan), BIM software automatically adjusts the information (in this case position of the window element) everywhere else in the project. BIM allows quick 3D snapshots and on the fly renderings so design teams and owners can visualize the project as they make important design decisions.

The common challenges of a commercial mixed-use apartment project type - from obtaining design review approval, to managing and coordinating with a large team of consultants, documenting all materials and details for comprehensive bidding, etc. - is a challenge BIM excels to address.

Whether you are a developer interested in planning a new commercial mixed-use building, part of a design team, or involved in construction, Revit design software allows the project team access to a holistic pool of valuable information. The information is simultaneously organized in both 3 dimensions and 2 dimensions, and is also dissectible into time, materials, parts and costs. As a project stakeholder involved at any point in a building design, having this information available and being able to see it in these ways leads to better decisions and better results. It streamlines the complex process of design and construction.

Propel has been using Autodesk Revit software in building design and construction administration since 2006. Prior to Revit we used programs more like traditional hand drafting, which is typically used as only a 2 dimensional program. Since making this switch, we have continued to innovate and adapt our design processes to utilize the tools of Revit and find powerful, cost-saving ways to get mileage out of its abundance of quantitative abilities.

The design process is all about communication, exploration of ideas, leveraging opportunities and understanding limitations. We start by putting everything on the table, pulling as much information as we can together, then pulling it apart through analysis and reorganizing it to help inform our design decisions. This iterative process continues until the entire team agrees on a final solution. Revit helps us balance the clients needs, budget and schedule, the site’s context and climate, the architect’s design expertise, various consultant’s input and recommendations, and ensures all of this information works seamlessly together to create a great project.’

Using Revit we are constantly modeling each project in 3D - eliminating the hassles of coordinating changes through independent 2D CAD Drawings. This virtual building is then sliced in order to generate 2D views for common floor plans and elevations. You may think of it as setting up a bunch of webcam’s inside a virtual building so that anytime something changes, all the webcams that are looking at that area will automatically represent the most recent state.

If your focus is engineering and construction, having the correct dimensions and coordination is only part of the equation. Revit allows these teams to go further and analyze buildings for energy use, lighting, acoustics, safety, and even calculate volume of materials without leaving the project workflow.

We use Revit for our commercial mixed-use projects and love it for the ability to quickly make aesthetic decisions - balancing functionality with quick references to the 3D form from unlimited vantage points. Building Information Modeling with Revit allows us to continually evolve our design, all while maintaining a coordinated document set. Our process can now be more about doing, seeing, and reacting. Managing design, rather than managing change itself.

Please contact us if you are considering a new development in the Pacific Northwest. For more details on this project or other examples of Propel’s role as a mixed-use apartment architect on other multifamily work, please visit this page.