BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 3 - (Page 36)

BUILDING meters tall and came close to the 30-ton maximum lifting capacity of the construction cranes. The design team needed to manipulate these elements quickly and easily, often during discussions with the structural engineer. Because multidirectional members converged on a single node point, the design team opted to use building information modeling (BIM) because traditional construction drawings could not describe the nodes and other elements completely. The level of detail required in the nodes ruled out a number of parametric-based BIM applications—they produced an extremely large model that was difﬁcult to manipulate. The ﬁrm planned to use MicroStation for design and construction documentation, so the design team ultimately selected Bentley Structural as its main software tool. Although it may seem strange for architects to adopt a structural application, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has always emphasized structure in its designs. Rogers’ Centre Pompidou and Lloyd’s building are both characterized by exposed mechanical and structural infrastructure. In fact, Rogers was honored with the 2007 Pritzker Prize for what the jury characterized as “a unique interpretation of the modern movement’s fascination with the building as machine.” Indeed, the architectural team found that the integration of a structural solution complemented the architectural form and structural function of the building frame. “Bentley Structural has given us the opportunity to return to the classical approach to integrated design pioneered by Brunel and Eiffel,” explained Andrew Yek, an architect on the project. The referencing capabilities of MicroStation remove any limitations on the level of detail the model can support. The 3D model is used to generate all secondary documentation, including drawings, details, geometry statements, and fabrication data. That approach is at least 70 percent faster than traditional documentation methods. In the past, any change to the design would require days of additional drawing time to update the 48 individual ﬂoor plans, plus sections and elevations. “These are currently being updated in hours rather than days,” said Nigel Davies, the ﬁrm’s CAD guru. The design team adopted Bentley Structural and the DGN format as the project’s standard exchange format. 3D data is brought together in DGN format where it is coordinated and checked for clashes. The ability to exchange information directly between structural engineers and the architectural team has improved the design process, Davies noted. An additional beneﬁt of the 3D model is that required data can be extracted as needed for fabrication and erection. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners uses a VBA tool to extract geometric data and real-world coordinates into a spreadsheet. The ﬁrm also uses Bentley software’s 3D PDF capabilities to distribute 3D digital models. In some cases, segments of the building frame are exported directly to selective laser sintering systems that create small-scale physical prototypes, which helped ensure that components are correct and reduces the risk of costly corrections once construction begins. Davies estimated that using BIM has saved the ﬁrm months of design time—time that has been redirected into optimizing the building design. As the design progresses, the 3D building model enables the team to quickly assess and prototype alternative options. The selection and modiﬁcation tools in Bentley’s TriForma products support the iterative design process demanded by the complexity of the design. “Without the abilities of Bentley Structural, we would have come to a solution, of course, but it would not have been this elegant or to the level of detail we required,” said Dirk Krowlowski, an architect on the project. Davies added that the software has paid for itself many times over, even though the ﬁrm is only partway through the project, adding that moving from the familiar interface of MicroStation to the toolset in TriForma and Bentley Structural has been ﬂuid and problem-free. Demolition of the building currently occupying the site should be completed in early 2008. The new building is expected to be ﬁnished by 2011, adding its distinctive proﬁle to the tall buildings transforming the London skyline. B U I L D I N G N E W S FROM BENTLEY Bentley Releases RAM Structural System Version 11.2 >>more Architecture, Engineering, and Construction CIOs Focus on Strategies To Improve Economic Productivity >>more Bentley Supports AIA150 as Bronze Sponsor; Also Donates Project Collaboration Services >>more Bentley Architecture Achieves IFC2x3 Certiﬁcation >>more Bentley Announces the ProjectWise Passport >>more Golden KIWI Award Winners In January of this year, Bentley acquired all operations of KIWI Software, a leading provider of structural modeling, detailing, and fabrication software for industrial plants, buildings, and civil structures. The Golden KIWI Awards 2007 honor the great work of ProSteel 3D users, KIWI Software’s ﬂagship product line, and their projects around the globe. Commercial Structure Trimo Civil Engineering Structure PDC Consultants 36 BE MAGAZINE | Volume 4, Issue 3 http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/Quarter+3/RAM+Structural+11.2.htm http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/Quarter+2/AEC+CIOs.htm http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/Quarter+2/AIA150.htm http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/Quarter+2/IFC2x3+Certification.htm http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/Quarter+2/ProjectWise+Passport.htm

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 3

Contents Rising to the Challenge News BE Newsletter Highlights More ITS Sightings Racing Concrete Canoes Lights, Camera, Action! Making the Cut People’s Choice Awards 2007 Executive Keynotes Building Clear Vision of a Dream Concrete Results Reaching New Heights Building News From Bentley Golden KIWI Awards 2007 Civil A Coordination of National Highway Proportions Training Troops Beautifying Highways, One Sign at a Time Civil News From Bentley Geospatial Facility Facelift Planning for Uncertainty Geospatial News From Bentley MicroStation at the Heart of LiDAR Surveying Solutions Plant Making the Grade Data Deja Vu Data Clouds Provide Clear Visual of Underground Saving Precious-Metal Mining Time Plant News From Bentley Advertisers Index Special/Academic The Art of Visualization Training Is Key To Delivering State-of-the-Art Solutions Bridging the Information/Infrastructure Gap

BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 3

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