BIM as a tool for change
For several years, BIM has been a practical reality in archipelago thanks to the development of our employees' skills and the expertise acquired through several large-scale projects. We apply the BIM method from the first sketches to the "as-built" documentation. Always on the lookout for the latest developments in the sector, we are actively participating in the Belgian Building Research Institute's (BBRI) BIM cluster which aims to define a normative and legislative framework for BIM at the Belgian level.
Design better, together
BIM is a collaborative process that brings together all building disciplines around the architectural project in a virtual 3D model. Architects, engineers, expert partners and project owners simultaneously exchange information on a common computer model, so BIM guarantees the consistency of information. The goal is to anticipate and resolve implementation issues early in the design phase, ensuring cost and quality control throughout the project.
The benefits of the BIM methodology are significant for both our customers and our designers. BIM optimises the concepts, in line with our architectural vision, while respecting the objectives and expectations of our clients. This is all the more essential in the context of complex projects with very high technicality, such as hospital infrastructures or laboratories. The quality of our approach has been recognised by a BIM award in 2017 for a cutting-edge project: the “Protective Therapy” Centre of the Leuven University Hospital (UZ Leuven), designed and developed in Level 3 BIM.
A powerful tool supporting our integrated approach
We offer our customers an integrated BIM approach for all new projects we design. For this we have advanced IT tools and we have developed our own libraries and internal resources. We use BIM as a solid support for our methodological approach. In concrete terms, this translates into the following services:
– Programme: volumetric modelling of functional programming from the beginning, and control of the surfaces being designed.
– User experience: creation of dynamic visual aids (virtual tours) that reflect atmospheres up to the total virtual immersion of the user (VR).
– Sustainability: support for energy studies, optimisation of natural light inputs and analysis of the environmental impact of the materials used (via the TOTEM database or the One Click LCA software).
– Economy: clear and instant overview at any stage of the project of the budgetary impact of the improved design choices and lifecycle forecasts (LCC) thanks to the timing (4D) and cost (5D) data integrated into the elements modelled.
Case study - UZL GASTHUISBERG
Redesigning a hospital campus, a long-term collaboration
Change is now!
Beyond architectural design, all construction-related professions today feel the impact of the ongoing evolution. Saving time and efficiency are the key words. Even before the first sketches, the current technology allows surveyors to perform an ultra-precise 3D scanning of buildings and their environment. More and more often, entrepreneurs are invited to establish their offer and create an “as-built” documentation based on a virtual 3D model. With some adaptations, these models are transformed into maintenance support centralising all the technical data and operational planning…
At the legislative level, today there is no common framework at European or Belgian level. However, some countries are on the cutting edge, such as the United Kingdom, which since 2016 has imposed Level 2 BIM for any public project on its territory. This national directive (PAS 1192-2) has since been translated into an international standard (ISO 19650 since December 2018). The transition by the construction sector to BIM is no longer a question of principle but of time. Aware of these challenges and with its recognised expertise, archipelago actively participates in the BIM cluster of the BBRI in order to set up the first normative and legislative framework for BIM at the Belgian level.
Case study - CHWAPI