Integrated Design Studios: Education to Overcome Silo-thinking and Enable Full BIM-exploitation in AEC

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) related promises are numerous – reduction of the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry fragmentation, construction cost, and delivery time, as well as lifecycle optimization have been advocated in both literature and practice. But so are the challenges of BIM adoption: establishment and standardization of BIM data structures or ensuring the necessary skills and competencies for planning process participants. In this paper we present ongoing research on the integration of BIM in education through student experiments, based on a BIM-supported integrated design studio (IDS). Thereby the various features of BIM technology adopted in multidisciplinary conceptual design stage are explored and evaluated. Quantitative and qualitative research, in form of questionnaires and focus group discussions, addresses the people and process related challenges in such collaborative BIMsupported building projects. The analysis of three cycles of such IDSs has shown that the participants appreciate the collaborative approach, and benefit from working with other disciplines by sharing knowledge; however BIM technology has not significantly contributed to the improvement of the design quality.