If any one person can be credited as the inventor of BIM, probably is Professor Chuck Eastman (GeorgiaTech). Professor Eastman has published research since the 1970s where he states the basis of what now we call BIM.
The term BIM was probably created by Autodesk, among many other alternative names other software vendors where proposing in the early 2000s.
The first commercial software to implement BIM was Graphisoft ArchiCAD, at the time, a company from Hungary.
Eduardo Toledo, Prominent BIM Professor and Researcher in Brazil
Early BIM Beginnings
In 1957, Pronto, the first commercial software computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) was developed by Dr Patrick J. Hanratty. A short time after that, he dabbled into computer-generated graphics and in 1961 developed DAC (Design Automated by Computer) which became the first CAM/CAD system that used interactive graphics and was used for General Motors’ complex die moulds. After a few failures that were basically caused by an unpopular programming language, Hanratty had this to say:
“Never generate anything closely coupled to a specific architecture. And make sure you keep things open to communicate with other systems, even your competitors.”
In 1962, Douglas C. Englebart wrote a paper entitled, “Augmenting Human Intellect”. In it, he posited the idea of the future architect, suggested object-based design, parametric manipulation, and relational database:
“The architect next begins to enter a series of specifications and data–a six-inch slab floor, twelve-inch concrete walls eight feet high within the excavation, and so on. When he has finished, the revised scene appears on the screen. A structure is taking shape. He examines it, adjusts it… These lists grow into an evermore-detailed, interlinked structure, which represents the maturing thought behind the actual design.”
Dream Building the Model
In 1963, the first computer-aided design (CAD) with a graphical user interface, “Sketchpad”, was developed at the MIT Lincoln Labs by Ivan Sutherland. In the 70s and 80s, the two main methods born out of this were constructive solid geometry (CSG) and boundary representation (brep). The whole design process for this necessitated an intuitive connection to the design medium and presented the challenge of commanding the computer in a simple way.
Assembling the Database
In 1975, Charles Eastman published a paper describing a prototype called Building Description System (BDS). It discussed ideas of parametric design, high quality computable 3D representations, with a “single integrated database for visual and quantitative analyses”. Eastman’s paper basically described BIM as we know it now. Eastman designed a program that gave the user access to a sortable database — information can be retrieved categorically by attributes (including material and supplier); it also used a graphical user interface, orthographic and perspective views. The BDS was one of the first projects in BIM history to successfully create this building database. Eastman concluded that BDS would improve drafting and analysis efficiencies and cut the cost of design by more than fifty percent. BDS was the experiment that identified the most fundamental problems in architectural design for the next five decades.
In 1977, Charles Eastman created GLIDE (Graphical Language for Interactive Design) in the CMU Lab and it exhibited most of the characteristics of the modern BIM platform.
The 80s came and several systems were being developed everywhere. They quite gained popularity within the industry and some were even applied to construction projects.
It was in 1986 when RUCAPS (Really Universal Computer-Aided Production System) was used to assist the renovation of Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3. It was the first CAD program in the history of BIM to be used in prefab construction (or temporal phase construction, if you want to be technical). It is regarded as a forerunner to today’s BIM software.
Towards Virtual Design and Construction
Backtrack to 1985, in the US, Diehl Graphsoft was developing Vectorworks, one of the first CAD programs, one of the first 3D modelling software programs, and the first cross-platform CAD application. Vectorworks was one of the first to introduce BIM capabilities. At the same time (1985), Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) was founded in 1985 and they released Pro/ENGINEER in 1988, considered to be the first ever marketed parametric modelling design software in BIM history.
In 1993 was facing a great step in the history of BIM, the development of the Building Design Advisor at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. It was a software that performed simulations and suggested solutions based on a model. In Australia, Mapsoft was formed by 1994 and was designing the affordable survey CAD software. This paved the way for miniCAD, the first survey CAD software to run on a handheld computer — the DOS-based HP100LX. It’s still in use today for Windows, Palms, and other old school pocket PCs.
Evolution of BIM Terms and Definitions
Robert Aish first documented the use of the term “Building Modelling” in a published paper in 1986. In this paper, he argued for what we now know as BIM and the technology to implement it. A few years after that, the first documented use of the term “Building Information Model” appeared in a paper by G.A. Van Nederveen and F. Tolman in the December 1992 Automation in Construction.
Cultivating a Collaborative Culture
In 1995, the International Foundation Class (IFC) file format was developed to allow data to flow across platforms — basically making a file compatible with different BIM programs. In 1997, ArchiCAD released its first file exchange based Teamwork solution. This revolutionized team collaborations and allowed more architects to work on a building model simultaneously.
In 1999 in Japan, Onuma allowed virtual teams to work on BIM through the Internet and created a database-driven BIM planning system that paved the way for future seamless cross-platform integration of BIM software and parametric technologies.
In 2001, NavisWorks developed and marketed JetStream, a 3D design review software that offered a set of tools to 3D CAD navigation, collaboration, and coordination.
In 2004 Revit released its update, Revit 6, this set the stage for larger teams of architects and engineers to collaborate in one integrated model software. As Autodesk raced to be on top of the BIM game, it acquired Revit in 2002, NavisWorks in 2007, among other “smaller” BIM systems.
In 2012, Autodesk developed formit. Formit is an application that enables the conception of a BIM model on a mobile device.
Current BIM Practice
In 2003, Bentley Systems developed Generative Components (GC), a BIM platform that focused on parametric flexibility and sculpting geometry that supports NURBS (non-uniform rational B-spline) surfaces.
In 2006, Gehry Technologies released Digital Project, a program similar to GC. Both Digital Project and GC spawned a revolution in architectural designs. These two platforms are revolutionary, in a sense, as they can produce especially complex and provocative architectural forms, paving the way for parametricism.
In 2008, Patrick Schumacher coined “parametricism” and the movement of building parametric architectural structures.
www.aproplan.com/blog/construction-collaboration/a-history-of-bim
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