Response to Reading and Probe 3

In the AIA Report on Integrated Practice, Renee Cheng addresses the role BIM should take in architectural education. It seems an appropriate topic to broach. BIM is the buzzword redefining practice and collaboration, but schools are only just beginning to look at how it should be incorporated into formal education. While there are programs with the ability to make iterative changes in the early design process, few architects would bypass the freedom that loose early sketches provide. Cheng's suggestion of linking the introduction of BIM with a course in materiality or construction methods makes a good point of pairing the digital with the actual. I was also a fan of the design/build studio, which could allow students to really know what the materials are like, and how something is constructed. It is interesting to think of BIM as a double edged sword. On one hand, it could be very much "answer-driven" such that the construction details drive the design. On the other hand, the ease of use could free one from worrying about the construction details, and rather think about creating a beautiful space.