The Decline of Detail with the Rise of BIM

    This entry will be a commentary more towards the academic environment compared to the professional field. That being said, we as architects admire beautiful buildings due to the success of complex situations that are well orchestrated into a façade or moment. These details usually go unnoticed and under-appreciated by the common eye (public user).  Is this the reason why we rarely see unique project skins, or are there other factors that play into this trend? 

    I, arguably, am stating that the implementation of BIM (Budling Information Modeling) software in the design process is one factor that is leading to the decline of complex detailing in buildings (in the US). In the transition to the professional world you see there are often times experts in these software’s that can plug in and control specific components to meet code and market demands.  The efficiency that comes with designing a working building has lead to a shift in interest in timeline and profit over design and intricacy. There was an incident where a friend of mine told me how an unnamed engineer decided to provide renovation plans to a shop space within their warehouse because he was certified with their BIM software. Fast forward, and turns out he did not vent it properly and made it a fire hazard with egress to the space. This simple overlooking cost the company a lot of money and nearly resulted in a lawsuit. Surely this could be one instance of incompetence from the worker, but it still speaks to the point that just because the program can produce proper building specifications, doesn’t guarantee they are correct and safe. 

    So, if the architect is the maestro of the building we should be able to take some of the budget/time to create something equally beautiful as it is complex. There is one other small thing that stands in the way; the IBC. The degree of influence governing entities has on building standards and practices has been a coiled cobra suffocating creative design expression. How can you push the boundaries of the building standard if you won’t get approved or fined? Obviously, we have our primary obligation to provide a safe structure for the user. However, the push for creative solutions in school gets curb stomped into oblivion upon entry into the working world. I understand there is a hierarchy to things but even still everyone brands themselves as “creative solutions to complex problems” and the solutions are all the same.