{"id":2472,"date":"2025-06-11T19:48:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T19:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/?p=2472"},"modified":"2025-06-11T20:21:53","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T20:21:53","slug":"bim-is-broken-and-everyone-hides-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/?p=2472&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"BIM is broken and everyone hides it …"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Hook of the Elusive Ideal of Digital Design in 10 Points<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For over a decade, I\u2019ve been working on architectural projects using 3D software. Despite numerous promises and marketing slogans proclaiming a design revolution through BIM (Building Information Modeling), everyday practice tells a very different story. In theory, BIM presents a vision of perfect coordination and precise digital models, but in practice, we often deal with tools that hinder rather than help the design process.<\/p>\n\n\n

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This cover is AI generated, looks good and catchy but does it provide real value?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

1. Time-Consuming and Complex Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Creating a 3D model takes significantly more time than using traditional CAD software. There\u2019s a lack of hierarchical information structure \u2014 the model contains all data at once, often leading to chaos, especially in large teams. Fixing issues visible in sections or plans can take many hours, as each change requires updating multiple elements across the model. Drawing on a single plane had the advantage of limiting the process to erasing lines to improve clarity. Drawing errors were easier to manage, as they appeared in the same place every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Avalanche of Errors and the Need for Control Tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Without using specialized coordination software (like BIMcollab, Navisworks, or Solibri), detecting all clashes and inconsistencies is impossible. For an average project, the number of reported issues can range from hundreds to thousands. Importantly, many of these errors would never surface in a traditional approach, as they wouldn\u2019t impact construction. Unfortunately, nowadays every minor inconsistency becomes „critical” \u2014 a result of over-formalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clash detection often generates extensive reports, full of tables, graphs, and classifications, which look great during coordination meetings \u2014 but don\u2019t necessarily improve project quality. Analyzing and resolving these issues consumes designers\u2019 and BIM coordinators\u2019 time, while many of the „clashes” would have no real-world consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even after „resolving” 90% of reported issues, experienced users know the documentation often ends up outdated on-site. Contractors rely on their own knowledge or investor decisions made to save costs. What was meant to be a tool of precise control becomes a bureaucratic burden, disconnected from construction site reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Documentation Export is a Nightmare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my 10-year career, I encountered only one foreign construction site where documentation was accessed solely from the cloud. Despite technological progress, many firms still require DWG or PDF files. Open formats like IFC, COBie, and free viewers are supposed to ease collaboration, but in practice, few project stakeholders know how to use them. Additionally, the lack of consistent naming conventions for layers, lines, and objects forces the creation of separate documentation schemes for each team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key standards in different countries include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • ISO 19650 (BIM information management),<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • DIN SPEC 91400 (Germany),<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • PAS 1192 \/ BS EN ISO 19650 (UK),<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • NS 8360 (Norway),<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • PN-BIM (Poland \u2013 still in development).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    4. Limited Accessibility and High Costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Advanced BIM tools are expensive and often inaccessible to smaller firms or subcontractors so they rely on outdated workflows. There\u2019s a lack of education on how information chains actually function. I often encounter the naive belief that „the software will do everything by itself,” while without proper training and project structure, the tool generates more problems than benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    5. Information Overload \u2014 When Too Much Data Hurts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    BIM software operates like complex databases, like MySQL or other. The amount of information generated in a single model can exceed the cognitive capacity of the person interpreting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Many investors and design offices assume that the more data is delivered, the better the project will be. Traditional drawings had thematic layers \u2014 BIM combines everything at once: fire protection, acoustics, finished, furniture, installations, etc. It\u2019s easy to get lost or jump between topics while drawing. All elements are literally available under finger tip. Leading to mistakes and data gaps. Excessive detail and lack of information filtering causes chaos in both design teams and on construction sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Often, key agreements regarding the model\u2019s scope and detail level are overlooked at the contract stage. Vague terms like \u201cBIM2D\u201d, \u201cBIM3D\u201d, or \u201cfull coordination\u201d fail to define responsibilities or expectations. Teams are forced to produce excessive data, schedules, and tables \u2014 which no one uses or understands. This leads to confusion, information overload, and delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    From a designer\u2019s perspective, this is frustrating \u2014 the workload increases without a corresponding improvement in quality. Many firms still fail to realize that successful BIM implementation hinges not on \u201cmore data\u201d but on \u201cthe right data, in the right form, at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the past, buildings were constructed using plans and sections. Today, it often feels like we’re building from Excel. One must ask: at what cost?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    6. Stability Issues and Unrealistic Interoperability Expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Distributed teams (often across countries) rely on cloud-based collaboration, which frequently results in sync errors, data loss, or blocked model access. Software can be unstable, and crashes may mean losing hours of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In theory, the BIM model should be universal and open. In practice, it works best only within one platform and its partners. Imports from external files (DWG, RVT, IFC) often lead to formatting errors, unit mismatches, or data loss. The traditional workflow allowed flexibility and human interpretation \u2014 BIM demands full compliance with program rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    BIM programs are rapidly evolving, but not always to the user\u2019s benefit. Annual version changes and lack of backward compatibility force constant investment. Time is lost adapting, converting files, and fixing compatibility issues. I miss the days when everyone used the same software version for years and you could just say over the phone, \u201cClick here,\u201d and it would work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    8. Automation and Scripting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Automation and scripting are among the most promising aspects of digital architecture. They allow repetitive tasks \u2014 like generating documentation, creating schedules, or optimizing design parameters \u2014 to be done in seconds, greatly improving efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, few people combine the skills of an architect, data manager, and programmer \u2014 and that\u2019s precisely what\u2019s needed for advanced automation. Large teams may afford specialized roles, but smaller firms often can’t bear the operational costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Furthermore, the drive to collect as much data and as many parameters as possible often leads to information overproduction and disorganization. Instead of aiding work, complex models become unreadable. Ironically, less technologically advanced projects \u2014 built with simpler tools and logic \u2014 are more transparent and practical than highly formalized models that \u201cno one can get anything useful out of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And if someone in the office asks why something isn\u2019t working, the standard answer could be: \u201cIt\u2019s not a bug, it\u2019s a feature \u2014 we just haven\u2019t written the script for it yet :)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    9. Emphasizing Clarity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Paradoxically, a technologically advanced project can be less clear and harder to manage than one created using simpler methods. Too many drawings, data points, schedules, and interdependencies hinder decision-making and quality control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    10. Model Overload and Performance Drops<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Large BIM models (e.g. airports, office buildings, transport hubs) can weigh hundreds of MBs or even several GBs. Even high-performance workstations sometimes can\u2019t handle them. This leads to lagging, crashes, or the need to split the model into sub-models \u2014 which complicates coordination. This is especially frustrating near the end of a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I intended to stop here, but \u2014 as with everything in BIM \u2014 nothing is ever that simple. There’s more to come in part two, which may not be cheaper, but will certainly be more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    11. Limited Creative Flexibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    One of the most common criticisms of BIM is that it restricts creative freedom, especially in the early design phases. Unlike traditional methods \u2014 sketches, hand drawings, or simple 2D models \u2014 BIM environments are inherently structured, demanding, and computationally heavy. Every element must be defined as a component with parameters, dependencies, and relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While this precision is crucial in later phases, it stifles the spontaneity necessary for ideation and exploring alternatives. Each change triggers a cascade of updates, slowing down or discouraging experimentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    BIM is meant to mirror reality \u2014 the so-called digital twin. In theory, if it can\u2019t be modeled, it can\u2019t be built. But in practice, this leads to the opposite: models are simplified or stripped down not because solutions are impractical, but because they are too complex or time-consuming to model. Decisions are made for modeling convenience or performance, not architectural quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As a result, we lose what\u2019s most important in design \u2014 openness, experimentation, and the ability to ask \u201cwhat if?\u201d. BIM, while powerful, will never replace a sketchpad, imagination, and a conversation with a blank sheet of paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    12. BIM as a Contract Requirement \u2014 A Fiction of Usefulness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Given the above problems \u2014 and despite the potential benefits like quick energy analyses and material waste reduction \u2014 BIM is often applied superficially. In many countries (e.g., Scandinavia, the UK), BIM is mandatory in public tenders. But many projects create models merely to meet the requirement, not to use them meaningfully. These models are \u201cempty,\u201d lacking informational value, resulting in superficial implementation with no real benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    13. BIM Fails to Support the Execution Phase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Although BIM is meant to support the entire building lifecycle, during construction and operation, it often proves impractical. Contractors prefer clear 2D drawings, and Facility Management systems are still poorly integrated with BIM models \u2014 so much of the information „dies” when the project ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    14. Lack of Long-Term Digitization Strategy in Firms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Many firms implement BIM \u201cbecause they have to,\u201d without a thoughtful strategy, training plan, information policy, or dedicated roles (e.g., BIM Manager, CDE Administrator, Modeler, Data Menager, Programmer). This leads to frustration, team resistance, and poor model quality. The tool itself doesn\u2019t solve organizational problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    „Of course! Below I have prepared an Excel table that you can’t live without – it contains key points (in a somewhat organized form)”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    APPENDIX \u2013 Practical BIM Problem Table <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    No.<\/th>Problem<\/th>Description<\/th>Root Cause<\/th>Result \/ Consequence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    1<\/td>Time-consuming modeling<\/td>3D modeling takes much longer than 2D, especially in complex work<\/td>Lack of automation, need for detailed modeling<\/td>Team overload, delays<\/td><\/tr>
    2<\/td>Error and clash overload<\/td>Thousands of clashes, many insignificant<\/td>Overly sensitive clash detection tools<\/td>Bureaucracy, wasted time<\/td><\/tr>
    3<\/td>Export\/exchange issues<\/td>Different standards, formats used<\/td>Lack of unified norms<\/td>Manual data adjustments needed<\/td><\/tr>
    4<\/td>Software cost<\/td>High license and training fees<\/td>Vendor monopolies, subscription models<\/td>Smaller firms excluded<\/td><\/tr>
    5<\/td>Information overproduction<\/td>Data irrelevant to the current phase included<\/td>No filtering, no BIM strategy<\/td>Confusion, hard to find key data<\/td><\/tr>
    6<\/td>Technical stability<\/td>Software crashes, unsaved files<\/td>Remote teams, bugs, large models<\/td>Data loss, user frustration<\/td><\/tr>
    7<\/td>Frequent updates<\/td>New versions incompatible with old<\/td>Forced upgrades, no support for legacy versions<\/td>Team compatibility issues<\/td><\/tr>
    8<\/td>Overtrust in automation<\/td>Belief BIM will do the work for you<\/td>Lack of knowledge about data structures<\/td>Poor documentation quality<\/td><\/tr>
    9<\/td>Cognitive overload<\/td>Too many simultaneous data layers<\/td>Unstructured views, bad model structure<\/td>Mistakes, incomplete documents<\/td><\/tr>
    10<\/td>Model overload<\/td>Models reach gigabytes in size<\/td>Low optimization, over-detailing<\/td>Performance drops<\/td><\/tr>
    11<\/td>Creative limitation<\/td>BIM hampers quick sketching and iteration<\/td>Rigid modeling rules<\/td>Difficult early-phase design<\/td><\/tr>
    12<\/td>BIM as paper tender requirement<\/td>\u201cEmpty\u201d models to tick boxes<\/td>No intent for real BIM use<\/td>No added value<\/td><\/tr>
    13<\/td>BIM not effective for construction<\/td>Models not usable on-site<\/td>Poor format adaptation<\/td>Contractors work from scratch<\/td><\/tr>
    14<\/td>Lack of digital strategy<\/td>Firms adopt BIM without planning<\/td>No roles, no training, no goals<\/td>Poor implementation, resistance<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The table above summarizes the main challenges we observe in the daily use of BIM \u2013 both from the perspective of a coordinator and an investment process manager. Ultimately, BIM is a tool \u2013 and like any tool, its effectiveness depends on how it is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    BIM as a concept holds great potential. However, the current state of technology, lack of standardization, skills mismatch, and unrealistic expectations mean that many architectural firms experience it more as a source of frustration than as a development tool. Rather than promising a revolution, it is worth focusing on gradual implementation, competence development, and a realistic approach to what can truly be achieved with this technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you need help with a project or information analysis, comment or send me an email. I\u2019ll be happy to respond \u2013 arch. in\u017c. Piotr Macieszczak<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Hook of the Elusive Ideal of Digital Design in 10 Points For over a decade, I\u2019ve been working on architectural projects using 3D software. Despite numerous promises and marketing slogans proclaiming a design revolution through BIM (Building Information Modeling), … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2475,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-building"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2472"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2479,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472\/revisions\/2479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmarchitecture.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}