The Sydney Opera House - A BIM legacy
This post was scheduled to go live when I was cycling in Viet Nam. It didn’t happen then but I think the articles it link to are still worth reading. Besides, it’s about one of my favourite buildings
It’s an Australian icon, a combination of geometry which challenged it’s Architects and Engineers. AEC Magazine have an interesting article on how Digital BIM is being used to restore and maintain The Sydney Opera House:
AEC Magazine - Remodelling an Icon:
The architects and engineers responsible for preserving the icon that is the Sydney Opera House are relying on BIM to guide renovations and manage facilities…
Bentley have recognised this project with an award for excellence;
BE Awards of Excellence 2007 – BIM for Multiple Disciplines: Arup – Review and Study of the Opera Theatre Interior and New Works, Sydney Opera House. The primary goal was to create a base-coordinated structural, architectural, and MEP as-constructed model. This existing-condition BIM allowed further internal building studies and scheme documentation to be completed with a great deal of confidence in the redistribution of internal space and existing structural constraints.
However it’s not the first use of BIM on this structure. I’ve posted previously about the Perspex BIM created to do the same task during construction.
RobiNZ CAD Blog: Sydney Opera House BIM found after 30 years
It’s a real, not computer, model but was created to aid design and construction, not just as a promotional device, so I think it qualifies as a BIM.
To add a local connection it’s interesting that this Aussie Icon is currently being run by a Kiwi;
Kiwi lands plum role in Sydney Opera House | tvnz.co.nz
A former Christchurch schoolboy who sang with the national youth choir has begun a plum role as CEO of the Sydney Opera House…
