BIM Projects
The VectorWorks BIM in Practice Series is an ongoing collection of projects that provide users with practical, pragmatic guidance and discussions about how to implement projects in VectorWorks using BIM methods. This collection contains a variety of project types, sizes, style and complexities. Each project is meant to highlight a particular method, workflow or set of tools, and vary from project to project, to cover a variety of strategies. At Nemetschek North America, we hope the lessons they provide will address the widely varying needs of our customers.
We encourage you to explore these files, deconstruct them, and share your thoughts and questions with us and the rest of the VectorWorks community in the VectorWorks Architect Forum of the VectorWorks Techboard.
Ellicott Heights
Suburban, Dense Mixed-Use (Residential, Retail/Office
and Structured Parking) Development
1.25 million gross square feet
Ellicott Heights is a design proposal for a mixed-use, medium-high density, urban context redevelopment of an existing suburban, under-utilized area of Ellicott City, Maryland. This design proposal is a purely speculative and theoretical undertaking. The primary purpose of the project is to explore the best method of using VectorWorks Architect in a [strict] BIM workflow, on an architectural design of significant size/scope, in a collaborative team environment.
This design proposal is presented in both Schematic Design and Design Development formats. The intent is to examine the use of tools and workflows used earlier in the design process, prior to construction documentation.
Download the Ellicott Heights project folder (192 MB zip)
Download the Ellicott Heights Schematic Design drawing set (13 MB pdf)
Download the Ellicott Heights Design Development drawing set (100 MB pdf)
Download the Ellicott Heights 'BIM in Practice' white paper (4 MB pdf)
Alexandria Laundry Lofts
Urban, Mixed-Used (Residential and Retail/Office),
Historic Structure Conversion
10,630 gross square feet
Alexandria Laundry Lofts is a moderate-sized project, demonstrating a single-file, single-user workflow. The design is based on a project from one of our users, Stephen DuPont, Jr., AIA, an architect in Washington D.C. It is a renovation/reuse of an existing building in a historically sensitive neighborhood in Alexandria, VA. Some additional design elements were incorporated to help show a variety of features and tools included in VectorWorks Architect.
While not exhaustively comprehensive, the construction drawing set contains enough examples of drawings – demolition and floor plans, an enlarged plan, exterior elevations, building sections, wall sections, interior elevations, integrated schedules and rendered perspectives of various types – to give users clues to the uses of many objects and tools in VectorWorks Architect.
Download the Alexandria_Laundry_Lofts.vwx file (29 MB zip)
Download the Alexandria_Laundry_Lofts.pdf drawing set (22 MB pdf)
These projects and supporting materials, such as white papers, are intended to serve as references for the implementation of BIM practices, where our users may find themselves unfamiliar with the full extent of VectorWorks BIM functionality. The creation of an 'intelligent model' has been within the scope of VectorWorks capabilities for some time, but many users are struggling to transform their practices and their working methods, to use the program to its fullest extent.
These projects assume there is already a familiarity and expertise with a broad range of functionality in VectorWorks. Thus, the intent is to expand on the user's knowledge and illustrate at least one method of implementing various tools and functionality, with further exposition, or sidebars, of possible alternatives, in appropriate topics. Many of the best practices described in these projects strictly follow the intended functionality of particular tools. However, some recommendations are based on negotiating between the 'ideal' functionality and the pragmatic concerns of the user putting the tools into practice.