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KTP for design team

A North East architects’ practice is to take a significant step forward by teaming up with º£½ÇÖ±²¥ to lead developments in the use of the latest tool for building design and construction.

Niven Architects in Darlington and º£½ÇÖ±²¥ have joined forces in a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). Funded by government grants and sponsorship, KTP is a nationwide programme aimed at helping businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that exist in the UK.

KTP has provided significant funding for the Niven-º£½ÇÖ±²¥ collaboration which will focus on research and development in the use of building information modelling (BIM) software.

BIM is set to become the industry standard for architects, their clients and professional consultants they work with including surveyors, engineers and construction contractors.

It provides computer based, information-rich 3D model imagery of every aspect of a new building, allowing clients to ‘walk into’ each room and turn 360 degrees.

The programme also hosts all the documents and other information relevant to a new building, giving all those involved in the project access to what they need to build the project on site.

Johnathan Munkley, a graduate and Part 2 Architect with Niven, will lead the project, which will see him managing the introduction of BIM into the practice while sharing his knowledge and experience with º£½ÇÖ±²¥.

He said: 'BIM has been around for a while but the industry is only really now beginning to see the real benefits. It allows us to produce a higher quality of architecture and provide a more cost effective service and improved experience for clients.

'When it comes to construction, instead of trying to interpret generic 2D drawings the contractor has access to all of the information they need about every part of the project from the BIM model.

'We want all our consultants to move forward with us in BIM and will help them with their BIM implementation strategies as part of the KTP, which will support design and construction in the region,' he added.

Johnathan will split his time between sharing information and drawing on the experience and resources of the Construction Innovation Department at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ with applying his knowledge and training colleagues back at Niven’s Coniscliffe Road practice.

The programme will allow Niven to up-skill all its team in BIM and make a step change in the level of work it is able to take on.

In particular it is hoping to use º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Virtual Reality Cave, a high quality immersive gaming and storytelling facility, which would allow clients to physically ‘walk into’ and experience their new building before it is built.

Professor Nashwan Dawood, director of º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Technology Futures research institute, said: 'BIM can save time, energy and money. One of the problems in construction is the element of having to ‘suck it and see’. You start to do the work and then suddenly there are problems.

'But now we can simulate the processes in advance on a computer screen in 3D, work out how things are going to be done and communicate this with the supply chain. It enables companies to virtually iron out problems before they happen. It increases also the confidence of clients and therefore increases investment. BIM is effective for managing construction projects during their entire lifecycle.'

Simon Crowe, Director at Niven Architects said: 'The KTP is a fantastic opportunity both for our practice and for the University and we’re delighted º£½ÇÖ±²¥ has chosen to work with us on this critical development.

'BIM is really pushing the boundaries of Architectural design and any professional practice should be looking towards developing expertise in it. Indeed any practice that isn’t BIM compliant soon will not be able to work on government projects over a certain value.

'Through Johnathan’s research and the sharing of knowledge, everyone in our practice will be BIM qualified within two years. That is not only vital to us in the recruitment and retention of staff, but also in the confidence clients present and future can have in us.'

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