The Challenge
In the competitive realm of urban development, the creation of a sophisticated, mixed-use tower presented a formidable challenge. This complex structure was designed to accommodate both residential and commercial spaces, compounded further by its strategic location in a bustling metropolitan centre. The project demanded intricate coordination between various stakeholders including architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants. With multiple disciplines involved and a tight construction schedule to adhere to, the risk of miscommunication and errors was heightened.
The client required a solution that not only ensured precision but also enhanced efficiency throughout the design and construction phases. Traditional methods of project coordination fell short in addressing the intricacies involved in mapping out the diverse demands of the project. The need to mitigate clashes, reduce rework, and foster seamless integration of services posed a considerable challenge to all parties.
Our Solution
To tackle these challenges head-on, we implemented a comprehensive Building Information Modelling (BIM) strategy using Autodesk Revit at the core. Our approach started with a detailed BIM execution plan tailored to align with the project's objectives and offered a robust framework for all stakeholders.
We leveraged architectural BIM services to create an extensively detailed 3D model of the proposed structure early in the design phase. This proactive engagement facilitated a deeper understanding of the spatial configurations and allowed for better decision-making. Our focus on BIM consulting ensured that every stakeholder was adept at navigating the BIM environment, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared goals.
The application of clash detection and coordination techniques was instrumental in identifying and resolving potential conflicts well before the construction phase commenced. Using advanced software tools and our custom Revit family creation workflows, we were able to standardise components and reduce inconsistencies during the modelling process.
Key Features
- 3D Modelling and Visualization: Provided realistic visual renderings that enabled stakeholders to visualise the final product and make informed decisions during the design stage.
- Clash Detection Technology: Utilised advanced algorithms to promptly identify and mitigate potential clashes, ensuring a smooth, error-free construction process.
- Standardisation and Prefabrication: Created Revit families and components that could be replicated accurately, saving time and resources during construction.
- Real-time Collaboration: Integrated cloud-based BIM platforms to facilitate real-time communication and updates among teams dispersed across various locations.
- Automation and Efficiency: Implemented automated processes within Revit to streamline repetitive tasks, thereby increasing overall project efficiency.
Results
The BIM-driven approach resulted in a highly coordinated, clash-free execution of the mixed-use tower project. The enhanced early-stage visualisation contributed to significant cost savings, allowing for adjustments and improvements without the financial implications of traditional change orders. Stakeholders reported improved collaboration and communication, leading to a reduction in design errors by over 30% and a faster design completion timeline by two months.
Crucially, the project achieved its milestones within the allocated budget, while also setting a standard for future mixed-use developments within the region. The adoption of BIM not only brought the client's vision to reality but also demonstrated the transformative impact of digital tools in modern architecture and construction.
In summary, BIM was not just an intervention but a benchmark-setting approach that ensured the successful delivery of a complex architectural vision from Revit to reality.
Technical Approach
The project's technical foundation was a federated BIM model structured across five discipline-specific linked files: architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. Each consultant team maintained authorship of their own Revit model, which was federated centrally using Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) as the common data environment (CDE). This federated approach preserved discipline sovereignty whilst enabling full cross-discipline visibility.
Model authoring was carried out to BIM Level 2 standards, with Level of Development (LOD) milestones defined per RIBA Work Stage — LOD 200 at concept, LOD 350 at technical design, and LOD 400 for construction-issue elements including structural connections and MEP service routes.
Clash detection was automated using Autodesk Navisworks Manage with tolerance rules configured at 25 mm for hard clashes and 50 mm for clearance clashes on MEP services. Navisworks clash sets were grouped by discipline pair (structural vs. MEP, MEP vs. architectural, structural vs. architectural), and automated clash reports were generated at every model update cycle — typically twice weekly during the technical design stage.
Custom Revit families were developed for the tower's non-standard curtain wall system, which featured unitised panels with variable sill depths across the residential and commercial zones. Parametric families were built using nested shared parameters, enabling schedule-driven documentation that auto-updated panel quantities as the design evolved. Dynamo scripts were authored to automate room data sheet population, reducing a task that previously consumed two days per design iteration to under 20 minutes.
For coordination meetings, we used BIM 360 Coordinate issues tracking — each resolved clash was logged with photographic evidence from Navisworks viewpoints, creating an auditable record of design decisions throughout the project lifecycle.
Implementation Highlights
The mixed-use programme presented coordination challenges that went beyond standard clash detection. The tower incorporated a double-height commercial podium beneath 28 residential floors, with a plant and services transfer level at floor 7 where structural strategy changed from concrete core-and-frame to a steel-braced system. This transition zone generated the highest density of service conflicts on the entire project.
Key milestones and challenges included:
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BIM Execution Plan (BEP) Authoring: We produced the project's BEP in the first two weeks, defining model file structure, naming conventions (compliant with BS EN ISO 19650), layer standards, and clash detection protocols. Getting all seven consultant organisations to sign off on a single BEP before modelling began was arguably the most impactful governance decision of the project.
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Transfer Level Coordination: The floor 7 plant level contained over 340 individually routed MEP services passing through a structural steel grillage with constrained zone heights. We ran six dedicated coordination workshops for this level alone, reducing confirmed clashes from 187 at first-issue to zero by construction-issue stage.
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Residential Core Repetition: Floors 8 to 35 were structurally repetitive, but MEP routing varied by zone type (north-facing apartments versus south-facing). We used Dynamo to automate the propagation of service route changes across typical floors, cutting coordination time on repetitive levels by approximately 65%.
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Contractor Engagement: We facilitated four BIM review sessions with the main contractor's pre-construction team during the design development stage. These sessions surfaced constructability concerns — particularly around riser access and ceiling void clearances — that were resolved in the model before tender documents were issued, avoiding post-tender design queries.
Measurable Outcomes
The project delivered outcomes that were measurable at both the design and construction stages:
- Clashes resolved pre-construction: 1,126 hard and soft clashes identified and resolved during design, preventing an estimated equivalent number of on-site RFIs and change orders.
- Design programme: Completed two months ahead of the original design completion milestone, attributed directly to the elimination of iterative 2D drawing coordination cycles.
- Cost performance: The project was delivered within budget at construction-issue stage. The client's QS estimated that the BIM coordination process avoided approximately £1.8 million in foreseeable variation costs.
- RFI volume during construction: Tracked against a comparable non-BIM project of similar scale by the same contractor, RFI volume was 42% lower during the first three months on site.
- Design error rate: Measured through formal design review checkpoints, errors and omissions in construction documentation were 31% lower than the consultant team's previous non-BIM project benchmark.
Why This Approach Worked
The central reason this project succeeded where previous attempts at BIM coordination had fallen short on similar schemes was governance rather than technology. The tools — Revit, Navisworks, ACC — are widely available. What made the difference was the discipline imposed by the BEP and the cadence of coordination meetings structured around model data rather than 2D drawings.
By mandating that all design communications referenced model-based clash issues rather than mark-ups on PDF drawings, we eliminated the ambiguity that normally allows coordination problems to persist through multiple design iterations unresolved. Every stakeholder could see exactly which clash was being discussed, in three-dimensional context, with a timestamped resolution record.
The decision to involve the main contractor's pre-construction team in live BIM review sessions was equally significant. Contractor knowledge of buildability, access, and logistics constraints is rarely captured in design-stage models on traditional projects. Bringing that knowledge into the model early converted potential on-site surprises into resolved design features, which is precisely the value proposition that BIM promises but rarely delivers in practice.
Speak with our BIM Consulting team at Adyantrix to find out how we can support your next project.
Work with Adyantrix
If you are looking to tackle a similar challenge, Adyantrix has the expertise to help across the full project lifecycle. Our BIM consulting practice covers BEP authoring, ISO 19650 strategy, and CDE implementation. Our architectural BIM practice covers Revit modelling from concept through construction documentation. Our clash detection & coordination practice covers multidisciplinary coordination and conflict resolution. Our Revit family creation practice covers parametric Revit content built to project and manufacturer standards. Get in touch to discuss your requirements — no commitment required.
