Bim LN 02

BIMCLASS.
Origins and History

Taki Eddine Seghier
Origins and History
Origins and history of BIM
Since the beginning, the engineering sector has
represented its work by means of highly accurate,
painstakingly hand drawn graphics.
It was not until 1955 that the sector developed the first graphical system that would collect entered
data and represent it on a computer screen. This was at the Lincoln Laboratory at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT).
Figure 1. People working at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Origins and History
• Many years later, also at MIT, Ivan Sutherland, a computer
programmer and Internet pioneer, developed a system as part of
his doctorate, titled, “Sketchpad: A Man-machine Graphical
Communications System.”
• The Sketchpad was a unique program that was developed for the
TX-2 computer (the only computer of its kind), and made it possible
to create completely accurate drawings and had the ability to zoom
in and out. Another important and innovative function of the
Sketchpad was that it introduced memory for storing objects and
information.
Figure 2. Ivan Sutherland, Sketchpad system creator.
Ivan Sutherland – Sketchpad – 1963

Origins and History
As a result of the Sketchpad´s success, Itek and General Motors developed parallel projects modeled after the
Sketchpad system. Based on the system developed at ITEK and the Sketchpad, in 1965 the first CAD (Computer-
Aided Design) system was introduced to the market at a price of $500.000 (US Dollars). Four years later, following
the design of the first plotter, aerospace and automobile companies began to use CAD systems.
CAD in 2D was introduced to the market when Autodesk managed to develop a CAD program for personal
computers (PC) for less than $1,000 USD. CAD technologies continued to evolve, especially in the aerospace
engineering and automotive industries.
Figure 3. First version of AutoCAD. (Autodesk)

Origins and History
Later on, Keith A. Bentley and his brother Barry J. Bentley founded Bentley Systems in 1984 and in 1985 brought to
the market a working version of their program called PseudoStation which enabled the users of IGDS (Interactive
Graphics Design System) of Intergraph to use low cost graphic terminals for their projects. It was a significant
breakthrough, because before that, the access to these systems was only possible through special high cost
computers (VAX Systems). The Bentley brothers researched the possible market price of their program based on its
potential benefit to customers and came to an average price of $7,943 USD.
The success of PseudoStation convinced the brothers that there was a market for CAD systems designed for personal
computers. Tests showed that PCs at the time (IBM AT with Intel 80286 processors) had sufficient resources to
perform this kind of task. So in 1986, they released version 1 of MicroStation, which allowed users to open, view, and
plot VAX system project files directly on PC. Here you can see a photo of MicroStation, a very primitive version of its
successor, Bentley View.
Figure 4. First version of MicroStation. (Bentley Systems)

Origins and History
With CAD programs becoming more and more available and continually developing, PC users of all
levels began using this platform, saving time, working more efficiently and producing better quality
work through these representation systems, and ultimately, improving the standards of the
construction sector.
Figure 5. 2D CAD system, AutoCAD. (Autodesk)

Origins and History
This 2D advancement was soon followed by 3D representation, which it was driven by
architects and their motivation to improve the quality and detail of their
presentations.
Following the momentum of 3D representation, representing the final state of the design
.
dynamically became the next big challenge, one that produced BIM (Building Information
Modelling) technology, as we know it today.
Figure 6. 3D CAD system, AutoCAD. (Autodesk)

Origins and History
There are several conflicting opinions
regarding an exact origin of BIM. Some
argue that it started with the Hungarian
company, GRAPHISOFT, which
developed a program in 1982 for
drawing in both 2D and 3D. Following
its purchase of the Revit Technology
Corporation in 2002, Autodesk began
using the BIM concept. Some speculate
that Professor Charles M. Eastman of
the Georgia Institute of Technology was
the first to spread the idea of BIM as we
know it. There is, however, widespread
consensus that it was Jerry Laiserin, who
popularized BIM as a common term for
the digital representation of
construction processes.
Figure 7. Photograph of GRAPHISOFT Company in 1982.
That said, a wide range of design packages with this functionality are offered today by various
software providers. Among the best known are those offered by Nemetschek, Autodesk, Bentley
Systems, GRAPHISOFT and Trimble. (Click on the logo to visit their site)

Bim LN 02

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bim LN 02

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bim LN 02

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

BIMCLASS.

Origins and History

Figure 1. People working at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Ivan Sutherland – Sketchpad – 1963

Figure 3. First version of AutoCAD. (Autodesk)

Figure 4. First version of MicroStation. (Bentley Systems)

Figure 5. 2D CAD system, AutoCAD. (Autodesk)

Figure 6. 3D CAD system, AutoCAD. (Autodesk)

You might also like