BIM Challenge 2019

Last week was an exciting week for Architecture and Installation Engineering students from both Deltion College and Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. The final goal was to set up a Building Information Model of an existing building: Het Havenmeestergebouw in Zwolle. Which team - with students from both schools - had the best overall model? The road to it is also important. The winning team will receive an iPad for each member, sponsored in collaboration with Van den Berg Groep. A desirable prize, so everyone went to battle with enthusiasm.

The initial goal of the BIM Challenge is to simulate construction teams in which students from different learning courses at both schools gain insight into each other's skills. The special thing is that the students don't know each other, which makes it a real assignment. The week was full of consultation, modelling and communication. Our colleague Gerhard van de Beek helped out for a day as a surveyor. The students could make use of his knowledge and skills. In the first assessment round on Friday morning February 2nd, 3 of the 10 teams were selected to go on to the finals which took place the same afternoon.

After the opening of the finals by Bouwend Nederland-Oost and Unica, the 3 teams presented and argued their model. What went well, what could have gone better and what did each team member learn from it. Besides a beautiful model, the winning team also had a strong argumentation. They went further than 'what went good/bad', because they incorporated the learning points directly into their model.

It was an instructive week for the students, but also for the companies involved in the Challenge. Gerhard indicated to be amazed at the level of the students. Good questions were asked and in this way he learned a lot himself.