The Role of Academia in the BIM Revolution for Landscape Architects

presented by Environment for Revit®

Landscape architecture can finally join the BIM revolution with the Environment for Revit set of tools, and academic involvement in the process will take these innovations even further.

Over the past few decades, a growing number of disciplines within the AEC field have been gradually implementing BIM workflow into their design process. As part of this process, more and more landscape architects are looking to implement the BIM method into their day-to-day work, though they typically encounter many obstacles. Despite those hindrances, moving to BIM plays a crucial part in leading our discipline into the 21st century, and it is only natural that academia will play a significant role in this transition.

We aim to give our students a general understanding of BIM methodology, and not to teach a specific software, though to practice BIM, some 3D modelling skills are still necessary. To meet the needs of landscape architecture, we seek a tool that is both accessible and widely used, but also powerful enough to support the needs of environmental planning. This search led a dedicated team to develop Environment for Revit, a set of tools tailored to landscape architects and environmental planning professionals.

Based on Autodesk Revit software, these tools unlock all of Revit’s benefits for the numerous landscape architects looking to utilize BIM. Using Environment tools enables a smooth and efficient workflow, even when designing the most complex landscapes, thus making a smarter, more dynamic, and more fully-realized design. These innovations allow landscape architects to be a part of the platform that comprehensively supports the BIM work method, connecting all planning disciplines together.

Many benefits come from collaborating with academia in the BIM area. First and foremost, this will make it a lot easier for firms both big and small to transition to BIM. Once freshly minted graduates enter the workforce with BIM and Revit knowledge coupled with Environment skills, it will ease the BIM implementation process for our cohort worldwide.

Beginner level skills- quick presentation and analysis options

Implementing BIM technology is different than just learning how to use a new software; it is more like learning a whole new language or philosophy. When a work tool is this complex, one should know it fluently to use it strategically, and to make it as efficient and cost-saving as possible. Without the support of academia, the burden of training your team to this level can be too much for a firm owner or manager.

Another important benefit that might rise from academic leadership is its role as research pioneer. Revit is a platform that can develop and advance even further if there is a demand for it. Through working with Revit, students can create smart models that will take more and more variables into account, thus bringing important innovations to life around the biggest issues of our generation, such as climate change, sustainability, diversity, and more.

We hope that with the implementation of BIM in our field, landscape architects will be able to create smarter, more ecologically aware, and sustainable designs.