The Level of Knowledge of CAD Objects within the Building Information Model

Abstract

The first generation of CAD software depended on entity objects that were manipulated and interpreted by the user as meaningful graphics symbols. These entities only represented the geometrical properties of the architectural elements. With the present emerging generation of CAD systems, a new concept shifts a drawing-based model into a Building Information Model with the potential of modeling true architectural objects. Theoretically, these CAD objects will provide all related data to the designer describing the geometry, as well as any related data associated with how the object is actually used. The knowledge required to support an object should have structure to it. Different levels of knowledge need to be included, such as the geometrical information, which should be flexible enough to accommodate any type of shape and modification while keeping the object’s integrity as a unit and maintaining its relations to other objects. The CAD object concept, as remarkable as it is, might also have potential problems. It has some implications over the design process, as well as the architectural profession itself.