Post #1 of the series "BIM, A Learning Process"

So today's first reading was a talk by Thom Mayne, Morphosis, given at Santa Monica, CA.
In this lecture, Mayne briefly recounts his experience within his own firm, and the transitory period from purely two-dimensional documentation process to three-dimensional modeling.
Through this, says Thom Mayne, all the fields involved in the process (architect, engineers, fabricators, etc.) are able to analyze the project (structural systems, solving connection details, building envelope, etc).
Thom Mayne then goes on to answer questions from the audience, once again emphasizing the importance of computerization and parametric modeling.

The second reading was a Report on Integrated Practice by Chuck Eastman, given at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Eastman delves deeper into the world of Parametric Modeling and Building Product Models.
Much of what is discussed perhaps requires a more in-depth understanding of the subject, though it isn't impossible to decipher with my limited knowledge.
Chuck Eastman's essay takes particular interest in the collaborative effect this technology can provide, due to it parametric approach and across-the-board documentation capabilities. As mentioned in the Thom Mayne analysis, Eastman claims the ease with which concepts can be described across a variety of disciplines.
Eastman also exposes BIM's workflow capabilities, beginning with the data mining of the model, to the analysis-base application (which provides the necessary data to inform the project, such as environmental, technology, etc), then back to the BIM model.
This diagram shows it best: