Defining Option Sets and Options Within Each Set
Designers often explore many options and possible alternatives to particular design problems in their quest for the best design solutions. For example, designers might consider several options to:
- Fit out and furnishing an interior space
- Provide a landmark canopy over the entrance to a building
- Articulate the balcony railings on a prominent building façade
A BIM-based design process enables designers to define key features or areas where sets of design options will be considered and manage the proposed options in the context of the overall design. Designers can define as many options sets as needed to evaluate proposed design alternatives—there is no limit.
Rather than maintaining separate models for each of the proposed options, a single model is used to coordinate the design of all options. The main building model includes all the elements that are fixed—that is, not affected by the options being explored—and thus, acts as a backdrop in which the design options can be evaluated. This single model approach ensures consistency as the design progresses and continues to evolve.