Looking at the very first sketches by Frank Gehry for Fondation Louis Vuitton, a new museum of contemporary art near Paris, the challenge of the endeavour is apparent. This is the kind of building that would not have been possible to construct without a comprehensive approach to BIM.
The museum is covered by glass sails, supported on stainless steel mullions upon a structural-steel and glulam main frame. The 12 sails form a cloudlike collection of canopies over the museum, with numerous curves and angles that reflect the surrounding trees and the Paris skyline.
Drawings only for fabrication
Steel fabricator Eiffage Construction Métallique contracted BDS VirCon to detail out the stainless steel mullions along with the glulam timber beams, glazing fixing plates, main frame and locating base frames.
A unique BIM project; information was provided between each project party from the 3D modelling process.
Ian Belcher, UK Manager of BDS VirCon
This was a unique BIM project, as the only actual drawings produced were those for the fabrication of parts and assemblies; all other information was provided between each project party from the 3D modelling process, says
