BIM FOR SIMULATION AND VISUALIZATION: SINGLE SUBJECT
HDW 140 Crystal Ball
touch of a button, the translucent panels can
be transformed into opaque screens.
francisdesign ltd
The superstructure of the Crystal Ball, the
yacht of the future developed by HDW and
francisdesign in London, is made entirely of
glass. Its translucent semi-reflective panels
completely cover three decks of living space
- giving dramatic views to the outside. At the
The atrium space moves through the entire
height of the superstructure. Among the
many outdoor areas are a lounging area with
hot tub and bars, a dining area under a
translucent fabric awning with an open-air
cinema, and a 12-meter pool.
Length overall is 140 meters, breadth overall
is 21 meters, and draft is 5. 5 meters. It can
accommodate 16 guests in eight cabins and
40 crew members. Estimated cost is $250 million.
The design team is using 3D modeling generated with MicroStation, including parametric
modeling, to optimize workflows and
decrease subsequent modeling times. It is
also using immersive virtual environments as
a means of presentation,
using files and textures
directly from MicroStation.
In a Cave Automatic Virtual
Environment (CAVE) the
user views, through shutter
glasses, stereo images projected in real time on three
walls and the floor. The
images produce the illusion
of 3D objects both within
and beyond the room. ;
BIM FOR SIMULATION AND VISUALIZATION: SINGLE SUBJECT
Red Oak House
Horan Keogan Ryan
work with consultants drawings with the
confidence that there was no data corruption or loss.
Bentley Architecture’s 3D building informa-
tion modeling helped integrate the building
into the natural landscape. Quickly and accu-
rately, the team could view how the construc-
tion related to its surrounding environment
before 2D drawings were started. Problems
normally noticed at the later stages of a proj-
ect could be identified and corrected early,
saving time and preventing last-minute
design changes. ;
It was a priority of the client to create a
strong overall image to the building, but with
the flexibility of allowing the property to be
leased to up to three different tenants.
Bentley software’s seamless referencing of
hybrid DGN, DWG, and raster data into a single environment negated the need for file format conversions, and allowed the team to
