RWTH Aachen University

Autodesk BIM Experience Award Winner

RWTH Aachen University uses building information modeling (BIM) to support its integrated teaching approach to architectural design. The students use Autodesk BIM solutions to develop digital building simulations, exploring the relationships between design and building. Through the use of BIM, the students can integrate their conceptual design thinking with building technology, enabling them to consider how a range of factors—from aesthetics and constructability to cost and environmental impact—influence design decisions.

Listen to Professor Peter Russell, dean of the faculty of architecture at RWTH Aachen University, describe how BIM is used to teach students the relationships between design and the act of building.

About RWTH Aachen University

RWTH Aachen University is the largest technology university in Germany and one of the most renowned technical universities in Europe. It currently has more than 28,000 enrolled students, most of them in the field of engineering. Founded in 1870, the university’s approach to teaching and research is interdisciplinary and closely linked to business and industry.

RWTH Aachen University’s BIM Experience

The University offers a variety of BIM courses including electives in BIM basics (for students pursuing architectural diplomas and bachelor’s degrees) and electives for professionals (for students pursuing architectural diplomas and master’s degrees). In these classes, the students use a range of Autodesk BIM software solutions to develop and explore their building designs, including Autodesk® Revit® Architecture, Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design, Autodesk® Ecotect® Analysis, Autodesk® Navisworks®, and AutoCAD® software.

The design-oriented basics class includes the theory of BIM and software instruction for creating virtual design models. Topics include conceptual modeling, architectural modeling, design options, design visualization, construction documentation, and parametric modeling. The advanced classes are more practice-oriented. Classes address scheduling, analysis, design-to-fabrication strategies, and BIM integration, examining how a BIM-based design can interface with other software solutions and disciplines such as estimating, construction planning, and computer-aided manufacturing.

The students in these BIM courses also use their technical software training on concurrent design studio projects. Based on the student’s specific project, additional topics such as sustainable design or integrated project delivery (IPD) are addressed in the context of the project design.

Educational Reseller

RWTH Aachen University uses ABCOM GmbH inAachen, Germany, as its educational reseller.