Third Annual USC Symposium on Building Information Modeling + Construction and Fabrication, co-hosted by the Viterbi School's Burcin Becerik-Gerber and Architecture's Karen Kensek carried on the USC claim for academic pre-eminence in the emerging discipline.

BIM! Karen Kensek, left, and Burcin Becerik-Gerber welcome symposium participants

More than 300 attendees packed Seeley G. Mudd hall for two days of presentations, discussions, demonstrations and much more, welcomed each day by Becerik Gerber, an assistant professor in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

"We ended up with 10 software representative sponsors.  27 speakers in 18 presentations.  Architects, engineers, construction professionals, BIM consultants --  industry was well represented, said Kensek, who teaches courses in the subject in the school of architecture, and joined Becerik-Gerber in the the welcomes.

"We had architects, engineers, construction professionals, students, recent graduates, faculty (USC and other universities), and consultants."

Why the conference? “BIM is transforming the practice and the business of construction by enabling architects and builders to use industrial engineering planning and execution techniques long used in manufacturing,” said Becerik-Gerber in the event announcement.

“BIM is a paradigm shift in the Architecture-Engineering-Construction profession, potentially more far reaching than the CAD revolution 25 years ago  - it impacts construction, fabrication, sustainable design, and collaboration within the building industry,” added Kensek.

Representives were a who's who, including software reps from Beck Technology, Ltd., Nemetschek North America, Bobrow Consulting Group (ArchiCAD),  Digital Vision Automation, Inc. with Diffenbaugh Construction, Solibri, Archway Systems, Inc. (Bentley), Autodesk, Synchro, Ltd. and Optira with ESRI.

Builders included  Gehry Technologies,  Gregory P. Luth & Associates, Inc., Urban Design Group, MATT Construction (with ARUP), Morley Builders, Buro Happold, Gensler Morphosis Architects, Inc., and Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP with Mortenson/Power

Many of these also supported the event by sponsoring breakfast, lunch, or coffee breaks. The Viterbi School also provided support for the event.

What's next? "The fourth annual BIM symposium in summer 2010," says Becerik-Gerber.