During the past few years, Building Information Modeling (BIM) started to gain acceptance within the AEC industry. But, as with many software products for project management, BIM currently faces significant issues and obstacles that hinder its widespread use. The broad goal of this study is to improve BIM implementation in mid-size firms during the Schematic Design (SD) and Design Development (DD) phases. The study has four main objectives. First, mapping the existing BIM related process model in mid-size firms, and modeling the flow of information between BIM users inside these firms. Second, identifying the challenges that are currently facing BIM users during the Schematic Design (SD) and Design Development (DD) phases, because of the importance of these phases in making critical decisions that directly affect the building life cycle. Then, linking these challenges to a BIM related business process model in order to identify when and how these issues occur. Third, exploring the structural conditions that may change or affect the BIM workflow. Fourth, the study proposes a new business process model that can enhance BIM implementation in mid-size firms. The study is qualitative in nature, and based on interviews with a sample of BIM users involved in mid-size firms in the USA. The researcher attempted to capture BIM issues and the flow of information between BIM users through case studies and interviews inside their firms. Also, the researcher involved a new group of BIM users in the research to seek their feedback, in order to generalize the research results. / Ph. D.

This exploration is one artist's view of visual reasoning through the study of depth perception. The experiment searched for pre-architectural forms through an investigation of geometric rectangular shapes and planar figures in anticipation of finding architectural volumes, that is, three-dimensional objects. I used three parameters to observe: the expected or planned, the anticipated, and the unforeseen. The pre-architectural sketching style used the disciplines of painting, sculpture, graphic arts, color theory, optics, and photography to formulate an architectural language. First, as artist (painter), I selected the medium of light as the brushstroke, color as the pigment, and photographic film plane as the canvas to capture image abstractions. Second, I used one-point perspective as the viewer's line of sight. Finally, I employed a series of shape abstractions to form a succession of transparent sections that composed the subject matter. This experiment sought to analyze visual perception by capturing the spatial depth of images, that is, a reproduction of something sculptural in likeness. The challenge was to reintegrate the abstracted Rectangular Shapes and Planar Figures. In order to achieve this physical abstraction, I created a modified camera obscura. This exploration produced clearly defined images-as-products that were interpreted as pre-architectural forms, which allowed me to translate color abstractions into architectural form studies, or models-as-products. Thus, the experiment created architectural volumes using light and color in order to draw points, lines, planes, and spatial depth. / Master of Architecture