3D BIM
The coordinated geometric model itself — intelligent 3D objects carrying data, the base every other dimension builds on.
3D BIM is the coordinated geometric model itself: an intelligent object model on the X, Y and Z axes, where every element carries parametric data and metadata. It holds geometric and non-geometric information together — not just shape, but what each thing is.
It is the base layer the other BIM dimensions build on. 4D adds time, 5D adds cost, 6D adds sustainability and 7D adds operations — each layering data onto the same 3D model, which makes 3D the cornerstone of any BIM project.
The practical difference from plain 3D CAD is the difference between drawing and modelling information. In CAD a wall is a set of lines with no data behind them; in BIM a wall is a wall — parametric, carrying size, material, fire rating, finishes, connections. It is defined by data, not just by its outline. Those intelligent objects rest on the IFC schema, and coordination of the 3D model is framed by BIM processes under ISO 19650. In Italian it is the modello BIM 3D or modello geometrico 3D (the term "3D BIM" itself is in common use).
Need this in practice?
Information Modelling →