He notes that CAD technology already enabled them to do things they wouldn't be able to do with hand drawings. We were able to bring in fabricators, construction consultants and engineers, and work all their different requirements and needs into the project by being able to model the parts. Edwards notes that building the building in 3D space rather than replicating it in 2D space results in a more intelligent drawing. The project is now going out for tender with completion date set for December 2001. He says it is tough to find qualified, capable architectural users of MicroStation in North America.
Training is similarly hard to come by.
Their Bentley reseller Pacific Alliance Technologies in Vancouver won a Bentley award in September for their technical support. While Maas is quick to praise their customization, tech upgrades and general support, he notes that the reseller's training is typically geared toward engineering firms. It's also easier to communicate with people with 3D images than just plans and sections. It's easier to get ideas across with structural engineers and the clients. Maas notes that the Brentwood station was indeed a complicated shape requiring a lot of calculations.