1. Project Overview
The Hefei China Resources Wanda Plaza is the eighth Wanda Plaza project approved nationwide by China Resources Land. Upon completion, it will establish a new international commercial hub in Hefei, significantly enhancing the city’s value and serving as a new landmark for Hefei.
This project, a key component of the CR Center, covers approximately 330,000 square meters, including around 180,000 square meters dedicated to commercial operations. The complex features a 5A Grade A international office building with about 200,000 square meters of space, the China Resources Building (including a super five-star hotel), the Hefei Grand Hyatt Hotel, and roughly 3,000 above-ground and underground parking spaces. It is designed as a large-scale mixed-use development integrating shopping, leisure, office, hospitality, dining, and entertainment.
Rendering of Hefei CR Center Wanda Plaza
2. Overview of BIM Applications
Given the complex interior design, diverse structural forms, and limited installation space for mechanical and electrical systems in this high-end shopping mall, coordination challenges frequently arise between various disciplines during construction. To address these issues, the project employs Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology to optimize design and improve coordination and communication.
BIM models were accurately created for each discipline based on design drawings. The BIM software’s visualization and clash detection features allowed early identification and resolution of conflicts. This visual approach also enhanced communication efficiency among all stakeholders.
Figure 1: Overall Courtyard Model
1. Coordination Between Interior Design and Structural Framework
Traditional interior design often emphasizes aesthetics and appearance, with design timelines lagging behind structural planning. This gap can lead to insufficient communication between interior designers and structural engineers, sometimes resulting in impractical designs that require structural modifications to be implemented.
To prevent this, during the design phase, Revit software was used to create a structural model while SketchUp was employed for detailed interior design. The interior design was regularly checked against the structural model to identify conflicts, which were then communicated back to the interior design team for adjustments.
Figure 2: Shape and Structure Clash Detection
2. Coordination Between Interior Design and Mechanical & Electrical Systems
The atrium’s irregular shape and limited space posed significant challenges for mechanical and electrical installations. Traditional 2D drawings can only approximate ceiling boundaries on a flat plane, while the actual ceiling is a three-dimensional curved surface, which further restricts pipeline space.
In previous Wanda Plaza projects, pipelines sometimes extended beyond the curved ceiling boundaries, necessitating costly and time-consuming dismantling and reinstallation.
To avoid such issues, this project used completed building structure and interior models to perform comprehensive BIM pipeline design. Navisworks was employed for collision detection to ensure pipelines did not interfere with the ceiling shape. Unresolvable clashes were submitted to the interior design team for ceiling plan adjustments and endpoint revisions.
Figure 3: CAD Plan and Model Screenshot
The images above compare a CAD plan with a BIM model screenshot. The CAD plan doesn’t reveal the three-dimensional ceiling height restrictions, which led to pipeline clashes with the ceiling. The BIM model made these conflicts visible, allowing for optimization.
Throughout the project, BIM identified over 400 clashes, resulting in an estimated cost saving of nearly 130,000 yuan. This part of the work required only one person and one month, highlighting BIM’s efficiency.
Figure 4: Clash Between Model and Mechanical Systems
Figure 5: Navisworks Application
3. Information Management
The BIM implementation included an information management system supported by a comprehensive online platform. Models from all parties were updated daily to ensure timely and efficient communication. This system helped monitor construction milestones and improved overall project management.
As the project progressed, the BIM model was continuously updated. Upon completion, a comprehensive BIM model encompassing architecture, mechanical, structural, and interior design elements will be handed over to property management. The operating team will use the BIM model to manage spatial information and maintain facilities effectively.
3. Outlook
The BIM application in Hefei Wanxiang City represents an active exploration of advanced BIM use in interior design and construction, carried out jointly by China Resources Construction and the interior design firm Yougao Ya. It marks a significant step towards fully integrating BIM across all disciplines during construction.
Our company remains committed to employing BIM experts on-site during construction to achieve this goal. Leveraging extensive experience in comprehensive general contracting, we aim to deepen BIM’s value and reshape processes throughout construction. Furthermore, we plan to extend BIM’s application into both design and operational phases, helping owners manage projects throughout the entire building lifecycle and creating shared value through collaboration.
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