Sir John Soane was one of the most prominent architects in late 18th and early 19th century England, celebrated for his neoclassical designs. Among his most famous works are the Bank of England and the Dulwich Gallery.
Soane’s architectural style is distinguished by its clean lines, concise form, bright details, near-perfect symmetry, and expert use of light. The Bank of England stands as his masterpiece and has profoundly influenced the development of commercial architecture.
Sir John Soane
Sadly, Soane’s iconic Bank of England was largely demolished during renovations, a loss regarded by architectural historians as one of the greatest regrets in British architectural history. Thankfully, drawings and images of the building are preserved at the Sir John Soane Museum.
Bank of England
Bank of England
Earlier this year, Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) introduced a visionary idea: to use BIM (Building Information Modeling) technology to restore the legacy of the Bank of England virtually. This initiative quickly gained support from industry leaders such as HP, Nvidia, Autodesk, and the U.S.-based BIM consulting firm Case. Together, they launched Project Soane—the world’s first global crowdsourced BIM project aimed at digitally reconstructing the grandeur of Soane’s Bank of England.
The project invites global participants to collaborate in creating detailed BIM models. In the first phase, contributors focus on building two interior sections—the bank’s stock office and the governor’s transfer office—and two exterior facade models, including street walls and the intricate Tivoli corner. After registering on the project website, users can download the current models and reference materials, select portions to model, and upload updates via the Autodesk A360 platform. A dedicated technical team reviews submissions for quality and accuracy before integrating them into the main model. This phase runs until November 15th. The second phase, starting December 2015 and continuing through June 2016, will be a rendering and visualization competition.
Event website: www.projectsoane.com
Project Soane Autodesk A360 Interface
Project Soane Autodesk A360 Interface
Participating in this historic project is a rewarding experience in itself. In addition, outstanding contributors have the opportunity to win various awards designed to encourage global BIM participation. These include the Best Creative Award, Best Team Award, Best Accuracy Award, and Most Active Award.
Examples of Contestants’ Work
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