Kimon Onuma: Enabling the "Information" in BIM at Onuma, Inc.
Kimon Onuma: Enabling the "Information" in BIM at Onuma, Inc.
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BIM Designs, Inc. is a US-Based Minority Owned Business & Union Signatory Contractor
By Luke Lightning
November 9, 2021
In this week's episode of the Future Construct Podcast (36 min interview), we are excited to feature Kimon Onuma (@KimonOnuma), Founder and President of Onuma, Inc.
Onuma, Inc. enables the “I” in BIM. They are a team of architects and computer scientists that build software for the rapidly-changing AEC industry. The ONUMA System is an open-source, web-based ecosystem of tools, platforms, and services for buildings, cities, and more, built by architects and programmers who have been using BIM for over 30 years. The open-source architecture supports better quality designs, sustainable data, improved efficiency, and fewer unwelcome surprises throughout the built lifecycle.
Click to listen to our interview with Kimon on Apple, Spotify, or Google, or watch on our Facebook or YouTube channels.
Some highlights of Kimon’s interview with host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR) include:
Kimon’s interest in information and things – and how that motivated him to fix inefficiencies in the architecture industry
How he came to combine BIM with traditional design
The importance of open source, taking software outside the box
Automating tasks so creativity can remain human
Kimon founded his namesake company in 1988. He’s used BIM in his architectural practice for over 20 years. As a pioneer in BIM, Onuma demonstrated the benefits of government projects long before BIM became mainstream. As the brain behind the “Woodstock” of the building industry, he was instrumental in bringing together design professionals and industry specialists from around the globe to collaborate on a marathon of design that involved over 55 million square feet of buildings.
Kimon is a sought-after presenter at industry events, an author of industry journals, and Chair of the Thought Leadership Subcommittee of the buildingSMART Alliance.
Click to listen to our interview with Kimon on Apple, Spotify, or Google, or watch on our Facebook or YouTube.
We sincerely hope you enjoy this special episode of the Future Construct podcast and we would love to hear your suggestions for future guests!
- All good things, Luke Lightning, PhD
The Future Construct podcast is produced by the team at BIM Designs, Inc. BIM Designs, Inc. is a minority-owned, US-based, union-signatory preconstruction technology firm, offering turnkey BIM modeling, laser scanning, coordination management, and other VDC solutions to the AEC industry. We'd love to talk with you!
A special thank you to our awesome partners at Applied Software for supporting Episode 26 of this podcast! Applied Software has grown to become one of the largest AEC, MEP Fabrication, Construction, and Manufacturing system integrators in North America. They're here to help you find the best tech solution to meet your needs. Fill out a quick form to request more information.
Show Notes
0:37 Amy Peck introduces Kimon Onuma, founder and president of Onuma, Inc.
04:10 At what point was it really evident that software was going to go hand in hand, not only with design, but with the practical elements, the data that goes along with it?
07:52 I think one of the challenges is that there's so much technology now, there's this broad swath of technology that's not as advanced as we'd like it to be. Do you think that’s stagnating some growth on the practical use cases, because there's just too much for companies to experiment with?
12:27 I think we have an opportunity, augment human potential. To build machines that free us up to do what we're best at – which is the creativity and the nuance of our individual industries. So, I'm wondering if you hear that from your clients and what your thoughts are in terms of that kind of blend of automation and human creativity?
18:49 So much of this is parallel to open-source software. The more that we open source, the more we can all learn from the same construct. But there's still a corporate veil of secrecy. They're concerned about their shareholders, which is fair, but how do we change that mindset?
25:10 I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on VR. We're really at the very early stages of this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on what role you think immersive technology plays in the future.
32:45 If you could project yourself, 15, 20 years into the future, and you could bring with you an object or service that makes your life better, what would it be, and what would it do?
About BIM Designs, Inc.
About BIM Designs, Inc.
BIM Designs, Inc. is an agile BIM design, modeling, consulting, and coordination service provider for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) contractors and developers that desire experienced journeymen detailers and engineers for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection (MEPF) modeling, Laser Scanning, and Virtual Design Construction (VDC) projects.
If you need 3D BIM modeling, design, and MEP detailing services, BIM Designs, Inc. (BDI) has the expert tradesmen who know how to precisely design and model your systems. Contact us today for a free estimate or to discuss your project needs.
About the Author
Luke joined the BIM Designs team in June 2020 as the Head of Business Development and helps oversee the business development and marketing team's objectives. With over 8 years of business development and sales experience working with startups, accelerators, investors and global enterprise-level companies, he has successfully helped startups scale their sales operations. Previously, he worked in the biotech industry as a research leader for over 9 years resulting in an IPO in 2011.
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