The lack of Animation in AEC

Husband’s got a new pet project for the summer. He set out to create an animation of the workings of the S bend of the kitchen sink;

He teaches science to children, so this is not too out of character.

While discussing various options available to him, I wondered again, while is the technique of animation so underutilised within the AEC industry’s communications?

The method of capturing successive drawings to create an illusion of movement of a construction sequence is one used reasonably often. The only other  practical application of moving images I can think of are the walkthroughs used as presentation materials often to sell yet-to-be-built buildings.

Buildings are stationary elements most of the time, one can argue. Making them ‘sing-and-dance’ should be left to creators of children’s entertainment.

Still, there are so many aspects of designing, putting together and probably most importantly operating buildings that could do with the help of the animating industry that I advocate for more exploration within this area.

Over the years in the little BIM lab we operated quite a bit of magic was had by applying animation skills and tools to building elements.

We pulled apart and reassembled complex building parts, visualised fire egresses, stretched planning tents over houses, banged lifts into pile-caps, rotated cranes over streetscapes, nailed nails, painted paints, waterproofed waterproofing...

Samples available, just ask!