Thanks to the introduction of BIM, two-dimensional geometry is no longer sufficient for QSs
Flatland is a two-dimensional world inhabited by geometric figures created by Edwin A Abott in his 1884 satirical novel 鈥淔latland: A Romance of Many Dimensions鈥�. The occupants of Flatland know nothing of three dimensions until the main protagonist, Square, is visited by a three-dimensional sphere from Spaceland. With his mind opened to three dimensions, Square starts thinking about the possibility of 4th, 5th, and 6th dimensions, which lands him in a whole lot of trouble with those who cannot accept anything beyond their current reality.
With the exception of limited use of 3D (usually for visualisation purposes) the construction industry has been largely bound to a 2D world to communicate project information. As we begin to adopt BIM we, like Square, may have our minds opened to many more dimensions.
4D (time) is becoming more common with contractors utilising BIM for planning and scheduling, 5D (cost) is generating debate about the role of the quantity surveyor: Does BIM mean the end of the QS? If not how is the role redefined? Should costs be integrated into the model? How can the QS working through BIM best add value