Curtins

Curtins was established in 1960 and for many years produced design information by hand on a drawing board. In 1989, the company was one of the first in the country to invest in AutoCAD electronic detailing software. Over the next 5 years the company invested heavily in the hardware and software needed for AutoCAD and by 1996, every technician within the business was operating AutoCAD for delivering design drawings. Whilst AutoCAD was an electronic drawing tool, it still relied upon the production of paper drawings as the method for exchanging and coordinating information. In 1998, Curtins began to utilise cutting edge 3D design software, which developed a more holistic and efficient design approach to design. In 2006, Curtins began to use Autodesk's Revit Structure modelling software, which allowed integration of our 3D structural models into the Revit Structure BIM software. Since 2006, Curtins has continually refined our structural modelling approach and Revit Structure is now the core programme used for the production and exchange of Curtins Building Information Models. In 2011, Curtins set up a BIM Focus Group to further develop the expertise within the business and focus upon how Curtins can assist clients, contractors and other consultants to ensure that BIM is used as a truly collaborative tool to help deliver construction projects more efficiently.