In the scholarly cosmos of the mind,
Digital logic and architecture entwine.
Code weaves the structural frame,
Data carves the spatial silhouette.
Concepts refined through the friction of thought,
Blueprints forged in the spirit of unity.
Virtual models build digital wonders;
Intelligent algorithms optimize the spatial pulse.
A blaze of innovation,
Igniting the summit of dreams.
Aboutthe Event
The 16th 'DigitalBuilding Innovation and Application Competition',a national online large-scale application skills competition, isorganized by the China Association of Construction Education. TheCompetition has been listed for two consecutive years in the'National University Disciplinary Competition Rankings'released by the China Association of Higher Education, making it oneof the premier recognized events in the BIM field forarchitecture-related majors in China. The Competition comprehensivelyevaluates participants across multiple dimensions, including teamworkand innovative practice, to promote the close integration oftheoretical learning and practical application. It helps studentsenhance their professional skills and innovative awareness whileproviding insights into the application scenarios of cutting-edgeindustry technologies.
The 16th National DigitalBuilding Innovation and Application Competition consisted of twostages: qualifiers and finals, with each stage featuring threecategories, namely BIM Digital Dimensional Design Modeling,Comprehensive Application of Digital Construction Project Management,and Construction Engineering Measurement and Estimation Application.Following a rigorous qualifying round, three teams from ouruniversity stood out and successfully advanced to the nationalfinals, where they secured two national second prizes and one thirdprize. Among them, the 'Teamfor Excellence', composed of Zhou Xinyue, Huang Zixian, and GuJie under the guidanceof Yang Jun and Mao Yante, and the'Striving Youth at Sanjiang Team', consisting of Shao Shuo,Zhao Yu, and Liu Yuxinunder the guidance of Wang Yuanyuan and Chen Zixuan, earnedsecond prizes in thenational finals. Their solid professional skills and outstandinginnovative capabilities have brought great honor to the university.
Unityin Cooperation, Advancing Hand in Hand
Thistime, Xiao Jiang interviewed Liu Yuxin, Shao Shuo, and Zhao Yu fromthe 'Striving Youth at Sanjiang Team' to listen to thehighlights of their competition journey and uncover the storiesbehind their success.
GroupPhoto of the 'Striving Youth at Sanjiang Team' Members
Inpreparing for the 16th National Digital Building Innovation andApplication Competition,the ability to collaborate as a team was of paramount importance.Participants were required to master five software platforms:BIMMAKE, BIM Construction Site Layout, Zebra, BIM 5D, and the BIMFILMEvaluation System. Regarding the team's internal division of labor,Zhao Yu explained to Xiao Jiang that every member was first requiredto master the foundational software, BIMMAKE and BIM ConstructionSite Layout. Subsequently, based on individual strengths andinterests, each member chose two additional software programs formore in-depth study. Specifically, Zhao Yu focused on Zebra and BIM5D, Shao Shuo took charge of BIM 5D and the BIMFILM EvaluationSystem, while Liu Yuxin specialized in Zebra and the BIMFILMEvaluation System.
Membersof the 'Striving Youth at Sanjiang Team' DiscussingProblem-solving Methods
Asclassmates who spend every day together, the three participants kneweach other exceptionally well, clearly understanding each other'sstrengths and limitations. During the journey of preparing for thefinals, they ingeniously transformed this mutual understanding into avaluable asset for teamwork, recommending one another to bridge gapsand collectively embarking on a fast track to growth. Zhao Yu shareda small story with Xiao Jiang regarding the division of labor duringthe competition: 'Because I had better computer equipment, theteacher initially recommended that I handle the modeling work usingthe BIM 5D software. However, believing that Shao Shuo’s modelingskills were superior, I took the initiative to recommend him to theteacher.' As it turned out, Zhao Yu’s decision was wise; withhis exceptional modeling abilities, Shao Shuo earned valuable pointsand honor for the team.
ForgingPaths and Spanning Divides
Whendiscussing the most challenging aspects of preparing for thecompetition, all three participants pointed to the constraints oftime and space. The registration period coincided with the summervacation, clashing directly with their professional internshipperiod, and since they were in different locations, meeting in personwas impossible. They had to balance full commitment to thecompetition with their internship duties, leaving them with anextremely tight schedule. Almost everyone had to rely on fragmentedspare moments to research materials online and engage inself-directed learning. Liu Yuxin told Xiao Jiang: 'I had tostudy until late every night, often until I was one of the few withlights still on in the neighborhood. Sometimes I was afraid ofdisturbing my housemates, but fortunately, they were veryunderstanding and even comforted me to help relieve my stress.'Shao Shuo’s schedule was even more pressing; he even took a day offfrom work specifically to participate in the competition.
Despitethe numerous obstacles throughout the competition, no one becamediscouraged or negligent. Instead, everyoneembraced the mindset that 'success depends on my commitment andcourage',diligently absorbing every piece of study material and making themost thorough preparations. Zhao Yu jokingly 'complained'to Xiao Jiang: 'Shao Shuo and Liu Yuxin were secretly studying;they always told me they weren't doing much, yet they scored fullmarks on almost every practice test.' It was precisely thissharpness to overcome any obstacle and the confidence found in mutualcompanionship and support that allowed Liu Yuxin, Shao Shuo, and ZhaoYu to fight their way through, clear every hurdle, and successfullyadvance to the national finals.
NurturingGrowth and Guiding Wisdom
XiaoJiang then interviewed Wang Yuanyuan, the mentor for the 'StrivingYouth at Sanjiang Team'. A teacher in the ConstructionManagement program within the School of Civil Engineering, shepossesses extensive practical experience. Through the conversationwith Ms. Wang, we sensed that the team's success was indeed hard-won.
WangYuanyuan, Mentor for the 'Striving Youth at Sanjiang Team'
Thecompetition teams mainly recruited students from their junior andsenior years, a period during which they had to balance competitionpreparation with their internships. To ensure efficient andhigh-quality preparation within a limited timeframe, burningthe midnight oil and studying over the weekends became their norm.Additionally, geographical constraints posed a second majorchallenge; with members scattered in different locations, they couldonly communicate online in the later stages, and on the day of thecompetition, one member even rushed back from out of town just intime. Speaking of this, Ms. Wang's eyes were filled with compassion.
When asked about her feelings regarding the students' award, sheshared that she was truly happy for them. For Ms. Wang, thiscompetition was not a solo battle for the students, but rather acollaborative effort between mentor and students. Fromsoftware usage to project submission and final pre-competitioninspections, she personally oversaw every link, paying closeattention to every detail of the competition regulations.
Ms.Wang believes that the students gained a great deal from thiscompetition. Firstly, in terms of teamwork, themembers strengthened their friendshipsand learned how to identify their roles and communicate effectivelywithin a team. Secondly,the competition enhanced their professional skills;mastering the Glodon software significantly improved their hands-onabilities, which will be highly beneficial for their future careers.Lastly, the experience helpedstudents stay current with cutting-edge software and adapt tosoftware updates, providing excellent preparation for their futurework.
Atthe end of the interview, Ms. Wang encouraged students who wish toparticipate in similar competitions, saying: 'Don'tworry about whether you win an award; the knowledge and growth gainedduring the process are the ultimate goals of the competition. Theuniversity’s constant commitment to industry-education integrationis your strongest support. Meanwhile, solid professional knowledge isindispensable, and a serious attitude toward the competition combinedwith a hardworking spirit are the two secret weapons for success.'
PoolingWisdom and Streamlining Exchange
Wheninterviewed, Zhou Xinyue, a member of the 'Team for Excellence,'explained: 'This competition was divided into three parts: CivilEngineering Measurement and Estimation, Installation EngineeringMeasurement and Estimation, and the Preparation of Bidding Documents.Leveraging her solid professional knowledge, rich practicalexperience, and precise grasp of measurement details for variouscivil engineering projects, she was responsible for Civil EngineeringMeasurement and Estimation. Gu Jie, with her thorough understandingof materials, techniques, and estimation rules in the installationfield, handled Installation Engineering Measurement and Estimation.Meanwhile, Huang Zixian, who excels at organizing complex documentclauses and procedures, focused on the Preparation of BiddingDocuments while assisting with both the civil and installationsections to ensure the rigor and compliance of the entire biddingfile.'
GroupPhoto of the 'Team for Excellence' Members
Whenasked how the team communicated and collaborated efficiently duringpractice, Gu Jie shared: 'First,every member systematically studied all competition subjectsso that we could communicate without barriers regarding thedifficulties of each project. Second, when encountering confusionduring practice, we would discussit within the team first. If we couldn't resolve it, we thenconsulted our mentors,this helped reduce ineffective communication and use our timeefficiently. Lastly, after completing each practice problem, wechecked each other'swork for missed points andoffered suggestions. We also held regular internal experience-sharingmeetings to share insights and tips for collective progress.'
Regarding the significance of this achievement in theirself-perception, Huang Zixian said: 'Winningthe second prize is a major milestone in our self-perception.It proves that we possess a certain level of capability in digitalbuilding innovation and application and highlights our strengths inteamwork, innovative thinking, and technical application. However, wealso clearly realize that this is only a staged achievement. In thefield of digital construction, there is still much knowledge andtechnology to explore and master, such as our adaptability tounexpected problems and mastery of certain technical details. Thiswill motivate us to improve ourselves more effectively in our futurestudies and work.'
At the same time, this hasreshaped our understanding of the industry's development. From anindustry perspective, the competition has shown us the vast prospectsand immense potential of the digital building sector. We realizedthat with continuous technological progress, digital building willplay an increasingly vital role in various stages, includingarchitectural design and construction management. In the future, wewill pay closer attention to industry trends and strive to contributeour own efforts to the advancement of digital construction.
AdjustingStrategies and Staying Calm
Recallingthe most critical or difficult moments of the competition, Gu Jiesaid: 'We felt the biggest challenges in the civil andinstallation sections were drawing identification and modeling, whilethe difficulty in preparing bidding documents lay in the overallaccumulation of professional knowledge. However, the most difficultpart was that within the set time limits, everyone had toindependently and efficiently complete the subjects in their areas ofexpertise. Furthermore, unexpected rule changes or technical glitchescould occur during the competition, requiring us to quickly adjustour strategies and respond calmly. For example, during onesimulation, a pricing requirement for a special building material wassuddenly added. Our team held an emergency discussion, consulted alarge amount of information in a short time, and formulated areasonable pricing plan.'
Membersof the 'Team for Excellence' Discussing Problem-solvingMethods
When asked whom she would like tothank most, Zhou Xinyue replied: 'This competition is an honorwe share with our teachers. Due to our internships, we were scatteredacross different parts of the city and could only communicate online,and Ms. Yang was the key to keeping us closely connected.Whenever a problem arose, she was always there to provide immediateguidance and encouragement, whether it was answering technicalquestions or mediating when conflicts occurred within the team. Wealso want to thank the staff members who provided us with the mockcompetition environment and technical support;their silent contributions allowed us to fully devote ourselves toour preparations.'
CraftingExcellence and Passing the Torch
XiaoJiang then interviewed Ms. Yang Jun, a faculty member in theConstruction Management and Engineering Cost programs at ouruniversity. Since joining the university in 2015, Ms. Yang hasprimarily taught courses on Construction Engineering Measurement andEstimation, BIM software application, and legal regulations. As thementor for the 'Team for Excellence', she expressed greatsatisfaction with the team members' performance.
YangJun, Mentor for the 'Team for Excellence'
When discussing the mostcompetitive technical and innovative aspects of the students, Ms.Yang identified teamworkand the flexible application of knowledge as the two most importantfactors. Students mustintegrate textbook knowledge - from the theoretical foundations ofconstruction engineering measurement and estimation to drawingidentification, the key to unlocking engineering projects, and theskillful application of drafting bidding documents and budgets. Theseare the elements that made them competitive in the digital buildingcontest.
On the competition stage, students skillfully usedvarious software for tasks like modeling. Every operation was atempering of their practical skills, and every precise result was apowerful testament to their hands-on capabilities. Working in groupsof three like interconnected gears, each member was responsible for aspecific section, cross-coordinating with one another.This spirit of teamwork served as their strongest support on thecompetition journey and the bridge to their victory.
Atthe end of the interview, Ms. Yang emphasized that this competitionholds great significance for the students' personal development andfuture planning. Through practical operations on engineeringdrawings, their software experience and comprehensive abilities havebeen significantly enhanced. For their career development, theseskills will provide substantial support in areas such as draftingbidding documents, preparing bid price files, and contractmanagement. Furthermore, their outstanding performance andachievements in this competition will be a highlight of theiracademic careers.
Whenyou chase your dreams,
Youare held in their embrace.
Everyone of you, running with all your might,
Inyour own chosen field,
Willshine with brilliant light.
Withdreams as the foundation and innovation as the beam,
Usinginspiration and skill as the bricks,
Canyou build the magnificent temple that is uniquely yours.
Images| Provided by interviewees, Zhang Ruoxian, Yang GangText | YiXiaoqian, Chen Jiali, Zhu Kexin, Zhang Tianxiao
Editor | ZhangTianxiao
Reviewers| Wang Yuanyuan, Yang Jun, Wu Jiang, Wu Jiang, Xu Xinyue, Li Xinyuan,Liu Mannie
OriginalLink: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jAsYTvuV27GsQlSR0tTxbw(Reprinted from the Sanjiang University Official WeChat Account)
