BIM Consulting, Architectus

How It Started

In 2014, I joined BIM Consulting, the specialist Digital Engineering (DE) arm of Architectus, as Digital Engineering Lead, exhilarated to shape DE in Australia’s emerging digital landscape. 

With a trusted colleague leading the team and a culture open to exploration and rapid problem-solving, I found the perfect environment to innovate. Although I had solid experience in project-based BIM delivery, I knew there was more to learn. The full lifecycle of digital workflows, structured data, coordination at scale — these were areas I was hungry to grow into. BIM Consulting offered that opportunity, and more importantly, the chance to focus on DE not as part of architecture, but as the core service itself.

We weren’t just integrating digital — we were pioneering it. As one of the first specialist DE consultancies in the country, the work was ambitious and experimental. I joined a small, sharp team led by a former colleague I respected — and I knew it would be a fast, fun, and meaningful ride.

Role

Digital Engineering Lead, BIM Consulting / Architectus

My Contributions:

• BIM Management & Advisory: Led BIM delivery and advisory for 30+ internal (Architectus) and external projects (e.g., John Holland), including 1PSQ, Equinix ME2, and Harbord Diggers, using smart workflows and emerging tools.

• High-Performance Delivery: Managed BIM for complex projects, coordinating site clashes and fabrication-ready model reviews for data centres and mixed-use developments.

• Tool Development: Founded and led the development of an internal issue management tool, the precursor to BCapp.

• Internal R&D: Contributed to a shared culture of testing, improving, and documenting DE tools and workflows

• Tech Exploration: Piloted point cloud scans, drones, 4D sequencing, VR/AR tools, and automation workflows to enhance delivery.

• Business Development: Contributed to fee proposals, scope definition, and client engagement for external DE services.

• Team Enablement: Delivered upskilling sessions and technical support to multidisciplinary teams and clients.

What It Is

BIM Consulting operated as the digital innovation unit of Architectus — delivering specialist DE services for internal and external projects. As one of the first standalone DE consultancies in Australia, it carved out a space where technical depth and delivery impact came together.

The team functioned as an embedded consultancy: deeply hands-on, highly technical, and focused on creating usable, scalable workflows that made project delivery clearer, faster, and more accountable.

From 2014 to 2019, I led 30+ projects across diverse sectors, including:

• Education (1 Parramatta Square, $220.5M; Macquarie University Arts Precinct, $100M)

• Health (Western Sydney University Campbelltown Clinical School, $33M)

• Data centres (Equinix ME2, $240M; NextDC M1 & M2, $220M)

• Residential / Retail (Harbord Diggers, $200M)

Key Wins

• Established DE Foundations: Built foundational workflows, standards, and capability that scaled across projects

• Full Lifecycle Delivery: Gained hands-on experience from pre-design through to site coordination and as-built models

• Rapid Innovation Cycles: Prototyped and tested cutting-edge tools that would later influence platform design (e.g. BCapp)

• Expanded Network: Built strong professional relationships across architecture, engineering, and construction sectors

• Technical Reputation: Became known for delivering results on complex coordination challenges through smart systems

• Business Growth: Secured external projects through fee proposals and client engagement, expanding BIM Consulting’s reach.

Vision & Strategy

At BIM Consulting, I had the freedom to lead, test, and learn — deeply and quickly.

Rather than theorising digital practice, we delivered it. Every new delivery challenge was a chance to improve a workflow or pilot a tool. I developed a mindset focused on value, simplicity, and usability — traits that shaped my approach at Mirvac, TfNSW, and through tools like Circlo.

This was where I first experienced the power of technical credibility paired with strategic thinking — and where I learned that the best digital leaders are those who understand what works on the ground.

Lessons Learned

This chapter grounded me in practical digital delivery.

It taught me how to lead with clarity, build tools with purpose, and earn trust through execution. The culture of experimentation, paired with the drive to deliver real project outcomes, made this one of the most valuable chapters in my DE journey. 

I left BIM Consulting with the confidence to influence not just models and processes — but people, teams, and systems.

That mindset has shaped every step of my career since.