2 posts tagged with "xeokit"

A case study of a xeokit SDK-based solution for urban planning transparency​

Introduction & Context​

The City of Zurich, one of Europe’s most forward-thinking urban centers, is renowned for its progressive public services and commitment to sustainability. In 2024, the Tiefbauamt (Civil Engineering Office) took a major step toward modernizing how it communicates with citizens about major infrastructure projects. For the first time, as part of the official Planauflage (public consultation) procedure, the city provided an interactive 3D BIM model alongside traditional planning documents.

The pilot project, Projektauflage 21046 Badenerstrasse, marked a turning point. By publishing a 3D BIM model accessible directly in a web browser, Zurich allowed residents to explore the project from any angle, compare existing and planned states, and fully grasp the changes in context. This innovation was not only about technology - it was also about building trust, empowering participation, and supporting the city’s broader “Digitale Stadt” strategy and its long-term vision of a digital twin of Zurich.

Introduction & Context​

In the era of digital transformation within the construction industry, effective 3D visualization has become a cornerstone of successful BIM projects. BEXEL Manager, as a premium BIM solution, sought to expand its capabilities with a high-performance web viewer that can seamlessly integrate with its powerful 4D and 5D BIM modules while complementing its established desktop environment.

To achieve this, the BEXEL team selected xeokit SDK – an open‑source web 3D graphics toolkit, purpose‑built for the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry and BIM. This strategic decision empowered BEXEL’s developers to deliver a lightweight yet highly capable web viewer, enabling smooth visualization of complex, federated AEC models with excellent performance and precision.

The implementation of xeokit in BEXEL Manager not only resolved technical challenges but also unlocked new possibilities for the platform's intelligent construction planning engine, facilitating more sophisticated 4D/5D BIM analyses and real-time progress monitoring. The outcome is a significantly enhanced user experience in the BEXEL Viewer module and the capability to handle larger, more complex BIM projects within cloud environments.