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Business & Economy

Space Group brings acclaimed conference to the North East

Previously held in London and Manchester, BIM Show Live founders; Space Group’s CEO Rob Charlton and Technology Director Adam Ward, and Product Manager at Autodesk James Austin wanted to bring the show back to its roots, a natural fit for their home town.

Since the very first show, it has grown into a prestigious event in the construction industry calendar, popular with architects, engineers and construction professionals alike.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is paving the way in construction’s digital environment and the show will be offering a content programme delivered by hand-picked digital construction experts, with an anticipated attendance of over 300 national and international delegates expected to descend on the city over the two-day event.

The show will take place on 1 and 2 February 2017 in the city centre’s Stephenson Quarter, with the conference programme delivered in the Space Architects-designed Crowne Plaza hotel, and the exhibition area spilling over into next door – in the brand new Boiler Shop.

Rob Charlton said: “This year we are going back to our roots and making a big return to the region with BIM Show Live where the idea was first born. We have previously staged it in some fabulous locations, but it’s time to put our own personal Space Group touch on the event, in a venue we have a passionate connection with.

“In the past few years we felt the event had become a little too commercial and moved away from its original purpose: an event for early adopters of BIM, driven by quality content. Therefore we’re bringing it back to what it’s all about and focusing on innovation and insight for digital construction.

“At Space Group we’re known for our no nonsense approach, and we plan to provide our visitors with all they need to know about how to adopt BIM and how to make it work for them by sharing projects and processes that truly make digital construction work – real-life success stories on who’s winning with BIM!”

Space Group comprises of a number of brands and initiatives including North East-headquartered Space Architects, London’s leading BIM consultancy BIM.Technologies, BIM Store – home to the world’s leading collection of BIM components – and pop-up skills building suite, Campus.

Having started as a single architecture business, the Group, as very early adopters of BIM in its work, has grown a portfolio of companies off the back of the technology’s emergence in the industry.

It now boasts a string of bases along the East coast as well as Leeds and London, and 2017 will mark 60 years of Space Architects, formerly Waring & Netts when it was founded by its namesakes in Newcastle in 1957 – making BIM Show Live a significant celebratory occasion.

Space Group currently employs over 100 people around the UK and is increasingly developing technology to support the digitisation of the construction industry.

Rob added: “In the last decade, the North East has become a centre of excellence for digital construction in the UK. This has been driven by a strong academic base with good universities serving the sector and a competitive architectural market.

“Preparations are well underway for the show and as always, we are planning a superb event with plenty of surprises for delegates. The call for papers is now live, and we have had a great response already but we are still on the lookout for new and exciting content – particularly from first-time speakers, we want to hear from anyone with a great story to tell.”

For more information and details on how to book early bird tickets, available now, visit www.bimshowlive.co.uk