Abstract
With the rapid development of computer technology and ongoing destruction of traditional buildings, more and more attention is paid to digital methods for the design and preservation of traditional buildings. Unlike 2D methods, Building Information Modeling (BIM) provides an object-oriented and parametric digital representation way for traditional building components. However, one of the main limitations currently is that parametric information cannot be exchanged between BIM software packages. Therefore each kind of software must have their own parametric library which causes extensive works. In this research, the authors developed an open BIM-based library using an XML parametric approach to solve the above problems, represented traditional components according to an XML schema, and parametrically implemented these XML files in a browser which can be accessed by users for their easy component edit and selection. And then based on the XML file of one component, implemented an Add-on in ArchiCAD for users to parametrically edit and directly utilize. Thus based on these XML files, a browser for users' view and selection purpose and an add-on for users' application purpose were developed. Future research will focus on implementing these XML files in other BIM tools like Revit and Digital Project. If the whole library was to be completed based on this XML approach, an open BIM-based library would be established that all kinds of BIM software users could apply this parametric library for easy modeling of traditional houses.
