After years of growing software complexity, the next step for AEC is not adding features but removing friction. Teams need tools that are easier, faster and more accessible.
And now, Giraffe and Qonic are joining forces, introducing a workflow that connects feasibility and BIM in real time.
If you work on fast paced urban projects, you know the pressure. Feasibility needs to move quickly. BIM needs to be precise. These two worlds often feel misaligned.
Our joint exploration with Giraffe shows that feasibility connects with realtime BIM more naturally than many expect, especially when you build on openness and cloud-to-cloud thinking. Watch the video:
Why openness is our foundation
Open collaboration is Qonic’s philosophy. Anchored on open standards such as IFC, it keeps designers, developers and contractors in sync, without locking anyone into a single stack.
That openness lets feasibility stay lightweight and exploratory while still mapping to a BIM-ready backbone later on.
The meaning of “Cloud to Cloud”
Traditionally, models jump between tools through exports, uploads and versioned files.
With cloud-to-cloud integration, data moves directly between two live environments, from Giraffe’s feasibility layer to Qonic’s BIM intelligence.
Beyond the direct handover, this approach also benefits from more intelligent cloud infrastructure. Large models load faster, navigation becomes smoother, geospatial data renders more quickly and integrations with third party systems stay simpler. It also allows teams to work with lighter clients rather than heavy local installations, which reduces cost and complexity over time.
From feasibility to BIM
Here’s the core flow we’re shaping with Qonic × Giraffe:
- Model feasibility in Giraffe
Sketch scenarios at speed: warehouses, apartments, mixed-use. Stakeholders instantly explore yield, massing and constraints with Giraffe's integrated geospatial, drawing and analytical tools. - Enrich and structure “just enough”
As concepts stabilise, we add essential properties, naming, typologies, areas, basic classifications, so the model carries design intent. - Cloud-to-cloud handover to Qonic
The model lands in Qonic where BIM semantics grow: elements are typed, properties validated and quantities computed.
Instead of redrawing, feasibility geometry is promoted into BIM-aware objects.
Output: PDF drawings, QTO reports, and a consistent data structure teams can trust. - Checks via IDS
Information requirements (e.g. “all walls must carry a fire rating”) are expressed as IDS rules and checked automatically.
Result: fewer surprises and clearer acceptance of each deliverable.
Two perspectives on the bigger picture
“The AEC software stack has become too heavy: great documentation tools are not necessarily great design tools,” says Rob Asher, CEO at Giraffe.
“When Giraffe talks to Qonic, design intent becomes continuous. You can use the right tool for the right moment and collapse the distance between intent and outcome.”
“Every time feasibility outputs are recreated manually in BIM, you introduce noise and inconsistency.” adds Tiemen Strobbe, Product Lead at Qonic.
“Connecting Giraffe to Qonic removes that repetitive labour. Geometry becomes BIM-aware instantly, properties are validated and quantities become reliable without rebuilding.”
Giraffe and Qonic are betting on a next wave of AEC technology that is frictionless, browser based and accessible, tools that anyone who designs or builds can use without heavy setup or infrastructure.
What changes for the AEC team
- Designers & architects keep the speed of feasibility while aligning decisions toward BIM compliance.
- Developers & contractors gain earlier cost and quantity insights without waiting for “LOD-everything” models.
- Authorities & clients see traceable logic from massing to documentation: stronger confidence, fewer late-stage resets.
Where this is going next
This blog continues our series on open, collaborative AEC workflows.
If you missed the previous chapter on how open standards underpin our approach, read this blog.
Next, we are preparing a joint webinar that explores the feasibility to BIM handover in depth, including how early stage geometry can already deliver structured reports and accurate 2D plans once processed in Qonic. Stay tuned!
About Giraffe
Giraffe is the operating system for property and place. Through one platform integrating context, design and analytics, Giraffe helps planning, design and development teams build better cities. Learn more at Giraffe.Build.
FAQ
1) Is the cloud to cloud workflow only useful for large urban projects?
No. While Giraffe excels at city scale scenarios, the workflow also supports smaller sites, infill developments and early massing for building projects. Any project that benefits from fast feasibility and structured BIM continuity can use it.
2) What happens if feasibility geometry is very rough?
Qonic can promote low detail geometry into BIM aware objects as long as basic properties and intent are present. In Qonic you can also enhance your geometry to create meaningful BIM outputs.
3) Will I lose information or naming when moving from Giraffe to Qonic?
No. Naming, typologies and enriched properties travel with the model. Qonic expands structure but does not overwrite your feasibility intent.
6) Do I need custom integrations to use this workflow?
No. The system relies on open standards such as IFC. That ensures interoperability without locking you into proprietary stacks.
5) How accurate are quantities generated after feasibility?
Once essential properties are enriched, Qonic computes reliable early quantities. These improve further as the model evolves into more detailed BIM objects.
6) Can authorities or clients use this workflow?
Yes. They benefit from traceability. They can see how feasibility decisions flow into documentation, supporting clearer reviews and fewer late revisions.
7) Who benefits from Giraffe × Qonic?
Giraffe supports city-scale feasibility; Qonic refines it into detailed, constructible BIM models.
