Construction Site Atmospheres and Building Information Modelling (BIM)

The aim of the PhD project is to understand how affective atmospheres shape, and are shaped by construction stage Building Information Modelling (BIM) work on site.

As a core component of the UK construction industry’s digital transformation agenda, BIM is widely espoused by both industry experts and in the academic literature as a solution to a variety of industry problems. Such hype leads to a subtle yet persuasive allure that obscures the complex landscape of BIM in practice, its meanings and capacity to itself change as it travels through the social world. Moreover, digital innovation hype and digitally mediated practices are unavoidably shaped by affective experiences, yet atmospheres are almost entirely neglected in construction management studies of BIM. Thus, the project takes an ethnographic approach and atmospheric lens to focus on those embodied, emplaced sensory and affective experiences that are inherent to construction site work but hitherto underexplored in research.

The study offers a theoretical contribution through employing an atmospheric lens to understand the power effects of BIM. By focussing on the affectivity of work, the thesis challenges traditionally rationalist managerial perspectives, additionally offering a contribution to knowledge of BIM in practice and widening the debate on the digital divide.

Biography

I’m a PhD researcher specialising in digital construction practice, Building Information Modelling (BIM), atmospheres and ethnography. Initially graduating with a Theatre Design degree from Wimbledon School of Art, my career started in set design and build for film, TV and theatre. I then moved into construction design management, mainly working on site on major projects for large UK contractors during pre-construction and construction phases. Through this experience I became fascinated by the digital transformation agenda and the affective nuances of everyday construction site work.

During my PhD I have also worked within MMU's Business School as a research assistant on a project studying methodologies for researching high street atmospheres, and I teach undergraduate students about technology and big data. I previously worked as a researcher for an organisation supporting construction companies with digital strategy and implementation.

Research outputs

Steadman, C., & Lipworth, L. (2025). (Non)representational atmospheric methods: Comfort zones, weather, and tuning into the high street. Marketing Theory, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14705931251378194

Steadman, C. and Lipworth, L. (2025) Atmospheric Methods Guide: Institute of Place Management, Manchester Metropolitan University. Available at: https://www.placemanagement.org/media/f4hnq0p4/atmospheric-methods-guide.pdf