Specifying Office Storage with BIM: A Guide for Architects and Interior Designers

Storage is one of the most repet­i­tive items on a workplace furniture schedule and one of the most common sources of late changes. A tambour run that's 100 mm too long for the alcove, a filing cabinet that doesn't suit the client's file format, or a colour that doesn't match the finishes board can all trigger vari­a­tions late in a project.

The simplest way to avoid that is to specify the exact product, at the exact size, in the model, from the start.

Why storage causes late changes

Generic storage blocks in a model look fine until the real product is chosen. Then sizes change, door swings or receding doors behave dif­fer­ent­ly, and the client sees a price that wasn't in the budget. Every one of those changes costs design time.

Configure it and download the BIM file

The OPIE con­fig­u­ra­tor lets you configure Bosco products to the di­men­sions and options you need, see the price as you go, and download the BIM file for your model. You can also export a PDF spec­i­fi­ca­tion and quote document in one click, which is useful for client sign-off and cost planning.

Set the size and options, see the price, then drop the BIM file straight into your model.

What the con­fig­u­ra­tor covers

The Bosco con­fig­u­ra­tor includes:

• Squadron tambour door cabinets
• Centurion tambour cabinets
• Squadron lineal filing cabinets
• Squadron bookcases
• Squadron planter boxes
• Enyo vertical pedestals
• Plan cabinets (6 or 10 drawer)
• B & C Class security file drawer cabinets

For anything outside the range, Bosco's bespoke storage service starts with 3D computer modelling, then a prototype, before full pro­duc­tion.

Details to settle at design stage

Door type. Tambour doors recede into the carcass, keeping aisles clear. Hinged doors suit cupboards. Open bookcases suit libraries and studios.

Filing format. Squadron lineal drawers take two rows of foolscap, front-to-back or left-to-right. Confirm which the client uses.

Alignment. Squadron modules are designed to line up. The planter box, for example, is sized to line up with the Squadron tambour range for a con­sis­tent cabinet-height look.

Locking. Centurion offers a standard key lock, 3-point locking or elec­tron­ic lock options. The Enyo pedestal has a 2-point recessed removable lock.

Colour and finish. Bosco offers multiple powder-coat colours, anodised options on Centurion slats, and custom colour matching on the Squadron bookcase.

Security clas­si­fi­ca­tion. If clas­si­fied material is stored, specify SCEC B Class or C Class cabinets. Gov­ern­ment en­dorse­ment is required to purchase them.

From model to order

1. Configure each product and place the BIM files.
2. Issue the PDF spec­i­fi­ca­tion with the doc­u­men­ta­tion.
3. The client or con­trac­tor orders against the quote.
4. Bosco man­u­fac­tures to order in Australia, under ISO 9001:2015.
5. Every product carries a 5-year man­u­fac­tur­er's warranty.

Working with the client and con­trac­tor

The con­fig­u­ra­tor helps beyond the design team:

• Clients see the real price early, so storage stays in the budget instead of being value-en­gi­neered out later.
• Cost planners get a PDF spec­i­fi­ca­tion and quote they can rely on.
• Fit-out con­trac­tors and dealers can log in for dis­trib­u­tor pricing and order against the same spec­i­fi­ca­tion.
• Fa­cil­i­ties teams get a clear record of what was installed, which makes matching additions easy.

A spec­i­fi­ca­tion checklist

1. Product, size and quantity for each run
2. Door type and locking
3. Filing format and internal ac­ces­sories
4. Colour and finish
5. Security clas­si­fi­ca­tion, if any
6. BIM file placed and PDF spec­i­fi­ca­tion issued
7. Lead time confirmed for the program

Fre­quent­ly asked questions

Do I need an account to use the con­fig­u­ra­tor? The con­fig­u­ra­tor shows live pricing to everyone. Trade accounts can log in to see dis­trib­u­tor pricing.

Can I request finish samples? Yes. Contact the Bosco team to request samples.

What sus­tain­abil­i­ty doc­u­men­ta­tion is available? Ask our team about current doc­u­men­ta­tion for your project. We'll only provide cer­ti­fi­ca­tions that are current.

Spec­i­fy­ing a workplace? Configure it and download the BIM file.