Delivering certainty in complex hospitality design
How digital coordination enabled a seamless, high-performance hotel project in Malawi
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Heleen Grimsehl
- Director
Delivery date:
April 2026 (publication reference)
Project duration:
Approximately 10 years (development phase)
- Autodesk Forma (common data environment)
- BIM coordination processes
- Clash detection and federated modelling
- Digital collaboration frameworks
- BIM strategy and implementation
- Coordination management across disciplines
- Process structuring and BIM execution planning
- Ongoing technical support and advisory
- Cross-team collaboration facilitation
Industry
- Architecture & Interiors
- Construction
- Infrastructure
- Property Development & Asset Management
- Visualisation
The Challenge
Delivering the Protea Hotel Lilongwe Ryalls was far more complex than the calm, resort-like experience it offers suggests. The project required coordination across more than 14 disciplines and over 20 contributors, spread between South Africa and Malawi. Many local partners were still operating within 2D environments, creating inconsistencies in workflows and increasing the risk of misalignment. At the same time, the nature of hospitality design demanded that all building services remain invisible, while still functioning flawlessly within tight spatial constraints. Traditional coordination methods would have resulted in clashes only being discovered during construction, leading to delays, rework and potential compromises in design intent. We needed a more integrated, forward-thinking approach to ensure the project could be delivered with precision and confidence.
Project Goals
Project Goals “Boogertman + Partners” had these goals in mind:
- Establish a fully coordinated, multi-disciplinary design environment across all teams
- Reduce and eliminate system clashes before construction begins
- Maintain the integrity of the architectural and interior design vision
- Enable collaboration between teams with varying levels of digital maturity
- Improve project efficiency and minimise costly on-site rework
- Create a model that supports long-term building operations and lifecycle management
Solution
Working closely with Modena AEC & Infrastructure, we implemented a structured BIM-driven coordination process supported by Autodesk Forma as a shared data environment. This approach allowed all disciplines to operate within a single, federated model, ensuring transparency and alignment from the outset. A clearly defined BIM execution plan guided how information was created, shared and managed across teams. Regular coordination sessions enabled real-time issue resolution, while clash detection tools allowed us to identify and address conflicts early in the design phase. Beyond the technology, the process was carefully structured to support collaboration across borders and varying skill levels. This ensured that all stakeholders could contribute effectively while maintaining the integrity of the overall design and delivery process.
Business Outcomes
The results were both immediate and measurable. Early in the coordination process, over 3,000 clashes were identified and systematically resolved before construction commenced. By the later design stages, clashes had been reduced to near zero, significantly lowering project risk. This level of coordination translated into fewer disruptions on site, improved construction efficiency and greater confidence in the final outcome. The federated model also enhanced client engagement, allowing stakeholders to visualise and interact with the design long before completion. Importantly, the structured BIM approach established a foundation for long-term facilities management, ensuring that the building is not only efficient to construct, but also optimised for operation over its lifecycle.
Conclusion
The Protea Hotel Lilongwe Ryalls stands as a testament to what can be achieved when design, technology and collaboration are aligned. By adopting a coordinated digital approach, we were able to navigate complexity, bridge geographical gaps and deliver a project that meets both aesthetic and operational expectations.
Rather than working in isolated models, all disciplines operate in a shared digital environment.
Modena AEC & Infrastructure is your digital technology partner. With an unwavering dedication to innovation, we’re at the forefront of delivering advanced solutions and insights, keeping our clients abreast of industry changes, introducing new technologies and workflows that drive enhancements within their business. We remain committed to our ethos, “helping you deliver better projects”.
INSPIRING
Partnerships:
Heleen Grimsehl
Director
Francois Bredenkamp | Greg Reid
Co - Founders & Directors
Nathan York
Managing Director
Architecture, Building Services, Consulting, Consulting Engineering, Construction, Construction Design, Electrical, Electrical Engineering, Other
Francois Schutte, Director
Stephanie Esterhuizen, Associate and National Drawing Office Manager
Building Services, Electrical, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Fire Engineering, Wets
Jacques Erasmus
Head of Projects
Michante Davies
Culture Custodian
Trevor Lovell
Managing Director
Mario Ferreira
Contracts Director
Jaco Buys
Director at PR Engineering
