Another Year Another Milestone Another Extraordinary Experience….that’s YII2019 for Me!
When I was told that I would have another opportunity to be part of the biggest Infrastructure event of the year, it made me scream with joy. YII2018 in London, beyond being one of my favorite vacation destinations, was a phenomenal experience with exceptional interviews with senior executives from Bentley Systems, Topcon and others, dynamic lectures and highly informed sessions. Bentley Systems has revived the concept of “digital twins” and what better way to witness the revolution in the construction industry than to be with the makers themselves. The infrastructure mecca had brought together thought leaders from nearly every industry and the knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration that took place was beyond words.
I was in the right place to fuel my passion for writing about the construction industry. From Digital Advancement Academies to use cases, I wanted to capture everything in my memory and then turn it into a unique story. Full of knowledge, once back, I was able to create some compelling writing for my readers. The desire to meet the construction industry stalwarts next year was alive and well, all the more so because Singapore is so close to home. With only 5 hours and 55 minutes of flight time, I couldn't miss it!
It arrived on October 20, 2019 and I was at the magnificent Marina BaySands, Singapore. When I explored their Rooftop Infinity pool area, my enthusiasm doubled. It is an architectural marvel on its own, like a small town with a shopping mall, an exhibition center, a nightclub, a casino, a food court and what not more ...
The much awaited Media day of YII2019 began on the pleasant morning of October 21. The highly energetic Press Conference revealed important news such as:
- Bentley Systems and Topcon Positioning Systems Launch their Digital Construction Works Joint Venture.
- Bentley Systems Bolsters Digital Cities Offerings with Acquisitions of Citilabs and Orbit Geospatial Technologies.
- Digital Construction Works Announces its Partner Community and Partnership with O3 Solutions to Support Advanced Work Packaging Services.
Geofumadas has attended this event for 11 consecutive years, in my case it is the second time and first as part of TwinGeo / Geofumadas magazine. The quick interviews with senior executives at Bentley Systems were an exhilarating experience that broadened my knowledge of digital twins, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, digital cities and much more ...
Networking, connecting with old and new friends over lunch and tea breaks made every moment enjoyable and I captured the essence of the day in a tweet which became a popular one :) .
I'm here n enjoying n evolving every minute..second year is an equally interesting experience ☺️ #YII2019 @BentleySystems @GolgiAlvarez @christinebyrne pic.twitter.com/dNfIUrn82K
- SHIMONTI PAUL (@shimontipaul) October 21, 2019
The happening day came to an end with an exquisite dinner hosted at the mesmerizing Clifford Pier at the Fullerton Bay Hotel.
The following days, October 22, 23 and 24 through exciting ACCELERATE sessions, industry briefings, helped me delve into the world of Digital Twins. Always bent on knowing how things are being applied and driving change in the real world, the use cases and the finalist presentations kept me hooked. The YII-Awards night with its glamor and smiles needs a special mention.
The major announcements made at the event were:
- Bentley Systems Introduces AssetWise Digital Twin Services and OpenUtilities Digital Twin Services for Asset and Network Performance.
- Class of Your Own Announces School Curriculum Partnership with Bentley Systems.
- Bentley Systems Joins as a Multinational Member – Announces Support of IFC for Digital Twins.
- Bentley Systems Announces New iTwin Cloud Services for Infrastructure Engineering Digital Twins.
By Shimonti Paul, Consulting Editor, TwinGeo
