Abstract: As a new idea and technology, BIM has been looked as the second design revelation. While the pushing to apply BIM in the design institutes is required. This paper looked back the important actions of the Chinese design institutes in the "Throwing off Drawing Board" project, analysed the significance of BIM to raise the competition in the building markets for the design institutes, expounded the leading role and function of the design institutes in the BIM applications, displayed the excellent performance of the design institutes who are walking in the forefront. The above key points indicate that the Chinese design institutes will still play an important role in the BIM wave. Based on the analysis of the problems in the BIM application in the Chinese design institutes, this paper give some suggestions on how can governments, professional experts, designers and software developers can push forward the BIM applications.