Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD 15 won Construction Computing Magazine’s BIM Product of the Year in 2011 and now the company has released a white paper titled, “Get There Faster with ArchiCAD.” The white paper examines five critical areas to explore before making final BIM software selection. The sole purpose of the white paper is to provide accurate, reliable information about critical issues related to BIM and how ArchiCAD technology addresses these issues.

The key issue areas are:

• Improve profitability
• Enable agile and competitive workflow
• Provide real-time collaboration
• Easy-to-learn and simplfied 3D workflow
• Optimizes use of computer hardware power
• Keeps IT costs low
• Is a secure and proven BIM product

The white paper shares expertise from six design leaders. The company says, “we want to teach and educate in an effort to help architects make informed technology decisions.”

You can download the BIM white-paper here.

The new ArchiCAD STAR(T) Edition 2012 is based on the robust BIM technology of ArchiCAD 15, but with a feature set and price tailored to the needs of small architectural practices, home builders, and building contractors.

ArchiCAD STAR(T) Edition 2012 is a full-featured BIM program, containing all the tools necessary to creating a building information model of your design and then documenting the project fully as well as generating a list of materials. The latest release features the core functionality of ArchiCAD 15 plus:

• Intelligent Element Connections – automatic connections between building structures and elements to help create the creation and maintenance of the BIM model while preserving the flexibility architects need
• 3D Design Space – 3D guidelines and editing planes to help the creation of the BIM model in the natural 3D environment including axonometric and perspective views
• Latest DWG-DXF file exchange capabilities with the 3rd party applications of consultants

ArchiCAD STAR(T) Edition 2012 is available in International English, German and Austrian versions. Other localized versions will follow during Q1, 2012. To learn more visit them online here.

In this review I am not able to address all of the improvements, added features, etc.  There are too many.   I am just going to sort of randomly pick out a few and comment on some that stand out at first glance.  The best way to see them all is to go to this site.  And you will notice that my comments are directed mostly towards the use of the features by an architect, because that is what I know best.

Working Planes: Handwriting is on the Wall

The first new feature that I noticed with affection is the ability to select a working plane by just clicking on it and then being able to work directly on it, adding text, cut outs, new parts and so on. (see image 01) I have up to now been too lazy to really use working planes choosing instead to sort of work around them.  This is a great new feature.  But on my computer at least I have noticed a bit of a time lag as the changes get updated in 3D.  This is one of the many issues that come up as a program gets more complicated.  Older computers have a harder time keeping up.

The handwriting in on the wall, that is if you select the working plan then type some text it will be on the wall or plane selected in 3D, this I believe could be done before but now it’s much easier.  Also dimensions can be added in a 3D view so it is much easier to show the height of an object for example.

Pushing and Pulling

This is not really new from 2011, but by easily selecting the working plane it also becomes easier.  One thing I thought would be fun and useful was to draw a curved line on a working plan in 3D and then pull it up to a height and turn it into a wall by extruding it.  That didn’t work.  Then I tried to change my curved object by offsetting it.  That didn’t work either.  What does work is to draw any shape in 2D then offset it using the close open curves (also works with straight lines) mode then use the push pull tool to stretch it up to whatever height you want.  It could also just be extruded at that point.  The thing that makes this interesting is the ability to easily create curvilinear shapes that can become walls or maybe areas of glass. (see image 01)

The Push Pull tool gains efficiencies despite it being fundamentally different because you simply do not have to select the working plane on an object now. That can be done in automatic mode, saving you many steps. You can also toggle that automatic mode off, a handy feature at times.

01 - Offsets and shape making in Vectorworks 2012. Note that text can be easily added to any plane by selecting it by just clicking on the plane, thereby making it the working plane and then typing text (see text on blue section, as well as imported image).

You gotta love the ability to change the size and angle of tiles and hatches on the fly; wow this one is cool.  It’s great for anyone who does layouts of paving for example.  I almost made myself crazy doing this a few versions back working on the design of a small piazza in Italy.

next page: Collaboration

A webpage dedicated to the planned event states: “Graphisoft considers Steve Jobs the greatest hero of the information age. We believe such superlatives are warranted: indeed, we cannot be entirely objective with respect to Steve Jobs, because to a large extent, Graphisoft ArchiCAD owes its global success to him. In 1984, Apple was willing to give Graphisoft a chance.”

BIM Begins on Apple Lisa

ArchiCAD is largely considered the very first true BIM (Building Information Modeling) software program, inventing and coining the term “virtual building” in the process of developing 3D CAD for architects which enabled them to literally build the building, completely, in 3D on the computer. “The first version of ArchiCAD ran on a Lisa computer, the immediate predecessor to the Macintosh,” reports the company. “We exhibited this program at the 1984 CEBIT in Hannover, where Steve Jobs saw it and decided to give Apple’s full support to its development and distribution. Apple gave us cash and computers at a time when Graphisoft was a young company with very limited resources; the technology represented by those computers was not even available in our part of the world.”

01 - Ark-Coca-Cola skyscraper wins fifth design excellence award. The project is a BIM achievement in Australia and was designed using Graphisoft ArchiCAD.

ArchiCAD quickly became available on the Mac and remained an exclusive on the Mac well into the 1990’s. Apple introduced the young Hungarian company to its global distribution network, which the company relies on to this day, helping sell and represent ArchiCAD in countries around the world.

“In 1985, after Steve Jobs left Apple, the company lost its soul,” states Graphisoft on this webpage. “At the time, many of our partners said that Graphisoft was the guardian of Apple’s spirit and soul. Some even said that we were the ‘real Apple’ at that time. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple 12 years later, the company again began to create miracles.”

“The working environment at Graphisoft Park embodies the spirit of Steve Jobs, which strives for excellence in every detail. Our built environment aims to inspire and promote this passion for quality in the talented people who work here. Graphisoft Park is indeed a fitting location for a statue commemorating Steve Jobs and his legacy.”

To learn more about Graphisoft’s thoughts on Steve Jobs and its view on Apple and the Graphisoft connection, click here. The event takes place in front of the Graphisoft building, 1031 Budapest, Zahony u, 7, G Building, at 3:00PM CET.

Those who wish to attend can RSVP by contacting Julianna Gulden, Graphisoft PR at: jgulden@graphisoft.com

Graphisoft also took home the award for Environmental Project of the Year for Rural Regeneration Centre at Hadlow College, the UK’s first certified Passivhaus educational building.

To learn more about Graphisoft’s BIM solution ArchiCAD 15 go here.

NCME and Graphisoft agree to establish a NCME-Graphisoft Strategic Partnership with objective to promote and implement Building Information Modeling (BIM) to strengthen the design capabilities of NCME, the brand and influence of NCME, to support the growth of BIM in China and the creation of specifications for municipal design, as well as BIM standards for China based upon Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD and related software.

North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute (NCME) is a nationally recognized, professional organization. A design and research organization integrating urban planning, cost consulting, environmental assessment, project design, contract engineering, project supervision, research and technology development.

During the course of the next three years, Graphisoft will assist NCME with implementing BIM on design, collaboration, sustainability, and create BIM specifications.

To learn more about ArchiCAD visit them online here: www.graphisoft.com

Architosh Analysis

Graphisoft continues to make substantial progress in China with several related agreements like this one in the past few years. Recently Architosh reported on Graphisoft’s team-up with United Design Group of Shanghai, China. And just this early Fall the BIM innovator signed a MOU with China Academy of Building Research Architecture Design Institute.

With China’s recent construction boom BIM is exploding in the growing country. Large-scale agreements like this one can form a very positive momentum for the BIM innovator, growing its market share and attraction in one of the largest markets in the world.

“We are thrilled to receive this honor,” said Steward Rom, Chief Marketing Officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks. “We strived to make the Vectorworks 2012 program the ideal solution for designers in the AEC community with continued improvements to our 3D, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and rendering capabilities, and it’s an honor to be recognized by the Construction Computing Awards. We’re also fortunate to have partners like Computers Unlimited who make it possible for us to bring these innovations to users around the world.”

The awards ceremony was held November 17, 2011, at The Hotel Russell in London, and team members from Computers Unlimited were in attendance to accept the award.

To learn more about Vectorworks, go here.

Prominent to these sessions will be several on BIM (Building Information Modeling), including one titled “On CLOUD 9 with BIM 9: A BIM Manager’s Guide to Private BIM Clouds.”

IMAGINiT will also showcase new updates to its popular Scan to BIM product and highlight its brand new ProductivityNOW portal.

To learn more visit www.imaginit.com

The current beta version supports the conversion of up to five rooms with full functionality from drawings made using the Apple iPad version of OrthoGraph. This limitation of the five rooms can be turned off in the final release by purchasing a full license, which the company says will be a fraction of the cost OrthoGraph Survey.

01 - OrthoGraph ArchiCAD Import Module enables you to bring in measured rooms from OrthoGraph on your iPad into ArchiCAD for Mac and Windows.

OrthoGraph ArchiCAD is available for both Mac and Windows and runs with ArchiCAD 14 and 15, plus ArchiCAD Start Edition 2011. For more information visit this product page on the web.

From their announcement, “BIM is the technology and processes that formulate, design, analysis, encoding, decoding, fabrication, simulation, management of a project. As such we must recognize that many different kinds of technology exist today that address different workflows in order to move the process forward.”

Jeffrey W. Ouellette, Assoc. AIA, project architect at Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc., will host and lead the webinar. The Webinar is also worth 1 AIA LU.

To register for the webinar click here.

The Spanish-language versions will be available this month throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and Spain.

The powerful enhancements found in the Vectorworks 2012 products, including more than 100 performance and usability improvements, will save designers time and increase their productivity. The software’s intuitive interface allows users to easily conceptualize their designs, while innovative, flexible tools let them document their plans and easily collaborate with best-in-class open BIM workflows.

“I think users will find that the advancements in the 2012 version of Vectorworks software will greatly increase their efficiency,” said Jorge Matos, President of Techlimits Informática, who is now offering Vectorworks software in Spain.

This version provides the Vectorworks Spotlight and Machine Design user interface elements in Spanish, and the existing translation has been further improved to provide a more technically and contextually accurate product.

For Spanish-language brochures, FAQs, videos and other marketing materials, please visit www.vectorworks.net/espanol. To learn more about Vectorworks 2012 software, please visitwww.vectorworks2012.net. To check for Spanish-language availability from a local distributor, please visitwww.vectorworks.net/international.

The event takes place 15 November 2011 at 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST. You can register here.

Details

openBIM is a new industry term applied to the use of internationally recognized BIM interoperability standards for data sharing. These open standards include (but are not limited to) the use of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for building geometry and data. IFC is supported by over 35 international vendors and over 50 software applications and is used today to create, analyze, and distribute building information models.

Learning objectives include:

• Define openBIM and IFC
• Explain how interoperability is improved with openBIM workflows and IFC technology
• Explain how collaboration with design partners is improved with openBIM workflows and IFC technology
• Identify examples of how openBIM and IFC are used today

To learn more and register visit this link. If you have any questions: call 888-646-4223.

One AIA Learning Unit (1 AIA LU Hour) is available.

“We are thrilled to receive this honor,” said Steward Rom, Chief Marketing Officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks. “We strived to make the Vectorworks 2012 program the ideal solution for designers in the AEC community with continued improvements to our 3D, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and rendering capabilities, and it’s an honor to be recognized by the Construction Computing Awards. We’re also fortunate to have partners like Computers Unlimited who make it possible for us to bring these innovations to users around the world.”

The awards ceremony was held November 17, 2011, at The Hotel Russell in London, and team members from Computers Unlimited were in attendance to accept the award.

To learn more about Vectorworks go here.

“We are very pleased that this release again offers great improvements for European users of Vectorworks, that allows them to work even faster and with more efficiency,” said Andreas King, CEO of ComputerWorks AG in Switzerland. “Improvements like the x-ray mode and the faster viewports have a dramatic impact on daily work of every planner and make this update a no brainer.”

The powerful enhancements found in the Vectorworks 2012 products, including more than 100 performance and usability improvements, will save designers time and increase their productivity.

“I am sure our users will appreciate the new features such as the new stories feature, Renderworks Styles, and the new soft insulation in walls,” said Lucas Vendersanden, president of Design Express in the Benelux region.

To learn more about European versions of Vectorworks 2012 please visit this link.

The presentation at 2011 PCI Annual Convention and National Bridge Conference, illustrates the benefit of openBIM and how the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file exchange is allowing architects, engineers and precast manufactures using preferred software applications from multiple vendors, to leverage today’s BIM process to increase efficiencies, reduce errors and ultimately deliver higher preforming precast structures.

“The demo is just an initial stepping stone to deal with all the major exchanges facilitating precast workflows,” said Eastman.

This educational session demonstrated how a design model created by an architect using an IFC-capable BIM authoring application can be imported into a structural analysis software for optimization and code checking.

This optimized IFC model can then be moved downstream and converted into a detailed precast fabrication model. The parts and Bill of Materials of the fabrication model can be used as the inputs into the fabrication process and ultimately to manage the scheduling and project completion on the job site.

“We expect other companies aspiring to support precast work will be joining later,” said Eastman, Professor and Director of the Georgia Tech Digital Building Laboratory.

For more information on Chuck Eastman’s work at the Laboratory the Georgia Tech Digital Building Laboratory
visit.

PCI, the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) is the foremost developer of standards and methods for designing, fabricating, and constructing precast concrete structures. PCI develops, maintains and disseminates the industry’s body of knowledge and publishes a broad array of periodicals, technical manuals, reports, and other informational documents, including an award-winning technical journal.

For more information on PCI

Or any company that is apart of the open BIM Interoperability. See below:

About Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc.

About Tekla

About StructureWorks

About Nemetschek Scia

US Tour Details

These US Tour events are free and attendees can receive three AIA, LA CES or APLD continuing learning units as well as discounts on Vectorworks software training. Members of the software subscription program Vectorworks Service Select will receive 20 percent off training purchases, and non-members will receive 10 percent off training purchases made at the events.

The schedule includes:

• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Oakland
• San Rafael
• Columbia
• Boston
• New York City
• Seattle

Designers can choose between 3-hour classroom or virtual online training sessions, or they can attend a user group meeting in each location to learn about the new features in Vectorworks 2012 and get a sneak peek into other design solution partners such as DeckWorks Outdoor Living by Trex, Include Censor and Asset, Nemetsheck SCIA Engineer, AR-Works and Maxon CINEMA 4D.

For more information, dates, times and to register visit this web page.

To learn more about Vectorworks 2012 read our Press Event coverage notes and this announcement.

Scheduled for October 19, 2011, at 2pm EDT, the webinar will help architects working with BIM in Vectorworks Architect 2012, discover powerful new additions and BIM capabilities in the latest version of Vectorworks Architect (version 2012). Understand how editing story elevations updates all linked design layers and objects. And understand how walls, columns, slabs and stairs respond to elevation changes when “bound” to story layers.

01 - Vectorworks Architect 2012 webinar on BIM.

The webinar is going to be presented by Wes Gardner, Assoc. AIA, of Nemetschek. To register for the webinar go here now.

To learn more about Vectorworks Architect 2012, visit Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc, online.

With the recent construction boom in China, BIM has been in great demand within the Chinese market. Graphisoft has been aggressive in China and has made several high-profile announcements in recent months.

Together, the companies will focus on collaborative efforts to promote integration, research and application of Graphisoft BIM solution on UDG’s projects. This process itself will deepen the application of BIM in China and will lead to the further development of the architectural design and construction industries.

This is something that Graphisoft and the UDG are very excited about. For more on UDG

To learn more about GRAPHISOFT and BIM technologies.

Notes from the Press Chat

Growth and Market Questions

Responding to questions from the press chat were Sean Flaherty, CEO and Biplab Sarkar, CTO, along with Theresa Downs and Lisa Lance of marketing.

Early on in the Q&A a question was asked of market growth for Vectorworks. The company responded that there was growth and a follow-up question clarified that it was in the Mac segment of the business. Sean Flaherty stated: “I think Apple is penetrating widely with their retail and app store push now lifting all markets. My feeling is this also extends across our product line.” This, of course, does not surprise us at Architosh given what we are hearing in the market by talking to other software vendors.

Related to this was a question about selling Vectorworks in the Apple Mac App store just like Autodesk sells AutoCAD LT for Mac. Sean Flaherty again responded to this by saying that he felt that products like Vectorworks are not served well by the App Store because they integrate so deeply into customer workflows. Another analysts/journalist noted that Autodesk admits that the App Store is still an experiment for them as well. Sean Flaherty noted that BIM/CAD is complex and benefits from an expert channel.

BIM Orientation

The company was also asked to clarify how Vectorworks is seen in the market. A question was asked to clarify Vectorworks from products like Revit. It was noted that such products are often focused on DD&E (design documentation and execution) whereas Vectorworks can be seen as just focused on AD (architectural design). Sean Flaherty didn’t agree that Vectorworks is just a design tool but insisted that it has some of the strongest documentation features around. The difference these days is how we arrive at documentation given various BIM tool options.

Flaherty said: “We find the workflow in other BIM packages to be very restrictive in what and how they allow you to model.”

Biplab Sakar answered a question about whether the company would build or acquire an energy software package and is answer was: “we will do energy analysis using Open BIM (IFC).”

When Brad Holtz noted he doesn’t know how best to describe Vectorworks’ strengths to other BIM packages Sean Flaherty, CEO, answered by summarizing this way: “1) best modeler in the AEC business, 2) best presentation capabilities (transparency, NPR, etc), 3) best integrated renderer (CINEMA 4D engine) and 4) support for Open BIM (IFC) and a workflow that includes solutions from other vendors.

Flaherty also noted that in their view they believe, relative to BIM, that Vectorworks Architect allows a much broader range of geometry to be included in the model. Clarifying analysts’ questions further, Flaherty noted that: “I think until the model freedom is [fully] achieved, BIM will continue to be a contractor/owner technology.”

System Performance Questions

Biplab noted that they now recommend a system with 1GB of video ram and 2GB for OpenGL shadows. And do GPU’s get utilized in the software? Biplab Sarkar stated: “Yes, we do [support that] for 2D Navigation and OpenGL rendering.”

Vectorworks 2012 can take advantage of 64-bit platforms on both Windows and Mac. It was not clear in the presentation Q&A if this is new to 2012 or old. The company did clarify that Renderworks 2012 is now fully 64-bit. This means users can now handle the largest scenes possible as long as they have the onboard physical RAM. Also this version of Vectorworks now supports OpenGL 3.0.

Rendering and File Formats

During the session yours truly asked several questions aimed at rendering and deeper integration with other tools. While others were pointed at BIM types of integration (structural, MEP and energy analysis tools) I was interested in newer types of tools, with a special emphasis on early design tools expanding. I’m thinking of the types of technology showcased at the SmartGeometry Conference….tools that capture data, tools that bring in schematic or programmatic information and tools that enable other types of ways of creating the BIM geometry model or parts of it, such as generative modelers.

First, I asked if the new Vectorworks 2012 supports and includes the vary latest CINEMA 4D engine–which was an updated renderer. The answer was yes. I asked about any future plans for supporting other types of competing rendering tools such as Luxion’s KeyShot, Bunkspeed, modo and Maxwell for example. Biplab Sarkar answered they “have plans” for that kind of thing, noting that right now C4D supports many of those other tools.

In terms of evolving technologies in the industry, I asked about Autodesk FBX support or similar new file formats. The answer was that at the moment interoperability is highly focused on IFC and the Lightwrite format for entertainment. When questioned about the support of version 12.x for this release Sean Flaherty noted that part of that decision was based on customer requests but in particular a large customer in Japan. Nemetschek Vectorworks has client site locations in Japan with seats in the thousands, and these being non-academic. Again, Flaherty clarified that Japan alone is 1/4 to 1/3 of their global business.

Vectorworks Future

There were several interesting future-oriented comments in the session. Let’s recap on some of the things said overall. For starters, BIM is squarely aimed at Open BIM and IFC. Folks asked about built-in MEP, structural and energy analysis tools but the company wants to connect to others.

Rendering is looking to expand even beyond the superb CINEMA 4D integration. For those clients with render farms or access to them or GPU render tools, the company does seems to have plans in the works. This should please many who are also quite happy with its onboard raw modeling capabilities.

I asked a question about updating the user interface with Vectorworks and the answers were interesting. Biplab Sarkar said that at the moment they are updating UI items on architectural objects but after that work is done they will look at the main interface. Sean Flaherty replied: “Anthony, do you think the ribbon interface in other CAD packages have been popular.” From which I replied, “no.” Flaherty’s comment, of course, is squarely aimed at the reality that just because an OS vendor has created new UI standards doesn’t mean that they should be applied to everyone’s software program.

Random Comments

Edward Goldberg, CAD journalist opined: “As usual, in my opinion, the VW team has the best graphics in the industry.”

Biplab Sarkar: “there was a big focus on performance in this release–especially with viewports and sheet navigation. As well as general 2D navigation and pan and zoom.”

For more information on the new Vectorworks 2012 product line visit them online here.

Liverpool embraced BIM as a means to plan, administer and control processes used in the construction, expansion, and modification of its stores. After considering ArchiCAD and another BIM solution, Liverpool chose ArchiCAD as the BIM solution best-suited to meet its growing needs. Liverpool’s Store Planning Team, represented by Martin A. Perez, Fernando Parrillat and Carlos Jimenez, pointed out several areas where ArchiCAD surpasses its best rival.

“ArchiCAD allows the management of large files without the need for major hardware and infrastructure,” the team said. “Furthermore, ArchiCAD’s Teamwork function makes collaboration on even overseas projects easier to manage.” The team also chose ArchiCAD due to the strength of the technical support back in Hungary and its Spanish offices in Europe, in addition to its Mexico representative. “No other company dedicated to BIM even comes close to Graphisoft in Mexico,” they said.

To learn more about ArchiCAD and Graphisoft’s BIM solutions visit them online here.

What We Think

It is becoming increasingly common for large retail businesses to implement their own BIM standards. This is just a natural evolution of those same companies’ CAD standards. Many architects may wonder how such large corporate clients and their technology standards work in conjunction with independent architects serving these same clients. Often in the past CAD standards by such clients could impede on architect selection and working methods and the sharing of data. But BIM promises by its very nature a more flexible approach to these same challenges. ArchiCAD’s strong IFC and Open BIM standards orientation makes it a very flexible solution. It was noteworthy to hear the Liverpool team mention overseas support, something Graphisoft is very strong in with its best-in-class BIM Server.