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 book provides solutions for setting up projects through the phases of Planning, Tender, Construction, Interiors and As-Built drawings. It is based on ArchiCAD 14 but can be adapted to suit older versions of the software as well.

Vaneshrie Sullivan has sold and trained ArchiCAD in the sub-saharan region of South Africa almost ten years ago and worked in interior design and architecture practices using ArchiCAD both in South Africa and the United Kingdom, as well as training architects in those countries as well as the US, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Kuwait and India.

01 - New ArchiCAD interactive training book by Sullivan.

The book sells for 195 British Pounds and can be ordered here. You can also preview the table of contents on this site.

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.

Crafted by Hungarian sculptor Erno Toth, the life-like bronze statue stands near the entrance of architectural software maker Graphisoft’s Budapest headquarters building.

The relationship between Graphisoft and Apple can be traced to the 1980’s, when Jobs came across the first version of Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD software running on an Apple Lisa computer at the 1984 CeBIT show in Germany. His first impression of the software led him to throw Apple’s support behind the development and distribution of ArchiCAD.

01 - State of Steve Jobs dedicated and placed in Graphisoft Park in Budapest, Hungary.

“With its attention to excellence in every detail, Graphisoft Park’s environment embodies the spirit of Steve Jobs,” said Viktor Varkonyi, CEO of Graphisoft. “I can’t think of a better place to commemorate the man and his legacy.”

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.

The event takes place globally on December 1, 2011, Thursday. Here are some times:

• Sydney Time – 4:00pm AEDT (register)
• London Time – 2:00pm GMT (register)
• Paris Time – 1:00pm CET (register)
• Moscow Time – 4:00pm MSK (register)
• Los Angeles Time – 9:00am PST (register)

A Spanish-language event on December 1 is also available here:

• Madrid Time – 4:00pm CET (register)

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.

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.

To recap this announcement, Graphisoft has announced a new mobile application for Apple’s iPad and iPhone for viewing BIM models using a powerful but easy to navigate user interface, fully controllable with Apple’s Multi-touch gesture technology. Additionally, the company announced a new website with deep Facebook and cloud storage integration.

Graphisoft BIMx – Beginnings

One of the more ironic developments since Apple developed the iPad is that its two largest Mac CAD developers, sister companies Graphisoft and Nemetschek Vectorworks, were apparently late to the iOS development game. But late is a relative term in this specific sense and is measured against their rival Autodesk, which developed an iOS version of AutoCAD at the same time it introduced AutoCAD back on the Mac.

For Graphisoft the decision to development an application for the iOS platform was never a question in itself but rather a series of questions about how to do it specific to the needs of its ArchiCAD users utilizing BIM (Building Information Modeling) around the world.

“As you know Anthony we have had Virtual Building Explorer around for a few years now,” said Akos Pfemeter, Director of Global Marketing, Graphisoft, “and it is a self-running environment enabling anybody to explore a full BIM model anywhere on any desktop.” “It works like a first person shooter game…easy and simple navigation.”

01 - Graphisoft's new BIMx application for Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod touch offers a visually stunning and responsive way to explore BIM models saved in the .bimx file format.

What Graphisoft has done with its BIMx application is essentially port over that code base to Apple’s iOS platform and optimize it for a touch-based user interface. It has also been tuned for performance, making it a very powerful complex BIM model viewer or, in another sense, a powerful 3D model viewer on iOS.

“The Apple iPad is very impressive,” said Tibor Szolnoki, “it is very capable of pushing around quite big models.”

Graphisoft BIMx – Details

Graphisoft’s BIMx application for iPad and iPhone is based on the same code base as its Virtual Building Explorer for the desktop. That application was originally developed in Sweden and acquired by Graphisoft for integration into ArchiCAD in 2010. BIMx is actually a suite of three applications. A desktop (BIMx) application is available for Windows and OS X which enables you to publish BIMx models from within ArchiCAD. And there is the BIMx desktop viewer application, for Windows and OS X, which can be freely downloaded to view BIMx models. Finally, there is BIMx for iOS, a free app that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store after September 20, 2011.

BIMx for iOS is compatible with iPad (1 and 2), iPhone (3GS or 4) and iPod touch 4th generation. Most users will enjoy this application on an iPad the most.

02 - BIMx on iPad in this image. The "joystick" is a dot on the lower right of the iPad's screen. With one finger you move it up, down, left or right to navigate just like in a first-person shooter (FPS) video game.

03 - BIMx has a simple and efficient user-interface with standard iOS options like drop-down menus. In this view the user has rendering setting options. In future versions features will expand.

Graphisoft created BIMx for iOS to extend BIM further noting that many users are now carrying iPads around as their primary mobility computing device. Akos Pfemeter noted that not all of the features on the desktop version of BIMx viewer are on the iOS version of it. But as both applications advance those features should emerge as one unified set relative to each platform’s capabilities.

Today you cannot turn on and off layers with BIMx for iOS. Data extraction from model elements is not yet supported. Some features on BIMx for iOS are unique to that platform. For example, based on the touch interface, double tap on any point in the model and the BIMx app will fly you there. Also there is an icon that appears on doors and a click on it will take you through the door.

next page: Graphisoft BIMx on iPad

GRAPHISOFT VP of Product Development Miklos Szovenyi-Lux and President of CABR-ADI Ma Lidong signed the Memorandum setting out the terms of the strategic partnership. The parties have agreed to cooperate to promote the application of GRAPHISOFT’s, ArchiCAD, and lead the development of China’s architectural design and construction industry. The building will be the largest comprehensive research and development institute in China’s building industry. The CABR is also responsible for developing building standards and requirements for China. During the course of the next three years, GRAPHISOFT will help CABR-ADI in transferring their design workflow and platform from 2D to BIM-based GRAPHISOFT products and the relevant BIM technology

Mr. Ma Lidong, President of CABR-ADI said, “We must maintain our leadership and competitive edge through the application of BIM technology. That’s our task in the 12th National 5 year plan. ArchiCAD can definitely help us cover all disciplines and the entire process from design to construction, collaborate flexibly and remotely — even globally – and achieve outstanding performance for complex projects.”

According to GRAPHISOFT VP of Product Development Miklos Szovenyi-Lux, “GRAPHISOFT will directly support CABR-ADI to apply for ArchiCAD and related products, and undertake specific custom and localization according to CABR’s requirements. Our goal is to help CABR improve productivity and collaboration, and help the China building industry benefit from BIM technology!”

To learn more about GRAPHISOFT’s ArchiCAD and BIM technologies visit them online.

Graphisoft now offers Tekla BIMsight for its professional and educational users for BIM model coordination. The software is a free download on MyArchiCAD.com

Built on Tekla’s proven modeling technology, BIMsight enables architects and engineers and others to coordinate BIM models and share data. “It is crucial for architects and structural engineers to be able to coordinate and construct with contractors, seamlessly,” said Laura Virros, director of the Project Delivery segment at Tekla. “We are happy to share a common belief in open BIM collaboration with Graphisoft, and we are delighted to have them along as a Tekla BIMsight distributor.”

To learn more visit: www.teklabimsight.com

iPad and Facebook Integration

BIMx is a native iOS application and ideally runs on an iPad from which architects, engineers and contractors can interactively engage in a sophisticated BIM model. It features game-like navigation, whereby anyone can explore full BIM models without holding a license of the professional authoring software in which the building model was originally created.

01 - Graphisoft BIMx, a new Apple iOS app running here on an iPad. The application runs incredibly smoothly and features nice gesture integration.

ArchiCAD users have been able to publish self-running BIMx models for their clients to run on their desktops (on Mac and Windows)–now BIMx models are making their debut on the popular Apple iOS platform.

BIMx has Facebook integration and social connectivity. Users will be able to host their BIM models on a purpose-built cloud site backed by Microsoft Azure and Facebook technology. “Demand for access to BIM projects off-site, or even off-line on mobile devices has been increasing in recent years,” says Miklos Szovenyi-Lux, Vice President of Product Management at Graphisoft. “At the same time, BIM models are large, complex, and highly-integrated databases that have been difficult to port to handheld devices with satisfactory results.”

02 - Graphisoft BIMx. Will be the first BIM application with Facebook, cloud and iPad integration.

Graphisoft is significantly extending the reach of BIM model information to the BIM community with BIMx and its cloud-driven Facebook community site. “With the introduction of BIMx for the iPad/iPhone, we have signficantly extended the reach of BIM’s benefits beyond building professionals to their clients–the building owners,” says Miklos Szovenyi-Lux.

Key Features

• Real-Time 3D navigation
• stereo, shaded and hidden line rendering/view modes
• enhanced with gravity
• fly-mode
• egress recognition (ER)
• ‘tap to go through door’ mode
• ‘tap to go there’ mode

The integrated BIMx community on Facebook is the central hub for sharing interactive content. There are YouTube videos of BIMx in action on iPads for your viewing there. The site says that there are 12 days and counting to go before the hub opens.

The goal of the agreement is to provide technology leadership for Obayashi through integrated building information modeling (BIM) workflows and a company-wide BIM-based information sharing system. The Japanese contracting giant has been working on reforming the use of BIM among design, construction and building operation functions within the entire company.

Graphisoft’s BIM Leadership

Obayashi has chosen to partner with Graphisoft due to its industry leadership in BIM. This alliance will be based on Graphisoft’s revolutionary BIM Server with Delta technology and will tap into NEC’s cloud services leadership. Obayashi will gain “seamless information sharing,” which is the key advantage of BIM. NEC has been involved in many large cloud applications and brings its know-how to the table.

Obayashi is confident that by implementing the “SmartBIM Cloud” on a company-wide scale, customers will benefit in a number of areas, including the ability to check the status during design, construction, and the completion of buildings, from anywhere and anytime on the Web, resulting in information on demand.

This leads all stakeholders to a better understanding of each phase beforehand, so that it will be possible to respond to customers’ requests in early stages, leading to consensus early in the design process. In addition, utilizing BIM will result in the creation of a working environment in which each person involved in the building process can cooperate quickly and seamlessly, greatly reducing the construction time. The BIM database contains not only geometric information, but also specification, supply, analytic data and everything that is necessary for construction.

To learn more about Graphisoft’s BIM solution ArchiCAD visit them online here: www.graphisoft.com

Until the project was picked up by Architecture365’s architect, Kit Johnson, who immediately recognized it’s need to use ArchiCAD building information modeling (BIM) software.

“In order to build it, we’ve had to make hundreds of changes to the original design to accommodate the realities of the site and its existing bones. This never would have gotten done without ArchiCAD,” said Johnson.

Architecture365 modeled a new design on the old structure in ArchiCAD, starting with data imported from 2D CAD and surveying software. With difficulties in the original construction documents however, the Johnson team had to constantly verify the design in the ArchiCAD BIM model.

“These changes were quite manageable in ArchiCAD yet would have been extraordinarily time-consuming and expensive in ‘flat CAD’, Plus, we were incorporating the normal changes a client will make, such as moving a window or door. We executed these modifications in probably a quarter of the time it would have taken in two-dimensional CAD. With BIM, you’re automatically adjusting plans, sections and elevations all at once. And some of the stunts we pulled with ArchiCAD would have crashed competing BIM software based on my experience. Bottom line, without ArchiCAD, I wouldn’t have any way of doing what I’m doing,” commented Johnson.

01 - Pease Place, designed by Architecture365, in Austin Texas, utilized ArchiCAD BIM software to complete a stalled out project.

For more info on ArchiCAD

Or to see more on the Pease Palace

The first three out of 26 local versions in ArchiCAD 15 have been released on Graphisoft’s schedule. The rest of the ArchiCAD 15 software packages will out in the next coming weeks, scheduled to reach the market by the end of Q3 2011.

For more information, please visit:

To learn more about ArchiCAD 15 read our Product In-Depth feature story here.

GRAPHISOFT Japan has announced that it will be supporting the relief efforts in Japan in response to March’s earthquake and tsunami, which has left the strong country in ruins.

Through the end of June, GRAPHISOFT Japan will donate to the Japanese Red Cross ¥10,000 for every full version of ArchiCAD sold and ¥5,000 for every ArchiCAD Solo version sold. In addition, the colleagues of GRAPHISOFT’s Japan office have donated over ¥100,000.

For further information on the story and about GRAPHISOFT Japan’s efforts, please click here: help

ArchiCAD 15’s new Shell tool is a powerful and flexible new modeling tool allowing you to create advanced form with parametric, interactive and BIM-smart data. There advancements to the ArchiCAD 3D environment includes sophisticated new 3D snapping and guide systems making modeling easier.

Global Locations and Times for Webinar

• Sydney time – 4:00 – 5:15 PM AEST. Register here
• London time – 1:00 – 2:15 PM BST. Register here
• Paris, Berlin, Madrid time – 2:00 – 3:15 PM CEST. Register here
• Moscow time – 4:00 – 5:15 PM MST. Register here
• Los Angeles time – 9:00 – 10:15 AM PDT. Register here.

Once registered you will receive an email notification confirming registration and the information needed to join the webinar. Learn more here.

To learn more about ArchiCAD 15 read our Product In-Depth feature article here.

Kurt Ameringer, Director at Graphisoft, is interviewed by AECcafe.com and you can see the video of that interview here. This was filmed on the show floor at the AIA Convention in May.

Kurt covers the three major areas of improvement in ArchiCAD 15, including design freedom with the new Shell tool, plus renovation documentation workflow and the new 3D environment advancements. You can view the interview here.

Jeff Ouellette of Nemetschek Video – Talks about Vectorworks Architect

Jeff Ouellette of Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc., was also interviewed by AECcafe.com at AIA and he discusses what the company is showcasing there to architects on the show floor.

Jeff mentions the focus of demonstrating how users can transition to BIM using Vectorworks Architect rather than making a complete wholesale switch. He also mentions the strength of Vectorworks in the graphics and presentation environment as well as its IFC compatibilities. You can view the interview here.

Autodesk 123

While not an AIA item per se Roopinder Tara at CAD Insider has another post about how Autodesk is taking on Google’s SketchUp with Autodesk 123. This is an interesting read because it delves into a discussion with John Bacus, product manager of SketchUp, about how SketchUp has become a fan favorite with the Maker Faire type audience worldwide. The Maker Faire itself was the chosen venue for Autodesk’s announcement of Autodesk 123. You can read the post here.