As is typical, the big four CAD/BIM vendors all had the largest booths available in the software section of the show. These included Autodesk, Bentley, Graphisoft and Nemetschek Vectorworks. This year Autodesk’s booth was the same size as the others, where sometimes in the past it has twice as large. This may have been because many vendors said New Orleans last year was a big disappointment.

Getting Started

What we are going to do in this report series is run through the companies we have something to report about and post some show floor photos. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of waiting too long in the show to take photos and, as a consequence, the booths are not as busy as they were earlier in the show–a lost opportunity for us to comment visually about what many vendors were reporting was a better year than last year in New Orleans.

Graphisoft

We’ll start with Graphisoft. The Hungarian-based BIM leader was showing its brand new ArchiCAD 16 (which Architosh has a fairly large feature in the wings on) and especially touting its new Morph modeling tool and its EcoDesigner integration. The company was also showing BIMx, its iOS based BIM viewing tool. (see news report: BIMx gets updated for iPad’s Retina Display).

01 - Graphisoft was showing its new Morph Tool, the new direct-modeling technology offers architects powerful conceptual and final modeling capabilities beyond parametrics.

Autodesk

Autodesk was using a booth design we’ve seen a few times with its mini classroom setup directly on the aisle. (see image). The company had a good array of presentations for busy professionals to learn mostly about Revit and BIM process technology. Autodesk had just recently announced its 2013 products suites and so the company had no real new announcements at the AIA.

02 - Autodesk's booth was featuring various product demonstrations all day and as is typical was quite busy.

We did speak directly to Angi Izzi, Senior Industry Strategy Manager for Architecture at Autodesk who told us the company was showcasing its 2013 product suite for AEC and that there had been some additions made, such as adding Inventor to the Autodesk Building Design Suite Ultimate edition, which retails for 11.495.USD.

When we asked about Revit for the Mac Angi Izzi did admit it is the most asked about product customers seem interested in. Furthermore, the lead Revit product manager is now a Mac guy, she said, and Autodesk–from the inside–looks like a different company now. The presence of Macs and Apple gear is everywhere now. What was clearly communicated in response to the Mac question was that the company is very much focused on mobile and the cloud and taking Revit to the cloud is a higher priority. Does this mean the CAD giant will only provide a cloud-based version of Revit for Mac users? Angi Izzi wasn’t giving anything away to us. Right now the company is very focused on mobile and cloud trends.

Angi Izzi also noted that Autodesk customers are very interested in software services delivered to them on-demand from the cloud for things they may not want to purchase software suites on because they use them infrequently. One can think of cloud-based photorealistic rendering or energy calculations and verification for example.

Vectorworks Architect

The Nemetschek Vectorworks folks also had a busy booth and some excellent presentations in their booth theater space, including showcasing a brand new product named SimTread. The CADFaster folks were also showing CADFaster for Vectorworks at the show in the Vectorworks booth as well. (more on that later).

03 - The Vectorworks booth was showing the new SimTread app plus CADFaster for Vectorworks in addition to its flagship line of CAD/BIM software.

We had an in-depth conversation with Tuomas Holma of CADFaster, which is based in Finland, about the company, its products and the latest addition which is the support of Vectorworks. The company’s solutions work on desktop, iOS (iPhone and iPad) and on the web.

Currently CADFaster’s desktop solution–which is the most robust solution–is for Windows only but a Mac version is also planned. Tuomas Holma however could not comment on a time-line for that release. We have much more to say about CADFaster for Vectorworks so look for another report devoted just to that soon.

Unfortunately this year, due to so many requests from companies to speak to Architosh, including the AIA’s Documents software division, we didn’t get a chance to truly visit the Bentley booth. This marks the end of our BIM group for this first report on the show floor. Look for Report 2 for more pics and info.

“We are very pleased to offer the benefits of cloud computing directly to our UK customers through Vectorworks Cloud Services,” said Martyn Horne, product development manager at Computers Unlimited, the Vectorworks distributor for the United Kingdom and Ireland. “Coupled with the new mobile app, Vectorworks Nomad, this capability adds a very useful and new dimension to the Vectorworks workflow and product portfolio.”

01 - Vectorworks Cloud Services (VCS) is now available in some European countries and the UK and Ireleand.

Vectorworks Cloud Services offers users greater convenience, collaboration and freedom for accessing their designs from any location, at any time. Offered exclusively for subscription-based members (users) Vectorworks Cloud Services frees up desktop computing power and enables greater collaboration with remote team-members, clients and consultants on both desktop and mobile platforms.

“Vectorworks Cloud Services will be a nice opportunity for Danish Vectorworks users,” said John Hansen of MikroGraf who represents Vectorworks in Denmark. “Smaller firms, in particular, will benefit from the backup and presentation features of this inventive service.”

Vectorworks Cloud Services was launched in the United States and Canada on April 2, 2012 as a free trial. To learn more, please visitwww.vectorworks.net/cloudservices.

Submissions will be accepted from 18 April 2012 to 16 August 2012, in the following categories:

• Rendering with Renderworks 2012
• Rendering with CINEMA 4D
• Monochromatic model (rendered in Renderworks or CINEMA 4D)

“We are excited to collaborate again with our sister company, MAXON Computer,” says Theresa Downs, communications director at Nemetschek Vectorworks. “It is evident that more and more designers are using both programs to create renderings, and we expect great things from the entries this year.”

01 - 2012 Inspired Visions Global Rendering Competition

The panel of judges includes Daniel Jansenson, principal at Daniel Jansenson Architect and author ofRemarkable Renderworks, from Santa Monica, Ca.; Tyler Littman, principal designer and owner of Sholight, LLC, from New York; Nicholas Dunand, freelance designer and sculptor, from Melbourne, Australia; Erik Recke, freelance architectural visualizer at Datenland, from Hamburg, Germany; Alejandro Nogueira, CEO at DECC Arte 3D from Tecamachalco, Edo. de Mexico, Mexico; and René Racz from Lichtmaschine Multimedia GmbH, Basel, Switzerland.

Prizes

2500.USD is on the line for the winner of each category and will be featured in official media releases from both companies and promoted on social media sites belonging to both companies. These include Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

In addition, there will a “Fan Favorite” winner from all the entries, which will also be posted on the competition’s website with the other winners. Voting takes place directly on the site.

Designers may enter multiple categories. However, all entries must be built on a Vectorworks model. Interested competitors who lack the current versions of the software can request a free, 30-day version of Vectorworks with Renderworks software at http://www.vectorworks.net/trial/form or http://student.myvectorworks.net (for students), or they can download a 42-day free version of CINEMA 4D at http://www.maxon.net/downloads/demo-version.html.

To learn more, enter or vote for Fan Favorite, visit the competition site at: http://inspiredvisions.vectorworks.net

Nemetschek Vectorworks has had a flurry of news this past two weeks and now the company has announced it is shipping its first native Chinese-language version of their entire product line for the mainland Chinese market. Previously, Nemetschek had an English-language version available in Hong Kong. The new Simplified Chinese language Vectorworks product line-up will be useful to international users who are doing work in China abroad as well. There will be a series of Vectorworks Chinese Launch events starting on 16 April 2012. We will publish more news on the matter soon. For more info now, visit them online.

Dashwood Expands Stereo3D CAT Products

The award-winning Stereo3D CAT 3D calibration and analysis software from Dashwood Cinema Solutions has been updated to version 1.1, with new features and both reduced price and free versions.

“We are very excited to bring elements of this professional tool to the masses at absolutely no charge,” said Tim Dashwood, founder of Dashwood Cinema Solutions. “The full version of Stereo3D CAT has been used on major Hollywood and IMAX 3D projects with amazing results and now a free subset of those same features are available to anyone with a Mac, a compatible capture device and an HDMI1.4a 3D camera. Customers will experience a dramatic improvement in the quality of their 3D work, and I think it will also become a valuable training tool for budding stereographers.”

The free version of Stereo3D CAT includes the same parallax line guides, left/right solo, anaglyph, split displays, QuickTime playback and Stereo3D Visualizer of the full version; however, it limits resolutions to HD and screen sizes to 3DTV or mobile devices. There is much more news on this so read more on Dashwood’s website here.

Lightworks Design News

Lightworks, the world’s leading supplier of rendering solutions for developers has announced a new partnership with Design Simulation Technologies, a developer of educational software for the design and analysis of complex mechanical assemblies.

SimWise 4D is an analysis tool for design and engineering professionals which combines rigid body dynamics simulation and FEA (finite element analysis) into a single, integrated environment. Simulation Technologies has licensed the Lightworks Author product and integrated it with its recent software releases. For more information about SimWise visit: www.design-simulation.com

At this present time BIM, or Building Information Modeling, continues to gain significant traction within the AEC industry at various paces worldwide. While it may have begun sooner in Europe for instance, than in North America, the latter region has leapt forward more aggressively. Additionally, in the North American market software giant Autodesk, with its popular Revit BIM platform, has established a notable mindshare presence with regard to the industry transformation to BIM. Within this context a group of proponents of “open” coordination workflows have begun to work harder at clarifying the advantages of what they refer to as a true “Open BIM” process…a process that allows the benefits of BIM without many of the classic limitations that can emerge around centralized file formatting.

Our discussion begins by talking about the importance of this movement.

Open BIM: Context and Importance

AFR (Anthony Frausto-Robledo): Akos, talk to me about the importance of this Open BIM movement.

AP (Akos Pfemeter): Sure. Firstly, the AEC industry has changed a lot in the past 20 or so years. In the last century AEC processes were mostly sequential, meaning that things came one after the other. Now, we are dealing with the forces of an accelerating economy that require AEC projects to finish faster also. This results in the traditional sequential order of things now to have substantial overlaps and even be fully parallel–happening at many times. (see image 01)

AFR: And how does this change the nature of collaboration in AEC?

AP: Back in the time of paper, design coordination meant that everyone would exchange paper drawings and use light tables to coordinate differences. Then 2D CAD came along and instead of light tables we overlaid Xref’d 2D CAD layers in much the same way to coordinate and discover important differences.

01 - BIM today is addressing the very nature of the transformation from traditional project delivery to "integrated" project delivery (IPD). Methodology changes are responding to "parallelization" of typical "sequential" processes of design, manufacturing and construction. BIM addresses these fundamentally but Open BIM as an approach is formulating the ideal workable solution for all parties involved.

But BIM (Building Information Modeling) fundamentally changes things including interdisciplinary coordination as well. In contrast to the 2D drawing primitives as the least common denominators of the traditional workflow, BIM carries an abundance of information that does not make sense to coordinate using the traditional approach.

AFR: But it seems there are some different views or approaches to how “coordination” or collaboration takes place within the BIM workflow. Can you define these?

next page: Approaches to BIM: The Open BIM Way

3Dconnexion wants 3D mouse users to show non-3D mouse users just how awesome it is to use a 3D mouse for their CAD and 3D design work. They have teamed with GrabCAD website to promote a video competition. Entrants are challenged to create a demo video promoting the use of 3Dconnexion mice. The competition has just started and ends 18 April 2012. To learn more visit this page.

Nemetschek Launches Creative Minds Competition

Nemetscheck Vectoroworks, Inc., has announced the start of its Creative Minds Monthly Design Competition in the United States. The “charrette style” competition introduces a new concept every month to be answered with any kind of design response–architectural design, product design, landscape design, entertainment design and others.

The competition challenges designers to explore multiple design options for documenting and presenting a response to a design challenge. The competition is open to anyone within the US and submissions can come from an individual or a group of up to four people. Each month’s winner will receive a 150.USD Visa gift card, along with the opportunity to be showcased in Vectorworks’ traveling exhibit, which will be featured at venues such as the AIA National Convention and Design Exhibition. All winning entries will also be showcased in the online “Creative Minds” publication.

To learn more and enter this competition please visit the following website:

http://www.vectorworks.net/creativeminds/

To be honest, Sean Flaherty, CEO of Nemetschek Vectorworks, left us a very good clue last summer when we spoke to him about the iPad in AEC. He said he felt the iPad was actually a “cloud device” and that was the moment when we began to think about iOS differently and how even Apple’s iCloud made sense in an emerging cloud-based world.

Now the company is announcing something big. In a few days Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc., one of the largest CAD companies worldwide, is going to announce Vectorworks Cloud Services, an entirely new facet to the growing company’s products and services.

What is Vectorworks Cloud Services

Vectorworks Cloud Services is a multi-faceted offering which will serve as a future platform for the company. In this initial release it will provide a specific base set of functions and operations. In future releases it will expand and do even more. Let’s look at what is going to be offered very soon. (see image 01)

01 - Vectorworks Cloud Services (VCS) is an upcoming cloud-computing offering from Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc.

For starters, Vectorworks Cloud Services creates presentation versions of your Vectorworks files up in the cloud. The cloud server automatically creates a PDF presentation file with each “sheet” in the Vectorworks file becoming a “page” in the PDF file. If you purchase premium 3D credits the cloud server will also update and render 3D viewports as part of this process. The cloud server is undertaking this operation while your desktop computer is free to do other Vectorworks tasks. When it is complete the PDF file is automatically saved back to your desktop.

The next thing Vectorworks Cloud Services does is allows you to upload and synchronize your Vectorworks files up on the cloud. This means you can synch your file or files from two desktop locations (syncing from an iOS device is yet another location) and work on them with colleagues. (see images 02-03)

02 - This image is what the Vectorworks Cloud Services Portal looks like.

03 - You get your files into the cloud by placing them inside this special folder.

Nemetschek’s chief technology officer, Dr. Biplab, Sarkar, spoke to us about the essential components of Vectorworks Cloud Services. “The first component is a small desktop application which is somewhat like DropBox,” said Dr. Sarkar. “It connects to Vectorworks Cloud Services, synchronizes your folder of files, updates viewports and creates PDF documents for you use.”

The second part is the Cloud Portal which is driven by a Web App. “From a web browser you can login through the portal and view all the published files that have been created,” said Dr. Sarkar. “You can also do additional things like email those PDF files to colleagues and clients.”

Lastly, Nemetschek Vectorworks finally has its iOS offering. The new Vectorworks Nomad software is an Apple iOS app that essentially allows you to login to the Cloud Services and do a bit more than just email and view files. “It lets you do basic markup and measurements,” said Dr. Sarkar, “as well as email and printing via Apple’s Airprint technology.”

Next Page: How You Can Use This

For Vectorworks Architect the Import Shapefile command has been added to the Architect workspace. IFC data can now be attached to symbol definitions from a context menu in the Resources Browser.

For Renderworks, the Use Enhanced OpenGL Shadows option has been added to the 3D tab of the Vectorworks preferences. Enhanced shadows are highly accurate shadows used in OpenGL rendering with shadows (Renderworks required).

The Service Pack is available for all licensees as a downloadable updater from within the application. For more information on Vectorworks go to: www.nemetschek.net

Vectorworks Landmark Tutorial Manual provides explanations of Vectorworks Landmark concepts and techniques for users of all levels. The topics covered apply to both residential and commercial projects.

01 - The new Vectorworks Landmark Tutorial Manual, Third Edition, by Jonathan Pickup.

“When people get started with Vectorworks Landmark, they often struggle with the complexities of planting,” said Pickup. “The goal of this manual is to make it as simple as possible, to get away from the mystery of how you can make a plan and get the information from the plant database, and to show people how quick and easy it can be do things like landscape budgeting and planting plans.”

The manual takes users through a series of exercises to reinforce the learning of Vectorworks Landmark features and workflow capabilities, starting with a very simple exercise on landscape budgeting. Content and exercises build in complexity, and b the end of the manual the user will be able to use the plant database, create custom plants, edit the plant graphics and import drawings from consultants.

Further Details

This tutorial book is part of the Nemetschek Vectorworks’ self-paced training options, designed for people who like to learn on their own and at their own pace. For more information and to purchase the manual, which is 75.USD, please visit this page.

Donald Ward, Vectorworks expert and trainer at Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc., will be presenting at the event. Don has been with Nemetschek Vectorworks for six years, initially as a support specialist working directly with customers. Since 2007, he has been conducting Vectorworks classroom and on-line training courses at all levels, as well as presenting Vectorworks at numerous industry events.

Vectorworks UG at the Apple Store

Again, this event takes place at the SoHo Apple Store in New York City and is a presentation of the NY Vectorworks User Group. It’s free and you can register for it here.

The book is officially titled “Entertainment and Lighting Design with Vectorworks Spotlight: First Edition.” Kevin Lee Allen is an award-winning lighting and scenic designer whose work includes theater, film, television, museums an corporate environments.

The book explores the use of Vectorworks Spotlight, the leading CAD design program in entertainment lighting markets, with the use of the Renderworks program for producing final renderings. “It is definitely going to be my course texbook for this semester because, despite my students having different needs than entertainment designers, it specifically lists the most important tools, commands and workflows and talks a little about each one,” said Chris Dopher, Entertainment Design, Instructor, FIT.

The new manual is intended for use with Vectorworks 2012 software and is most applicable to Spotlight 2012. It is a part of the Nemetschek Vectorworks’ self-paced training options, designed for people who like to learn at their own pace. To see all the Vectorworks training options, including this book click on this link.

“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.

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.

“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.

“This competition shows the impressive results users can achieve in rendering Vectorworks models within Renderworks and/or CINEMA 4D,” explains Dave Donley, Rendering Manager at Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc., “We are continuing to work on technologies which further strengthen this partnership.”

“We are extremely pleased with the results of this competition,” says Friederike Bruckert, Director of International Sales at MAXON Computer GmbH. “The winners invested a great deal of passion and energy into their entries, which serve as an inspiration to aspiring and seasoned designers.”

There entries were extensive and from around the world, representing talent in countries from Germany, the US, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy. All valid entries were evaluated by a jury and a panel of judges, and “Fan Favorite” was chosen by public vote. The winner in each category will receive a 2,500.USD Visa gift card. The Winners are:

• CINEMA 4D Animation Winner: “Modern ubook-kitchen” by Sina Grage. Grage is a student in northern Germany at the University of Muthesius Kunsthochschule Kiel, and she now works for Feuepfeil Design GmbH in Hamburg.
• CINEMA 4D Rendering Winner: “Dinner @ Panorama Tower” by Lmcad Estudios de Animacion. Located in the Dominican Republic, this firm specializes in architectural renderings and animations.
• Vectorworks Renderworks Winner: “Soundstone – house of music Render for a Master thesis” by Nicolai von Stromberg. Stromberg is a student at the Georg Simon Ohm Hochschule in Nuremberg, Germany
• Fan Favorite Winner – “Floating Olympic Village” by Julian Finke & Lena Dietrich, University of Applied Sciences, Detmold, Germany.

For images of the winning entries please visit this link. To view the winning animation go here on YouTube: http://youtu.be/tRlEzyqtWw0

Existing users will be happy with a 3x – 12x speed up for navigating between Viewports and design layers or switching between viewports. Even files in the hundreds of megabytes move this much faster than version 2011. Mac OS X Lion is also fully compatible with this release of Vectorworks 2012, which will please Mac customers.

“This release reinforces our position as a leader in 3D technology within the AEC marketplace,” says Dr. Biplab Sarkar, Chief Technology Officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks. “I’m proud of the many improvements our development team has achieved with this version, particularly those related to BIM, GIS and rendering.”

01 - Vectorworks 2012 has a new 2D X-ray mode that allows you to see behind filled objects while editing the drawing. This among many BIM and powerful 3D refinements.

“With the Vectorworks 2012 products, we continue to deliver the tools designers require to succeed in meeting complex design challenges, whether they work in the field of architecture, landscape or entertainment design,” said Stewart Rom, Nemetschek Vectorworks’ Chief Marketing Officer. “We value the feedback we receive from our users, and we’ve taken their wishes into account to further improve the usability and performance of our software.”

Key New Improvements

• Enhanced 3D Modeling — The program now examines the model under the cursor and sets the working plane automatically, removing the general need for the user to define the working plane manually.
• Instant Access Push-Pull Tool — The Push-Pull tool now works faster and more intuitively.
• BIM Improvements — A new Stories feature improvement adds a parametric capability within your BIM geometry. Plus there are  improvements to BIM objects like stairs, walls, slabs, wall components, etc.
• Improved IFC Support — IFC support has been greatly improved, with higher fidelity improvements from imported elements
• GIS and BIM are now integrated with new Landmark and Designer versions.
• Renderworks Improvements
• 100 Plus Performance and Usability Improvements
• New Features in vertical applications

Some key new smaller features include the new 2D X-ray fills mode and streamlining of the interface tools.

To learn more visit Nemetschek Vectorworks online and view several introductory videos.