In-Depth: Graphisoft talks to Architosh about ArchiCAD 15

About last year this time we had a chance to conference in with Graphisoft in Hungary about the upcoming ArchiCAD 14. Now, just one year later, we are doing it again to observe the upcoming ArchiCAD 15 BIM application and its new features.

Speaking with me over a WebEx session, Graphisoft’s Director of Global Marketing, Akos Pfemeter says, “ArchiCAD has had the best 3D editing environment since version 6, way superior to all other applications. Still, architects have found trouble navigating in 3D space.” But this problem has been solved Akos says. “In ArchiCAD 15 we have reinvented the 3D environment.”

Indeed, it appears that Graphisoft has spent the past year working hard on two major areas of improvement to ArchiCAD, that both affect the ability of architects to work full time in three dimensions. The first of these is an improvement to the 3D working environment in ArchiCAD itself, and the second of these is advancements in form-making that seriously liberate designers to create just about any form they can imagine.

The third major improvement in ArchiCAD is focused on renovation work and the company has crafted into ArchiCAD 15 excellent tools that enable architects to handle renovation work.

In this In-Depth feature article we will review and show some of ArchiCAD 15 major new features across these three major areas. We will also touch on productivity, collaboration and other features at the end.

Gaining Perspective: Working in Three Dimensions Just Got Easier

It should be stated right away that ArchiCAD has always been a consummate 3D architectural CAD/BIM application. But being good and being great are two different things. Even so, those with multiple 3D CAD experience will always argue the virtues of one application over another. That’s not our intention here. The point is to emphasize that in ArchiCAD 15 Graphisoft has added new capabilities that greatly improve the ability to work in 3D.

New in ArchiCAD 15 is new editing planes in 3D. The new editing plane in 3D is displayed as a light blue-green grid. Interestingly, the user does not have to set the location of the 3D editing plate from the start. Rather, the user’s choice of tool sets a default height and location for the 3D editing plane. The editing plane itself also sets its own size, always big enough to contain the extend of all 3D elements.

Grid lines and editing plane parameters are customizable. The user can, for example, change the grid and grid background color. Specific to the grid of the editing plane in 3D are a pair of opacity settings–quite necessary for working in 3D work–for both the grid itself and its background color (see sliders in lower right of images 01-02 ). While working in 3D, various operations may require a change in orientation of the 3D editing plane. The user can change the editing plane from horizontal, to vertical or to a specified orientation using one of several methods. The editing plane can also be offset from a specific node on an object.

A particularly common process with the use of editing planes in ArchiCAD 15 is the use of “projection” from an editing plane to the plane of another object. For instance, you may project a rectangular object in a plan to a sloped roof to create the opening in that roof. In ArchiCAD 15 the use of a ray (a line that connects both editing plane and the plane of the object being affected) helps to determine the orientation chosen for editing plane in operations.

A big new change from previous versions is the creation of guidelines. When it comes to objects ArchiCAD 15 has eliminated automatic guidelines in favor of user-generated guidelines. When the cursor is placed along an element or node, a guideline “handle” appears as a small orange circle. Placing your cursor over it will provide feedback information. Clicking it will generate a guideline or guide circle. (see images 03 below)

Graphisoft has created a vast array of new ways to generate guidelines in 3D space. There is new feedback from guidelines, the ability to create guideline segments between two nodes in space and a host of ways to create, offset and delete unnecessary guidelines.

To further help with advancements when working in three dimensions, ArchiCAD 15 has new visual aids. There is a new “depth” information created by the dimming of background elements. The dimming effect works when objects overlap each other. This even works on guidelines which will be dimmed when they run behind objects. Also the X, Y and Z axes are now marked with letters X, Y and Z to further help with orientation in space.

Finally, it should be mentioned that ArchiCAD 15 offers full editing and navigation support in not just “axonometric” views (as some other BIMs only do) but in “perspective” views as well. And if you are shopping for BIMs and think axon views are 3D enough for you, we’ll tell you right now they are not. Sometimes a perspective view is exactly what you need.

Next page: New Shell Tool for Advanced Forms

New Shell Tool for Advanced Forms

BIM programs have long suffered from a simplification of architectural form-making possibilities, as architectural elements in early BIM programs have been limited to basic forms for roofs, slabs, walls and fenestration units. This was largely due to constraints within parametric architectural modeling programming and the required interactions between them–not to modeling programming capabilities themselves. NURBS and Subdivision surfaces modeling applications have long been able to create shapes of enormous complexity and variety. And many of these tools have become popular within architecture, like Rhino by McNeel for example.

Still, over the years simple elements like roofs, walls and even curtain walls have become more sophisticated. For example the ability to cant for example. But despite these earlier methods to accomplish advanced form-making they were still lacking.

Graphisoft’s response to this is two-fold. First, there are new complex roof making capabilities. Second, Graphisoft has introduced the new Shell tool in version 15. “The goal with ArchiCAD 15 was to create tools which would enable us to model nearly every single classic or modern architectural masterpiece with real BIM construction elements,” said Akos Pfemeter, “regardless of its formal complexity. (see the article cover image, for example). With the new roof and Shell tool we can do that.” (see image 04 above)

“We also recognize that these complex forms not only define the overall shape of a building,” said Akos Pfemeter, “but often more commonly apply to interior elements like ceilings.” (see image 05 above).

The new Shell tool creates intelligent objects that behave essentially like all other types of intelligent objects in ArchiCAD 15. They are true BIM elements–not fancy forms that break down the BIM process–and support polygonal openings (in them), in-place profile editing and solids operations. (see image 08 below)

On the next page: Renovation Architecture Support

Renovation Architecture Support

In a sustainable-design driven world there is more pressure than ever to find ways to reuse existing structures rather than tear them down and rebuild or build new buildings elsewhere. Graphisoft notes that in Europe nearly half of all building activity involves renovation and refurbishment.

In ArchiCAD 15 there is new element level renovation status support. A new attribute can be ascribed to all BIM elements in ArchiCAD 15 (including shells) as either “Existing,” “To Be Demolished” or “New.” Graphisoft has developed an in-depth renovation workflow, carrying support for ArchiCAD 15’s add-on solutions like MEP Modeler where there is support for remodeling MEP ducts and pipes.

New in version 15 are pre-configured renovation plan types and drafting styles that follow local CAD standards and documentation conventions. Architects still have the ability to fully customize options to create their own renovation documentation styles.

It may sound trivial to handle a renovation workflow in a BIM application but it is not. Bear in mind that the goal would be to contain both all existing elements and all new renovation elements in the same BIM model. If one was using separate models it would be far less complicated.

To illustrate this process consider the three images above. (see images 09-11) A simple plan was created. The first image shows an existing structure. Doors, walls, windows are shown in default ArchiCAD 15 settings. The next two images show both existing, demo and new elements in their default graphical settings (yellow elements are demo and red elements are new). On the renovation palette there are three buttons up top. Existing, Demo and New. Select elements and hit those buttons to assign their renovation status. The drop down menu applies filters for viewing (as shown above in the three images).

As noted earlier you can fully customize the graphical defaults of renovation workflow items. This includes documentation style types (see image 12 above). You do this by clicking on the Renovation Filter Options choice in the drop down menu in the Renovation palette. Once inside you can click on renovation filters (there are five defaults) and edit settings at the element level. (see image 13 below)

While defaults may work for many ArchiCAD users within their locality, the program fully supports a customization at the deepest level. The Renovation Overrides Styles palette allows you to set line types, weights, color, pattern in-fill types, et cetera. (see image 14 below)

Next page: Other Features in ArchiCAD 15

Other Features of ArchiCAD 15

While advanced new shell modeling features, a new 3D working environment and a completely new renovation workflow are the major areas of improvement for ArchiCAD 15, there are other key items we should summarize.

OPEN BIM

Graphisoft continues its OPEN BIM initiatives both simplifying and expanding its capabilities in interoperability. New features include IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) properties as native ArchiCAD parameters for BIM elements. You can edit IFC properties directly in the Elements Settings dialog, as well as transfer properties among groups of elements, views and projects.

A new simplified model export option is called BREP (boundary representation) which yields perfect geometry display of element intersections and solid operations, without including all element properties and data. You can choose and edit the preferred translator as you go in IFC model exchange workflows. The new renovation workflow functions carry over to IFC as well. You can save the “renovation status” of an element as part of the IFC data.

Productivity Boosts

No matter what development theme Graphisoft takes with major updates, the company typically packs a punch with productivity improvements. Often small in nature, they all add up to offer speed and workflow boosts. With ArchiCAD 15 Mac users will now have full 64-bit application support and this includes BIM Server as well. This means much larger memory support for very large projects. The IFC data is now also integrated into the ArchiCAD database rather than live separately in its own database. This means faster IFC exchanges. And Graphisoft has optimized the BIM Server’s code base leading to an eveb leaner memory footprint (which helps more memory go to projects) and faster transfer of delta data.

Autosave in ArchiCAD has been improved so that it happens transparently in the background. Autosave can be set to save after each project operation. Or after 5 or 20 minutes. Other improvements include new Library items and backward compatibility with libraries.

Teamwork

Graphisoft led the industry when it introduced its Delta Server™ technology inside its new BIM Server, which was also a first. That was back in ArchiCAD 13, introduced in September of 2009. We published an In-Depth feature on just the Delta Server technology for those who want to learn more about it here.

Since then some of Graphisoft’s BIM rivals claim they have implemented similar improvements. Whether they have caught up to ArchiCAD is a matter of debate within industry circles. Recently the company hosted a “Bridging Continents: Online BIM Collaboration around the World” event showcasing Graphisoft BIM Server’s strengths in its Delta Server technology and its general teamwork workflow. You can sign up and watch that live event video here. We highly recommend this for those new to BIM or ArchiCAD.

ArchiCAD 15’s teamwork environment allows all members of a team to work simultaneously on the same project, regardless if they are within the same office building or half way around the world. Real team working for global operations require real-time exchange of building components or design ideas among team members being on separate LANs in different locations. All that is needed is a DSL or cable level speed Internet connection. Multiple location support–something important for big practices–is fully supported in ArchiCAD’s Teamwork and BIM Server technologies.

Closing Comments

Last year we remarked that Graphisoft’s pace of innovation was quite remarkable. This year their new and most important enhancements to ArchiCAD are a bit less visible. Its 3D working environment changes for example do not readily appear at first sight within the program. And its new Shell tool is just one new tool. But it’s a very powerful new tool.

Also, not apparent is the actual technology behind the new Shell tool. We asked Akos Pfemeter and Tibor Szolnoki–ArchiCAD Product Manager–during our WebEx meeting if there were underlying modeling technology improvements that made the Shell tool possible. The answer? Yes!

Here is where ArchiCAD 15 gets interesting. ArchiCAD, unlike nearly all other major CAD/BIM players, has its own modeling geometry kernel technologies developed in-house at Graphisoft. These modeling engine capabilities first drew our attention when the company introduced MEP Modeler and we discovered how complex ductwork interactions could be created within that program. I asked Akos if these new modeling changes under the hood of ArchiCAD 15’s new Shell tool would “expand out” in future releases.

“Yes, the modeling technology behind the Shell tool is just the beginning,” he said. This does not surprise us. The current trend in architecture and digital architecture these days is on the development of extremely sophisticated geometric form and intelligently-driven form or “smart geometry”–as in the advanced work and focus of the Smartgeometry conference. ArchiCAD 15 seems well positioned for its next stage of evolution.