Graphisoft of Budapest, Hungary, today introduced ArchiCAD 16, the latest version of its industry-leading BIM (Building Information Modeling) design software for the architectural industry.
ArchiCAD 16 introduces a comprehensive ecosystem of solutions which tie together Graphisoft’s various BIM software packages, addressing mobile as well as cloud solutions. The two largest new features of this release are ArchiCAD 16’s new Morph Tool modeling technology and Graphisoft’s introduction of BIMcomponents.com, a cloud-based repository of native ArchiCAD, GDL-based, BIM components.
“Building projects–by their nature–contain numerous custom building components and structures that may require modeling capabilities beyond the standard BIM tools,” said László Vértesi, VP of Products at Graphisoft. “ArchiCAD 16 introduces direct modeling capabilities and cloud-integration to help users create and find the custom objects, components, and structures they need to make their BIM models complete.”
Explicit Modeling
ArchiCAD has long been a BIM leader in parametric modeling capabilities within AEC but this release introduces the Morph Tool, bringing what is commonly referred to as “direct modeling” (or “explicit” modeling as compared to “parametric”) capabilities to its modeling powers.
01 - Graphisoft's new ArchiCAD 16. Introduces new Morph Tool for direct modeling and new BIMcomponents.com portal.
The new Morph Tool brings to ArchiCAD 16 popular modeling techniques such as Push/Pull and direct modeling transformations in an intuitive graphical way. The Morph Tool is an optimal solution for creating custom BIM components, custom structures, and custom elements of the built environment as well as custom-designed building interiors.
BIM Components in the Cloud
Building components is one of the most dynamically developing segments in the BIM industry and Graphisoft has addressed this trend with a user-friendly approach that encourages users–not just advanced scripting-capable third-party developers–to produce and share BIM components for the community of ArchiCAD users to tap into.
The new BIMcomponents.com website is a cloud-based community website hosting thousands of GDL-based BIM components. Users can create, search, upload and download custom BIM components of their choice. The fully-integrated web portal makes sharing and obtaining BIM components simple.
EcoDesign Becomes Integrated
Graphisoft is introducing in version 16 a fully integrated EcoDesigner. The built-in Energy Evaluation functionality of ArchiCAD 16 is similar to the former standalone EcoDesigner product but is based on entirely new technology (eg: zone-boundary based building model geometry analysis, analytic weather data input option, etc.). This technology allows architects to perform reliable dynamic energy evaluation of their BIM model within ArchiCAD relying on BIM geometry analysis and accurate hour-by-hour online weather data of the building’s location.
Together with ArchiCAD 16, GRAPHISOFT also delivers important workflow and productivity updates to its growing portfolio of solutions. These include an upgraded BIM Server™, Cloud-integrated model sharing service for BIMx users with an active maintenance contract, and support for the IFC 2×3 Coordination View Version 2.0 for facilitating OPEN BIM.
ArchiCAD 16 will be released on May 30, 2012, with shipment to customers beginning within a few weeks after the official release. Following a tight release schedule, all 26 local versions are planned to reach the market by the end of Q3 2012. For more information about ArchiCAD 16, please visit: http://www.graphisoft.com/archicad. For a live demonstration of ArchiCAD 16, please register for the upcoming “BIM Components at Your Fingertips” webinar on June 19, 2012.
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