Browsing: Software

The recent release of Google Sketchup 7.1 gave us powerful tools to easily create accurate models of urban contexts, with the integration of Street View for textures and better geo location of models.

And yersterday, Google released World Builder, a web based tool that enables users to easily model the buildings of 50 cities.

As you can see on the video it is very simple: you choose a regular volume to start with, and you adjust the width and height in views of the terrain from different angles, and voilá! you just modeled a part of the city, available for everyone at Google Earth and 3D Warehouse.

You can see the latest buildings modeled by users at 3D Warehouse… and if you refresh the page you will see how fast this is being populated.

Thank you Google :)

Dupont sent us an iPod Touch to try their mySurface app (available as a free download at the iTunes Store). Basically, the application is a catalog of the colors and finishes available for Corian and Zodiaq, two of their products for surfaces.

I already knew Corian, as it is one of the best surface solutions for countertops and furniture. Zodiaq is a product with more resistance, as it incorporates pure quartz crystal, making it more durable and scratch resistant.

What I like about this is that you no longer have to carry the big physical samples, and it becomes  very useful when you are on site with the client discussing the finishes.

As you can see on the screenshots below, you can easily navigate through the color/finishes palette, and save your favorites for easy access. For a more accurate comparison, you can see the texture at full screen and place the iPhone/iPod over the desired surface. It also includes some sample images of projects using these products.

What do you think?

More  screenshots and my vision on how this app could be improved after the break:

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This morning Google announced Google SketchUp 7.1. This new version will be a  free upgrade for existing Pro users, and has emphasis on three important aspects of this easy-to-use (yet powerful and extensible) software: performance, an improved version of LayOut (2.1) and collaboration.

As for performance, the engine has been improved and you will notice that orbiting, zooming and drawing can be quicker and smoother in 7.1, for both PC and Mac editions.

LayOut 2.1, the SU componente that enables you to create presentation boards and design documents straight from your model, has now the ability to apply dimensions to scaled SU models and vector graphics. Based on my personal experience, LayOut is very good to deliver quick construction documents and has helped me a lot working with furniture manufacturers. The new dimension tool is something I was waiting for.

LayOut 2.1 also includes snap to the model, an improveed Freehand tool, lists (bullet or numbered, very useful) in the text area, improved grids and improved copy/paste, making it easier to work with other design softwares. You can see more on the video and images below.

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Although it seems that the economy has left behind it’s worst days, the fact is we are still going through an economic crisis. Many architecture offices and companies have had to let good people go. If you were one of them, you might be wondering how to advance your career in this challenging global job market.

In order to get ahead in the workplace, you need to invest in yourself by increasing your knowledge and expanding your skills. And the good news is that Autodesk can help you get back in the game.

With the Autodesk Assistance Program you can take action today to gain a competitive advantage in your field. The program offers free software license, free online training, reduced-cost classroom training and certification. You can go to Autodesk official website to learn all the details.

During the past AIA Convention we sat down with John Bacus from Google Sketchup to discuss how this tool can help architects on their workflows, with a tool that is easy to use, fast and extensible.

We also had the chance to talk with Phil Bernstein, faculty at Yale and currently the Vice President of AEC Industry and Relations for Autodesk. Given his background and current position, I immediately scheduled an interview with him as I wanted an architect on the industry to tell us more on how BIM is helping out architects in several ways.

Phil was very clear and precise on this, and the idea of this interview is to help our readers to make a decision on  adopting BIM solutions, and also to help architecture students to see how learning to use a BIM software can help them in their future job seek.

As an example on the importance of BIM, I asked early this morning on Twitter what our readers think on adopting BIM and if arch students feel like they need to learn this before graduating. Here are some answers:

• eclosson @archdaily ; ive used REVIT 4 3yrs…valuable tool 4 small firms, wrkn on athletic complex in Romania w/ team of 6-8, only possible w/BIM
• roddimo @archdaily BIM is inevitable and you better get on the wagon if u want the next job. Clients are now asking for it
• cvandevere @archdaily  BIM is a process. There are a number of tools/programs that can assist in that process and it’s implementation. #bim #revit
• ryansinger @archdaily I use it and like it. For simple projects line drawing works and you can use your hand instead of CAD
• berntstenberg @archdaily Re: BIM–not yet. Perhaps it’ll be standard someday, but I think only for big projects. We do res. remodels–still draw faste …
• archop @archdaily @ my firm economy put halt on moving to BIM, but it is inevitable. Also the community College I teach at will begin offering i
• DanielCon @archdaily I have never worked on a project where BIM made the process easier or smoother.  I’m sure everyone will have to learn it but why?
• Numaru @archdaily I’m an architecture student in Korea. Even thought my class mates don’t know BIM well, we feel pressure of BIM.
• Winter_Street @archdaily we bite the bullet – here’s our recent blog post on the investment and rewards [of BIM] http://bit.ly/13u9NA

In my opinion, the iPhone has opened a complete new world of interaction in our hands and for me has been a very valuable tool in terms of productivity. Thanks to its mobile broadband capabilities, it allows you to be connected almost everywhere and download content very fast. But one of the most amazing features is the built-in GPS, that allows you to get content related to your immediate surroundings.

But it´s not just maps or directions. For example, 29GPS Architecture (developed by 29GPS) makes a very good use of this feature, featuring a daily selection of contemporary architecture and telling you exactly how far you are from it.

For example, works like the Hollywood House by XTEN or the recently opened Standard hotel in NY are presented with a set of photos (and even a video), with a radar (green,yellow or red, depending how far you are from the building) and a view that allows you to see the building pin pointed over Google Maps.

A very good app if you are traveling around and want to discover new architecture around. And the best of all, is that you can download this app for free (it contain some ads, see screenshoots ). There are two different versions of the app depending which measure system do you use, with the distance in either kilometers (download with iTunes, free) or miles (download with iTunes, free).

Screenshots and more info after the break.
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During the AIA Convention 2009 we had the chance to talk to different AEC software companies, to learn how they are helping architects. We decided to keep the conversation on the same interview format we have been using, so you can hear it straight from the developers.

Our first interview was with John Bacus, Product Manager for Google Sketchup. We focused our interview on how SketchUp is helping architects by providing a cost efficient tool, both in price and time, that is also extendable via powerful plugins.

Also, we talked on how this product is being used by communities around the world to populate Google Earth with 3D models of their cities. You can see examples of these communities here and here.

Stay tuned for more interviews.

As an architect, I have been involved/consulted on historic preservation proyects. Most of them never materialized, even after spending a lot of time/money between interested parties (government, institutions, communities). It´s Not that it was a waste of time, but after seeing what some communities are doing with almost no official support/money and just driven by their passion, it´s pretty much clear that it can be done in another way.

Let me show you an example: a group of architecture students from Universidad de Talca, in the south of Chile, decided to spend their summer working with a community in Lebu, an old city that was very active at the beginning of the last century thanks to coal mines nearby. Beautiful wooden buildings were erected during the bonanza, but once the coal mines started to shut down, the city lost its economic base and entered into recession until today. All of this beautiful buildings were endangered because of lack of maintenance, and as of today some of them have even been demolished.

So, these students decided to teach the community how to use Google SketchUp as a way to help them preserve their historic buildings. Being a free tool, all they had to go was to get a space and some computers. The local authorities helped them by providing a space for the workshops, and lots of people got interested on this program. They gathered old plans from the city hall and some historic archives, and each one of the 24 assistants to the workshop started to learn how to model in 3D using one of these historic buildings as a case study.

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While walking around the booths at the AIA 2009 Convention, I stopped by Google, who are not only presenting Sketchup 7 but also showing architects how to market their firms using AdWords and YouTube.

Also, they have a very good discount for those of you who want to buy Google Sketchup Pro 7: a $100 off (retails at $495).

So, if you were looking to buy the latest version of one of the most easy (yet powerful) modeling tools just head to their store and use promo code SUAIA9, valid until May 15, 2009 on single-user licenses only.

You can also download the basic version for free.

A few years ago i started using Ecotect v4 for energy analysis on projects. I gotta say that is a very easy to use tool, with a very short learning curve that lets you conduct several analysis on the design phase of your projects, such as shading, energy consumption, airflow, acoustics, lighting, etc. Also, during the process of analysis, it shows you on a very didactic way new terms and how they affect the project.

Easy, fast and accurate. What else could you ask for?

Well, these software was acquired by Autodesk as of last year and was released as Autodesk Ecotect 2009. And now during the AIA 2009 Convention they announced Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010, the latest version of the software that offers improved integration with Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 and Autodesk Revit MEP 2010.

And continuing with the teaching spirit of the original version of Ecotect, Autodesk has launched the Autodesk Guide to Sustainable Design, a new free online resource for designers that illustrates sustainable design principles, decisions and technologies for every phase of the building project lifecycle.

More screenshoots of Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010 after the break:
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When I switched to Mac, I had to figure out how to run Windows on it, as the CAD (CAM) software I use the most wasn´t available for that platform: Autocad. It has been years since that and Autodesk never show any indications of an upcoming Mac OSX version, so i gave up on waiting  and tried other solutions: Vectorworks, Sketchup, even Illustrator!… but I always missed Autocad.

But today a friend told me Autodesk sent him an email asking to complete a survey for their next generation of Autocad products for Mac OSX.

Some interesting questions appear on the survey, such as the importance of the command line, how do you plot (from model/layout), 3d capabilities and the relevance of an Autocad LT version.

Well, it seems Autocad for OSX will be available on the future… we just don´t know when.

You can take the survey here and help Autodesk shape this version.

Augmented Reality is a new technology that is starting to spread. Basically, it consists on mixing 3D model with live footage in real time. This concept has been applied to futuristic interfaces, and it can be very helpful for architects as it allows you to take 3D Models a step further, placed on the real world and show it to your clients.

Thanks to the AR-media Plugin for Sketchup, you can start playing with Augmented Reality. This plugin allows you to place the 3D Model over live video from your webcam, and move it around as you can see on the above video. The plugin calculates the planes on the live footage thanks to a sheet you need to print out, which allows the software to calculate the distance and inclination.

So, all you need is Google Sketchup (free), a webcam, then download the trial version of the AR-Media Sketchup plugin (limited to 30 seconds), print the sheet and you can start playing with your models.

We just did it at the office with Aravena´s ORDOS 100 model, and it´s very impressive. Try to use a small model to start, since the 30 sec countdown starts running when the software launches and it can take a while to start completly, depending on the model.

Another video after the break.

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A few days ago we featured an interview with Alejandro Aravena and his project for a villa in ORDOS 100, with more than 70 images. In order to further extend the possibilities of understanding this project, Alejandro shared with us a very detailed Sketchup model that is now availabe on Google Warehouse for you to download, explore, explode, modify, share back with us and all the possibilities that Google Sketchup offers.

Let us know what you think, what you found out by exploring this model, what you modified, etc. Next month we will feature the model for the new building at the Vitra Campus, and St Edwards later on.

Sketchup is, by far, the easiest tool for modeling. Google acquired this software in order to crowd-source the 3D modeling of the earth, since anyone can use it to model their house, school or favourite building. But being simple and fast doesn’t mean it lacks on features.

You can enable several options available on the free standard version, or go pro for more. Also, you can extend it via plugins. Below, two plugins I have found very useful, and also available for free.

The first one is Soap Skin & Bubbles, a plugin designed by german engineer Josef Leibinger, designed to help you in the study of mechanically and pneumatically strained surfaces. The author has also been developing a plugin for tensile structures, but it hasn’t been released yet. But you can still play around with tensile structures on this plugin. You can download Soap Skin & Bubbles for free on their website, and also watch a video tutorial on The Sketchup Show.

The second plugin was developed by Integrated Enviromental Solutions, which lets you assign important sustainable design information like location, building and room type, construction types and HVAC systems to your Sketchup model. From there you can do energy, carbon, daylight and solar analysis, or take this model with all this info to your favourite BIM software. It also allows you to  More info and download a the IES Sketchup plugin website. Complete video tutorial on YouTube.

Two very helpful tools for your design pocess, with the ease of use of Sketchup.

Please share with us any other Sketchup plugins you find useful on the comments below.