GRAPHISOFT BIMx™: The Latest GRAPHISOFT Innovation for the iPad/iPhone
Our sponsor GRAPHISOFT recently launched their new mobile device, called GRAPHISOFT BIMx™, which is their latest innovation for the iPad/iPhone. The development makes BIMx an interactive environment with game-like navigation, available to anyone, even those that do not hold a license of the professional authoring software in which the building model was originally created.
BIMx models can be viewed on the iPad/iPhone through a purpose-built app directly linked to the BIMx community for “social” model sharing on Facebook.
More information on their innovative product after the break. (more…)
Welcome Wacom’s new Inkling Digital Pen
Wacom’s new Inkling Digital Pen is bridging the gap between sketching by hand and drawing on the computer. The technology allows you to sketch anywhere on paper with a pressure sensitive pens, that can pick up 1024 levels of sensitivity and an electronic receiver that clips onto the drawing medium. The information is stored onto the device, which has room for up to 50 projects and can then be transferred via a USB connection as digital media to a computer.
Practice 2.0: BIM Myths and Building Truths
By Steve Sanderson
My inbox was hit recently by a couple of posts painting a bleak picture of the impact of BIM on the AECO industry. Thoughtful and objective criticism of BIM is helpful and necessary to counter vendor marketing overreach and fanboy zealotry. Unfortunately the criticisms I read are neither thoughtful nor objective. Instead they rely on sensationalist titles, sources outside of the building industry, and nonexistent relationships between cause-and-effect.
The first, A Cautionary Digital Tale of Virtual Design and Construction published in Engineering News-Record (ENR), describes the construction of an undisclosed building at an undisclosed university that resulted in an undisclosed contractor suing the undisclosed owner, who then sued an undisclosed architect, who brought an undisclosed MEP engineer into the mix. The lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount by an insurance company. Tellingly, a VP at the insurance company is the only source for the article. The point seems to be that if you use BIM you could be sued. (more…)
Autodesk announces AutoCAD 2012 for Mac
Today Autodesk announced AutoCAD 2012 for Mac OSX, offering native support for Mac OSX Lion, and AutoCAD WS for Mac (the cloud/mobile solution for CAD drawings).
Autodesk also announced AutoCAD LT 2012 for Mac, available for immediate download at the App Store (US$899.99).
The new portfolio of AutoCAD products for Mac expands options for millions of users of the popular design, documentation and collaboration software. AutoCAD 2012 for Mac was built specifically for OS X Lion and helps users create stunning designs on their platform of choice. AutoCAD LT for Mac enables users to document designs, optimize workflow and collaborate with colleagues and clients. AutoCAD WS for Mac enables users to view and collaborate on DWG files through the Mac interface. In addition, AutoCAD WS users can plot DWG files to PDF or DWF formats and sync with their cloud-based AutoCAD WS account, making files accessible from their AutoCAD WS mobile app. AutoCAD LT 2012 for Mac and AutoCAD WS for Mac are available exclusively in the Mac App Store.
More images after the break:
Mac OSX Lion and CAD software
Yesterday Apple released the latest version of their operative system: Mac OS X Lion. I started using it yesterday and it works like a charm on my Macbook. At a first glance, there’s a lot of focus on handling all your applications thanks to features like Mission Control (an improved view of everything running on your computer) and Launchpad (a new way to organize your apps). Other interesting feature is Airdrop, which will allow you to easily share files with your co-workers. There is also a lot of focus on security, back up, system recovery and versions of files, that I know will be very useful for architects.
But what about the software we architects use on a daily basis? A word of advice before you upgrade:
- Graphisoft Archicad r14/r15: Both versions work (and according to @ArqErvey it works faster) with Mac OS X Lion, but there is a small bug related to zooming that has been already documented and should be patched soon. Read the official announcement.
- Google SketchUp 8: Not yet supported for use with OS X 10.7. There are several known issues. Google SU team has stated that they are already working on it, fix should be out soon.
- AutoCAD 2011: Currently not supported on the Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) operating system. If AutoCAD 2011 for Mac is installed on Lion, undesirable side effects can occur, including issues with printing/plotting, Customer Error Reporting (CER), and more. Autodesk is working on a Service Pack to address these problems.
- Update: readers inform on our Facebook page that Vectorworks runs well, but there are some minor issues that will be addressed by Nemetschek.
Disclaimer: Graphisoft is the sponsor of our Software section.
Australia’s 1st completed Building Information Modelling (BIM) High Rise wins more awards
Coca-Cola Place (previously known as ARK) has won the Property Council’s NSW Development of the year. This award is the equivalent of the “Oscars” for the property industry in Australia and is yet another for this 21-level iconic building north of Sydney, New South Wales in Australia.
The Property Council’s Innovation and Excellence Awards is the pre-eminent property industry program in Australia. The annual awards celebrate the achievements of the sector’s finest professionals and companies.
Integrated into North Sydney’s heritage precinct, the form of Coca-Cola Place breaks boundaries, challenges traditions and sets new design benchmarks. It was conceived as a set of layered elements which responds to the grain of the Heritage Street, natural environment, public domain, and city skyline. Completed in 2010, it was conceived, designed, documented and built using Building Information Modelling (BIM).
More about it after the break. (more…)
Classics modeled with ArchiCAD15
Last week we told you about ArchiCAD 15, Graphisoft’s latest version of its premium design software for architects. Although you can see many videos showing the new features of the software, it’s great to see some projects modeled with ArchiCAD 15. Specially if we can see some of the projects we have featured in our AD Classics section, like SOM’s USAFA Cadet Chapel or William Van Alen’s Chrysler Building. Check the other two videos after the break. (more…)
Graphisoft ArchiCAD 15
Last week, we attended the AIA 2011 National Convention in New Orleans, where Graphisoft presented ArchiCAD 15, the latest version of its premium design software for architects. ArchiCAD 15 enriches architectural forms available for designers to unleash their creative minds. The new version also expands the scope of the BIM workflow to include renovation & refurbishment projects.
The evolution of forms has always walked hand-in-hand with the evolution of structures. From the simplest barrel vaults to the most sophisticated rib vaults, the architect has always aspired to combine durability, utility and beauty (Vitruvius). These very principles can be seen in the finest examples of modern architecture as well. ArchiCAD 15 expands the design capabilities of its BIM tools, including new Shell structures, to support the broadest spectrum of architectural shapes and forms found in both classical and modern architecture.
- ArchiCAD introduces the new Shell tool – enabling designers to unleash their creative minds and to create enriches architectural forms.
More features after the break. (more…)
Practice 2.0: BIM is an opportunity, not a problem
by David Fano
Practice 2.0 is a regular series of posts guest authored by CASE (@case_inc), focusing on technology and innovation in the building industry.
At CASE my efforts focus on the strategic implementation of new technology, software development and learning. As a regular contributor to ArchDaily, I hope to touch on how firms of all sizes are dealing with change and how I think embracing new technologies will enable new forms of practice and create opportunities. If there is interest, I can also chime in on how to start a consulting firm and alternative forms of practice in the building industry.
I give a lot of presentations on BIM. Understandably, there is a certain level of anxiety that comes along with any new process. But I’m frequently confronted with the same set of fears, which really have no solid footing in reality. In this article, I would like to address those fears and in the process debunk three commonly held myths about BIM: that a firm’s size should be the deciding factor in whether or not to implement BIM; that the size and type of project limit opportunities for BIM; and that BIM requires a wholesale change of tools and processes. BIM adoption is making its way through the industry at an amazing pace and I hope to ease some of the unrest around taking the plunge and point out where we can capitalize on the value it provides.
More after the break. (more…)
UK’s Moonstone Project Achieves Zero Carbon Rating with ArchiCAD
The award-winning Moonstone Project, designed using GRAPHISOFT’s ArchiCAD BIM software, is one of the UK’s best performing houses, exceeding the UK’s Code 6 Sustainable Homes Guide; the house also exceeds the German ‘Passivhaus’ top standard for energy efficiency by over 65%.
Developer John Croft had a dream to build his own home in the idyllic setting of the Cotswolds. It took a few years, a lot of patience, research, and work to make this home the best it could be. At 16,000 square feet (1,500 square meters), with a third of its structure underground, Moonstone meets a zero carbon footprint – an incredible accomplishment considering the house is 21 times larger than the average UK home. The house literally needs no energy as it was designed to meet, or exceed, the very highest environmental standards, while providing a beautiful and practical family home.
More after the break. (more…)
DA|AD: Not Your Father’s Architecture Firm
The Lighthouse Christian School (LCS) was a beacon of goodwill even after a deluge washed away its pre-school in May 2010. Although few had lost more than the school community, LCS leaders hung a banner amid the ruins that read, “Southeast Nashville Recovery. How can we help?”
“At their time of greatest need, the LCS community was helping other flood victims rebuild their homes, so it was an easy decision, an honor actually, for us to give them a hand,” says architect John Abernathy, founding partner at DA|AD of Nashville. Abernathy and his firm were recruited to design and oversee the pre-school building’s resurrection, featured on the popular US TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
“Green” BIM Webinar: Low Energy Building Design for New Projects and Retrofits with GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner
Architects know that sustainability is the most important trend in architecture and construction today. Discover how GRAPHISOFT’s award-winning EcoDesigner can help your design decisions by providing precise forecasts about the annual total and specific energy consumption, monthly energy balance, and carbon footprint of your project.
This webinar will take place Tuesday, March 1 between 12:00pm and 1:00pm (New York, EST) and also between 8:00am and 9:00am (London, GMT). A spanish language webinar will also take place on Tuesday, March 8 between 5:00pm and 6:00pm (Madrid, CET).
Register at: www.graphisoft.com/green-bim
Using BIM to design a ‘Net Zero’ home
In nature, nothing is perfectly square, and organisms orient themselves by the sun. Both truths explain the fresh design of the “net zero” Zona home.
The Jacksonville, Florida, residence, designed using ArchiCAD software from GRAPHISOFT, the personal home of by architect John Zona III and his wife. It features a main residence and guest cottage/studio, both with American football-shaped footprints to minimize the considerable cooling demands of homes in Southern climes.
(more…)
Webinar: BIM & Single-Family Residential: Using Technology to Lower Costs, Speed Construction, and Improve Performance
While building information modeling (BIM) is traditionally thought of as being effective on large, complex projects, more and more architects are also using it on single-family residential projects to lower costs, speed construction process, and make better-performing, greener buildings. Hear from architects using BIM for residential work about the benefits-and some of the challenges.
Learning Objectives:
• Discuss how BIM can be used to improve the design and construction process.
• Explain how BIM can be used to make better-performing buildings.
• Identify the advantages to implementing a BIM-enabled process on smaller projects.
• Discuss challenges to implementing a BIM-enabled process on smaller projects.
The Webinar will take place next February 17, from 2:00 to 3:00pm EST. For more information and registration, click here.
Overlay 2D AutoCAD DWG on Google Maps with AutoCAD WS
AutoCAD WS is a program that is available for free and only requires a browser such as Safari, IE, Chrome, or Firefox with Flash installed. It allows users to upload, edit, markup, and share in real-time with DWG files, while also uploading and storing files such as ZIP, Doc, and PDF files. It also gives users control over who can download and views drawings that have been uploaded.
First launched in October 2010, it has another useful feature that many users are unfamiliar with which allows users to overlay their AutoCAD DWG files over existing Google Maps in any of the standard views types: Street, Satellite, Hybrid and Terrain. This tool adds context to your plans and gives a more precise reading of your drawings an designs in existing site conditions in real-time.
More after the break. (more…)
A Holistic Perspective in Sustainable Construction Projects
Truly sustainable construction projects do not solely focus on environmental performance, but also incorporate aspects of innovation, economic feasibility, architectural quality and above all social impact. These so-called five target issues serve as the basis for the adjudication process of the Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects and visions. Naturally, each project has its own focus, but to be successful in the competition they have to perform well in all five target issues.
ARmedia Augmented Reality Plugin 2.0 has been released
Inglobe Technologies released last week the new version 2.0 of the ARmedia Augmented Reality Plugin for Google SketchUp and Autodesk 3ds Max, after presenting a preview of the software at the Google 3D Basecamp 2010.
Thanks to AR-media™ Plugin v2.0 architecture, engineering, construction firms and professionals can now enjoy the potential of Augmented Reality technology by means of a plenty of new and useful features inside their preferred 3D modeling software.
ARmedia Plugin’s Augmented Reality allows AEC professionals to visualize and study their 3D creations directly in the physical space that surrounds them through a suitable visualization interface.
The new version of the software enhances and completely replaces the former ones by adding new and useful features that allow users to design complex and astonishing Augmented Reality scenes, and to manage a variety of parameters that are crucial in the workflow of every AR project.
For more information, including a trial version of the software, click here.
ArchDaily on Google Chrome
Our favorite browser is now Google Chrome. It works on every platform here at the office (Mac, Windows, Linux), it’s fast, secure, easy to use, helps you search the web and makes our life easier.
We also developed an extension for Google Chrome so you can see the latest projects featured at ArchDaily straight on your browser just as you can see on the image above. To install the extension just go to the Google Chrome Extensions link, click the Install button and follow the instructions.
If you want to further customize your Google Chrome, you can try the Michael Graves or Karim Rashid themes designed especially for the browser.
Happy browsing.
Webinar: Bridging Continents – Online BIM Collaboration around the World
Our profession is based upon collaboration, and tools like BIM have made it easy even on a broader scale, allowing teams to collaborate around the globe on the same project. Graphisoft will host a webinar with 22 architects working on the same model so you can see how it works.
The Webinar will take place Tuesday, November 23. You can register and find out more in the official website.
How Architects Work in the Current Times
“What defines the Internet is its social architecture. It’s the living environment that counts, the live interaction, not just the storage and retrieval procedure.” -Geert Lovink, 2005
Last week we were invited to the HP Designjet Launch and BIG’s House 8 Presentation. The experience was really striking, because being there with some other architects and bloggers, made us think about how work systems are changing so fast, that some times is difficult to even notice them until you find yourself inside that system, working and sharing information without any limitations.
That made us re-think about what social networks and web 2.0 are doing in the field of architectural production. All the new tools we’re discovering every day, make the practice more collaborative and open. Some months ago, we wrote in a guest post for Ymag:
Now communication is more dynamic and also it may be a little bit confusing because of that. With blogs actualized every single day and using social networks as facebook and twitter, architects may have a personal contact in between them, with the users of their buildings and also with researchers that are working on new materials and constructive solutions.
‘Prefab-ulous’ Classrooms Ease Disruption of School Renovation
As if learning in the classroom weren’t challenging enough, school renovations can disrupt teachers who are trying to teach and kids who are trying to learn. Too often during a renovation project, students are displaced into shaky mobile-home-style classrooms and/or packed into gyms and music rooms.
Recent Oregon graduate Kris Celtnieks has an answer for these problems. His full-size pre-fabricated temporary school building would be a middle ground between stable, permanent space and the shanty feel of mobile classrooms. His buildings would be quickly assembled on vacant spaces near schools under renovation, providing learning-friendly space with good acoustics, pleasant lighting, and a solid framework. They could be quickly configured to the site and sized for enrollment. When renovations are complete, they could be disassembled and infinitely reused. As conceived, they feature a fabric roof, adjustable microclimate, and a self-contained waste-processing system.
