Just like the Chrysler building and the Guggenheim models, this one blew my mind for the third time. One of the recent additions to the ArchiCAD Classics Collection is the Wells Cathedral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Cathedral), simply awesome :

A quick instructional video about the power of ArchiCAD 15, modelling Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum” in New York as part of the Architectural Classics modeled with ArchiCAD series

This is an amazing journey that we're having together. I'm digging deep to find ways to communicate the essence of ArchiCAD's structure and principles of workflow. Many course members tell me that things in ArchiCAD are making more sense, that I'm connecting the dots, and that they are really enjoying the program far more.

I'm finding the community process very satisfying, as I interact directly with frequent coaching calls - we had been doing one per month, but since March, it's been three times each month. The questions people ask have really stretched me - while frequently I know "the answer" because I've explained it to others many times before, on other occasions I need to work hard to come up with a short and elegant solution to a challenging real-world design challenge, right on the fly, while explaining each step along the way. I explore solutions right in front of the group, trying different options until I reach something fairly satisfying.

One of the course members wrote:

"I really enjoy your fearlessly exploratory style as you work through various solutions to a problem. You make it seem as though anything is possible.  It is a pleasure to be taking your course.  It has been literally life changing."

Wow! This gives me great joy, as I know that I'm not only teaching, I'm empowering course members to master ArchiCAD and use it creatively without fear....

Autodesk Research is seeking perspectives from all kinds of CAD users, not just AutoCAD, for a paid research study. If you’re a Mac user and you frequently work with CAD software, they wanna here what you have to say.

The 1-hour study sessions start from May 24 - May 27 and the following one from May 31 - June 3 from 9am to 6pm (Pacific Standard Time), at Autodesk San Francisco, where participants will receive a $60 Amazon.com gift certificate as a thank-you for your time. They are mostly looking for in-person sessions, but also will be conducting some of the sessions remotely, using web meeting software and the phone, offering a $30 gift certificate.

Continue Reading... >>

Having trouble with Archicad? Do you want to save hours of work with a few simple tips? Well our long-time colleague Eric Bobrow, internationally recognised Archicad expert and author, has brought out a new online training course on the most effective methods for working with ArchiCAD and not battling with it.

Just wanted to share a quick video that’s been circulating the web this week by user TheWitalindoz on Youtube, it’s an amazing construction assembly animation of a building apparently created in Archicad and rendered in Artlantis. ‪

image adapted by ArtlantisMembers.com

The time is here again to test your knowledge on an Artlantis Rendering Contest from Artlantismembers.com. Unlike their previous rendering contest, you must create an original design model and render it all the way! It's not too late to submit an original design, but be quick as the contest ends on Nov 30th!

Back in October 2009, Apple surprised us with a new introduction to the mac peripherals, the Magic Mouse the world’s first multi-touch mouse. In the past Apple hasn’t been very successful with its mice, but many are starting to come around now that the company has seemed to have nailed it.

The drawback has been for us CAD users that there’s one tiny thing missing..... the essential middle scroll wheel...! Without it to pan + zoom, and orbit around a model, it just takes ages to model anything really - thus rendering the device quite useuless for 3D design.

Well despair no longer, there is a way.....

Some might have been aware of an innovative web application Autodesk had been working in its Labs called ‘Project Dragonfly’; the labs experiment with new approaches to CAD design on the ground as well as in the cloud, and Dragonfly was a ‘technology preview’ for quickly designing a floor-plan using only your browser.

Well I’m very excited that Autodesk has taken its training wheels off and renamed it : ‘Autodesk Homestyler’.

Homestyler is a very simple 3D home + garden design application all of which runs on your browser - meaning that it’s ‘cloud-based’, just like many of the services we use everyday like Gmail, Gdocs, Flickr, or Youtube, whethere you’re running Mac OS, Windows, or Linux.

Hold the presses, the day has arrived! It seems just in time for the release of the iPad - due this Saturday - a cunning developer has created what looks like the first BIM app for the iPhone + of course the iPad. (and no I promise...this is not an April fools gag)

A few weeks ago I had talked about the possibility of Graphisoft bringing out an iPad / iPhone app for viewing 3D BIM models - similar to their Archicad project viewer ‘Virtual Building Explorer’ - but it seems this guy has beat everyone to the punch.

It's called goBIM™ - write that down! ...or you know, just click the iTunes link at the end.

Finally I mention the extensive media, shader, and object libraries offered in both versions, as well as where you can download or buy some additional libraries to use in your model, including the Artlantis Media Libraries and ObjectsOnline.com, a virtual product library created by Abvent offering the largest collection of 3D parametric objects dedicated to architecture and design.

I’d like to thank everyone again for all your fantastic emails and comments about the show, on iTunes, Facebook and all the online video sites. Please keep ‘em coming!

If you download the iTunes version, I've added chapters into the video so you can jump to any part you want.

If you’d like to share any tips, or need any additional help I’d be happy to provide some,
just email me at archicadmonkey@gmail.com or from the contact me section.



A quick review on iTunes would be very much appreciated!

Enjoy the show!

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Don't miss my new ArchiMAG article :

the archiPad - mobile CAD in the Post-PC era

all about new and exciting Apps for Architects, Engineers and Designers!

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ILoveSketch from Seok-Hyung Bae on Vimeo.

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Don't miss my new ArchiMAG article :

the archiPad - mobile CAD in the Post-PC era

all about new and exciting Apps for Architects, Engineers and Designers!

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I’ve gone through a few computers in my time, from basic laptops to building my own super-PC with an NVidia powerhouse, moving onto a Macbook and now even growing slowly out of my superpowerful Macbook Pro. Though I do love my macs - as I am mad with multitasking - I do try and be objective when recommending a piece of hardware, or software for that matter, to be the best fit to the individual. There’s one thing that every designer has in common, we need POWER!

So, what’s the best computer for 3D, CAD and BIM?

David Fano over at Design Reform has written an article about just this subject, putting this question out to the PC and Mac community. Though his recommendations are mostly aimed towards windows users, the general concept of processor power, RAM + hard drive size and such are quite universal. It depends in the end if you feel comfortable with a certain setup and are happy with the final results....while not having to wait 24hrs for an image to render....!

The comments after the article are definitely worth a read, very interesting seeing what other powerCADers use.

This time we get a bit deeper into Archicad and go step-by-step how to draw up a simple building + get used to the tools of the workflow. It's a simple design, nothing very exciting, but a good start to get you on your way to Archicad mastery.

This is the longest video in the series - 22 minutes long - so get a nice cup of coffee ready. If you download the iTunes version you'll see I've added chapters into the video so you can jump back + forwards to whichever part you want.

Enjoy the show!



Stuff mentioned :

The Wall tool | Editing Walls + Settings | Splitting Walls | Material selection | Storeys + Settings | Slabs + Settings
The Roof tool | Polyroof + Manual | Stairs + Slabs | Doors + Windows | The Mesh Tool | Adding vegetation

+

Suspending Groups | The Cursor Tracker | The Pet Palette | The Magic Wand
The Eyedropper | The Syringe | General 2D + 3D views | Show All / Selection in 3D





Useful links
Graphisoft Archicad
Abvent Artlantis

If you found this show useful, a quick review on iTunes would be very much appreciated!
You can contact me if you have any comments, ideas for new shows, or would like to share any tips

But never have they had such an “in your face” approach as it seems with Toy Story 3. Over at Macenstein there’s a breakdown of all of Apple’s cameos in the Toy Story trailer, ranging from Safari + iTunes, For the cherry on top, on Cult of Mac there’s a picture of the the Director’s (Lee Unkrich) tweeted screenshot - @leeUnkrich - from his airplane seat, when he was editing the movie on his MacBook Pro!

This comes of no real surprise as Steve Jobs - founder + CEO of Apple - was the owner + big boss CEO at Pixar, having also co-founded it, until it was acquired by Disney in 2005. He is still on the Disney Company Board of Director’s and the largest individual Disney shareholder, playing an active role in the company. Toy Story was Pixar’s big debut film, and though the 3D graphics were revolutionary in 1995, the bar has been significanlty raised by films like “Wall-E”, “Ratatouille” and “Up”, so it will be very exciting to see how they can improve on the classic and how much more Apple may pop up in the film.

watch the movie teaser

DISCUSSION

In this episode I continue the Archicad series, firstly exploring the educational + professional licenses, downloading the trial versions + installing them, as well as Archicad 12 + 13 compatibility with mac + pc. Following with a tour of the basic interface, and the general workflow logic to get you started, we dive into one of the major parts of the Archicad interface - the “Navigator”, defining the “Project Map”, “View Map”, “Layout Book”, and “Publisher Sets”.



To view the show, subscribe via RSS or through iTunes or Miro.

You can also watch a lower quality version below:




If you found this show useful, a quick review on iTunes would be very much appreciated! Thanks


Useful links

• Graphisoft Archicad
• MyArchicad.com
• Archicad Wiki - Snow Leopard Compatibility
• The Student fact sheet
• The Tutor fact sheet
• Abvent Artlantis

View the show on iPhone

In this episode I introduce one of my favourite applications, Graphisoft Archicad the world’s leading 3D parametric design software for architects, interior designers and others in the design industry. It has established itself as a highly intuitive, flexible and mature product, with which over a million buildings have been designed.

The show covers:

• Quick intro to Archicad
• The Virtual BuildingTM | BIM
• Version compatibility with mac + pc
• Award-winning designs
• Virtual TraceTM
• Partial Structure Display
• 3D Document
• Collaboration
• Useful websites

• Graphisoft Archicad
• Abvent Artlantis
• Best of Archicad
• Archicad Wiki
• Architectsjury.com
• Architalk.com

“It’s a new level of virtual reality, meshing the real world with a nonexistent one, but giving the visual perception that an object is real.” (via AppleInsider)

If the Tablet also has a camera on the back as well (doubtful as the iPhone only has one), this concept could pair well with some form of augmented reality apps that have surfaced on the iPhone in the past year, blurring the boundaries between virtual + reality even further.

The rumours keep multiplying every day and will undeniably increase until Apple’s special event. Then, we will be at peace knowing that most of the rumours were actually true ...of course the peace will not last long, the second it’s over we’ll be scouring the net to find any way to guarantee we get our hands on...whatever it is. As fun as it is speculating - don’t get me wrong, as any tech geek may admit I could do it for hours - it seems 2010 is going to be a great year full of more gadget goodies, a year full of possibilities.

acm001 - Sketchup 101 from archicadmonkey on Vimeo.