The new ArchiMAG issue is out now!
This final 2011 issue (#4) is out!
ArchiMAG is an independent but ArchiCAD oriented periodical. The magazine covers articles about software and hardware as well as users. We also share tips and tricks for ArchiCAD users to help improve productivity while using the program. ArchiMAG is an international version of ArchiMAD magazine with a global distribution. The readership consists of architects, designers, educational institutes and students from all over the world.
In this issue there are several articles about working on BIM projects over the internet and how to take designs on the road, also Graphisoft’s CEO Viktor Várkonyi’s article about BIM in the cloud, which is followed by an article about BIMx – Graphisoft’s answer to working on tablet devices.
Also my article (the archiPad : mobile CAD in the Post-PC era) about the influence of the tablets to the CAD industry, several great apps for architects, engineers and designers, as well as the Shape of Things to Come.
Interview with ArchiCAD Master Eric Bobrow - Dec 2011
I’d like to welcome back Mr Eric Bobrow to the show. Many of you may remember him from his previous interview on the site, he’s an internationally recognised ArchiCAD expert and author, who has been in the industry for over 20 years.
In this interview we discuss his experience with his highly successful Best Practices Course, which is celebrating its one year anniversary, and his most recent ArchiCAD QuickStart Course, his online Coaching programs, along with his great plans for the new year and more.
Continue Reading... >>
ArchiCAD for Beginners - New videos on Best Practices Course
A new educational year is upon us and I've been getting a flood of new emails from prospective and current architecture students, firstly praising my efforts for creating my few Tutorial Screencasts (thanks everyone for your kind words), but also asking for more! While I would loooove to make some more screencasts, if you've been following me on Twitter or Linkedin I have not had the time to produce the quality of videos I would like to, due to my current design work-load.
I am very happy though that my good friend Eric Bobrow has been able to create some truly awesome beginner videos, as a bonus to members of the Best Practices Course. Though the course is designed to help anyone already using ArchiCAD to work better, faster and easier, Eric and I had discussed after his previous interview the apprehension of those users just getting started.
Well, Eric has stepped up and decided to create a new mini-course – the Best Practices QuickStart Course! It's a series of 6 training lesson modules that will get you started quickly, in a way that is consistent with Best Practices principles and will enable you to benefit from the rest of the Course.
Continue Reading... >>
BIMx : ArchiCAD on iPad?
Remember my article back in Feb 2010 where I talked about the possibility and how great it would be if Graphisoft created something similar to its Virtual Building Explorer for iPad?
Well, in the not so far future, we may see something very interesting from the company, who has been secretly hard at work in developing something, and the multiple rumours and signs are rapidly converging into only one possible outcome : the legendary and highly anticipated ….BIM Explorer (BIMX) for iOS !
Continue Reading... >>
Get your hands on some Ancient ArchiCAD Libraries!
So, when you upgrade to a new version of ArchiCAD you've got a brand new spanking Library with new and improved parts for your designs, and to bring your old files up to date you've got some Migration Libraries to help (if you're upgrading from version 10 and above), but for much older files you're kinda stuck.
Well, not quite….. Continue Reading... >>
Another Classic modeled with ArchiCAD 15 - Wells Cathedral….wow!
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 :
Continue Reading... >>
Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum modelled in ArchiCAD 15!
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
Interview Part Deux with Eric Bobrow - June 2011
< < Check out the first full interview of the ArchiCAD Jedi Master
So, we last spoke in March just before you reopened the Best Practices Course and the videos have seemed to have got raving reviews from the course members. How have the past few months been for you? Are you enjoying directing the course?
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....
ArchiCAD 15 reveals its mighty paws! - May 2011
"Broaden Your DESIGN Horizons!" is the phrase of the month, as ArchiCAD 15 was announced last week and there've been some eager beavers (myself included) to see if all the rumours are true, together with our hopes and dreams wrapped up in a nice little installation package! Well, they haven't let us down.
The new version brings many new features that ArchiCAD users have been requesting to improve their design workflow. It is considered to be one of the strongest upgrades since version 10. As always some prayers have been answered, yet some people have been disappointed that their requests have not been heard, but as Jared describes in his blogpost "I upgrade, you upgrade, we all upgrade" on the Shoegnome blog, ya can't make everyone happy, but I gotta say I’m thrilled :)
“ArchiCAD 15 addresses architects in their native language with an innovative approach to handling design spaces and forms,” said Miklos Szovenyi-Lux, vice president of product management, GRAPHISOFT. “In addition to reinventing the 3D design space and providing architects with a wide array of new design tools, ArchiCAD 15 also addresses the increasing number of architects who earn their living from renovation and refurbishment projects,” he continued.
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 general features in ArchiCAD 15 include an impressive list of new and refined design tools and workflows, but also improvements to its IFC interface and OPEN collaboration workflow with engineers, full 64-bit support for the Mac OS, and improvements to its parametric object libraries as well.
Check.... them.... out : Continue Reading... >>
My article in ArchiMAG magazine : April 2011
So, a few days ago I was contacted by ArchiMAG, the international ArchiCAD focused magazine, saying that they wanted to feature one of my tutorials on their blog, and they did, which was great! But then we got talking a bit more and they asked me if I’d like to possibly write for their magazine. I’ve never written anything professionally before, but a couple of articles on the blog have actually brought some consistently large traffic, so I’m giving it a shot!
The periodical covers articles about software and hardware as well as tips n’ tricks, and this month the ArchiMAG magazine is featuring one of my older but still relevant blogposts, “How to use Apple’s Magic Mouse with CAD”. I’m attempting to have at least one article for each future issue of ArchiMAG, so stay tuned.
Check out the cover of this issue’s magazine along with the article! I gotta say, it looks pretty awesome! Continue Reading... >>
It's LIVE! The ArchiCAD Best Practices Course is open
There's no time to lose, so you've seen the FREE videos, go reserve your space in the Best Practices Course experience!
I've had the chance to take a sneak peak behind the scenes and I can honestly tell you the amount of great videos and content is mesmerising. This might be the most important opportunity you’ll ever have to transform your professional life! Continue Reading... >>
My interview with Eric Bobrow!
< < Update June 2011 - Check out the interview Part Deux of the ArchiCAD Jedi Master > >
So I had the chance the other day to interview Mr Eric Bobrow. As I mentioned in my earlier post, he’s an internationally recognised ArchiCAD expert and author, who has been in the industry for over 20 years.
In this exclusive interview we discuss Eric’s long and illustrious career, the birth and evolution of ArchiCAD, striving for more efficient workflows, his first product called “MasterTemplate”, his previous career as a professional dancer, as well as the upcoming reopening of his ArchiCAD Best Practices Course, and more!
Continue Reading... >>
Eric Bobrow on Youtube
If you haven’t already checked out Eric Bobrow’s free preview of the Best Practices Course, what are ya waiting for? But if you want even MORE free stuff, Eric’s been kind enough to add a few videos with valuable tips n’ tricks of the trade on his new Youtube Channel. That’all folks, happy ArchiCADing!
Lessons from an Archicad Jedi Master - Eric Bobrow
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.
Continue Reading... >>Archicad in the blogosphere
There’s an ever-expanding community of Archicad users, resellers and bloggers that together are helping the BIM flame grow, so Graphisoft has dedicated a page to these enthusiasts, educators and industry experts, called “ArchiCAD in the Blogosphere”.
It’s quickly becoming a main hub that is organically growing, listing all blogs covering topics related to Archicad. Continue Reading... >>
Archicad + Artlantis make sweet animation love
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.
Archicad 14 trial on MyArchicad
So Graphisoft has finally released the reins on the new free Archicad 14 trials, ranging from the Professional, Student, Teacher, and School versions. They each give you a 30-day free trial + the ability to download and try out a bunch of great add-ons and partnering software
Continue Reading... >>How to use Apple's Magic Mouse with CAD!
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.....
Archicad 14 : focus on exchange + interoperability
So, if you remember last month I mentioned Graphisoft was releasing the new version of Archicad, well a couple of days ago they finally announced the launch of Archicad 14 due to ship next month!
As you may know, Archicad is usually used for architectural modelling, but the newest version is focusing on greater integration and collaboration workflow of the architect and the engineer, aiming to squeeze in to the multi-discipline practices’ workflow.
Continue Reading... >>
Integrated versus discrete graphics, which one?!
It’s a bit confusing which choice to make if you’re buying a new Mac or PC to get high quality and fast processing graphics needed for 3D design. Do you go with an integrated graphics card - meaning that it’s built directly into the motherboard (or logic-board for macs) circuitry - or with a “discrete” one, which is a separate dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) usually hooked up directly to the board ?
Continue Reading... >>
Archicad 14 is announced and on the way!
imags source : Graphisoft
After only a few months since Archicad 13, which brought astonishing improvements to the BIM universe, Graphisoft has announced the latest version of its award-winning architectural design software, ArchiCAD 14 !
Continue Reading... >>
Shanghai Wold Expo 2010 boasts Archicad designs
This year’s Shanghai World Expo included more than 190 countries and over 50 international organisations, making it one of China’s largest ever expos. The innovative pavilions are always a major focus boasting many ground-breaking structures, and this year many of which were designed in Archicad, including the entries of Norway, Hungary, Finland, Iceland and Russia.
Continue Reading... >>
ACM007 - Artlantis 101
So this is a followup show to ACM006 - intro to Artlantis, where I explored what Artlantis is and why it’s such a fantastic piece of software - especially for architects. It would probably be best to check out that show for a quick introduction before diving into this one, but still this is just going through the basics. Abvent Artlantis is recognised as the fastest and most powerful solution for photo-realistic rendering and animation developed for architects and designers. This show will bring you up to speed on lots of the functions and capabilities of this great piece of software!
I’m exploring how to download the Artlantis 3 trial from the Artlantis site as well as MyArchicad.com - where I downloaded the Archicad 13 trial in the Archicad 101 show. If you’re a student or teacher, just like with Archicad you can apply for a free 1-year educational license for Archicad and Artlantis from myarchicad.com.
In addition to the trial, I download the Archicad to Artlantis exporter - enabling me to save my 3D Archicad model into an Artlantis one, so I can edit and render it. Next I export the 3D building model I created in show ACM005 from Archicad, import it to Artlantis, and give a quick overview of the general interface. I then add some shaders to the model from the Catalog - Artlantis’s great object manager - while replacing some of the Archicad materials with the more sophisticated Artlantis shaders, setting the scene with the heliodon and cloud formations, and then finally rendering a scene for final output.
Continue Reading... >>
Sivak Dmitry's winning free-form building designed in Archicad
Back in show ACM003 I had mentioned ArchitectsJury, a community website where you can upload your work, get feedback, get inspiration and get noticed. Your work can get reviewed by others, you can make contacts with other students and even potential employers, or just get some ideas, plus from time to time there are even some student competitions where prizes are given out.
Segwaying nicely into my subject today, a winning project in the 2009 Fall ArchitectsJury competition - a very dynamic museum of modern art designed in Archicad by Sivak Dmitriy - a student at the Odessa State Academy of Building and Architecture (Ukraine).
Continue Reading... >>
Mac Architect - Thomas A. Heinz
The Chicago architect Thomas A. Heinz has been featured in Apple’s Pro profiles section, speaking about how he uses Archicad with his Mac. As a renowned Frank Lloyd Wright scholar he was approached to construct the Massaro house, which was never finished by the original architect. Wright designed the house to stand on an amazing location in upstate New York - on Petre Island on Lake Mahopac - in the 1950s, only to have stopped after understanding that his dramatic structure would be exceedingly costly and complicated to build.
Heinz was the author of 30 books on Wright, and had experience in restoring + rebuilding many of Wright’s designs, so he was the best person for this major task. Heinz had to develop the design from only 5 original sketches by Wright.
He explains in the profile how he used Archicad and his mac to create the whole site + building step by step (...pun definitely intended), while exploring the virtual building process that was later mirrored at the actual construction phase. It’s worth reading his story about creating of such a beautiful structure.
Petra Productions Ltd. even produced a 90-minute documentary on the Massaro project and Frank Lloyd Wright’s design philosophies, called “Building Wright.” Check out the trailer here
Archicad online object libraries
the archiPad - mobile CAD in the Post-PC era
all about new and exciting Apps for Architects, Engineers and Designers!
Update 2011 : Get your hands on ALL previous ArchiCAD Libraries, from v4.1 and up! >>>
Archicad has hundreds of objects you can use embedded in its Standard Library, ranging from simple geometric shapes to Parametric objects like stairs or kitchen cabinets. Though most are preconfigured to standard settings, nearly everything is extensively editable - as they are GDL objects. Every few months the Archicad team even sends an update for the standard library, fixing a few bugs and adding more objects.
Want to learn how to Manage & Migrate your ArchiCAD Libraries effectively?
Check out the Week #4 Tutorials of the ArchiCAD Best Practices Course
Some third-party developers have created more specialised and detailed objects to add to your designs including furniture, electronic equipment, trees, you name it! Some are free, though the really good ones come at a reasonable price. To start off I’d go with the free route and try the GDL Object Depository created by Graphisoft, where Archicad users can exchange free objects and texture libraries. Loving the free and open-source, the Open GDL board is a place for developers mostly, but has plenty of free stuff to download.
Though if you’ve got some cash to spare, Objects Online is a great resource - these guys have created hundreds of great high quality Archicad objects, most have a pricetag on them, but a few are free to download - with a “donation” option. Similarly Archicad Solutions specialises in creating and customising GDL objects for Archicad, and CADGarage has some library parts for sale along with books, DVDs, and accessories for Mac + Archicad.
These are generally the sites I’ve found useful, though Graphisoft has compiled the mother-list of all GDL developers’ websites. Go ahead and check them out and if you find any other good ones please feel free share them with me and I’ll spread the word. Happy GDL hunting!
ACM005 - Simple Archicad Building
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
book : Archicad for Autocad users
Archicad may seem like a completely different world if you’re used to using Autocad, but actually many of the concepts are the same - especially the 2D drafting side. Some have different names or are executed in different way, but the outcome is the same or better.
Geoffroy Magnan wrote - a few Archicad versions ago - a very comprehensive piece called the AutoCAD to ArchiCAD 2D conversion guide, still very useful to start with. Similar to this is Digital Vision Automation’s AutoCAD/ArchiCAD Cross-training (PDF), which goes through most of the most common commands in both apps and the differences between them.
Though if you’re looking for the “Holy Grail” for Autocad users switching to Archicad, look no further!
ArchiCAD for AutoCAD Users
(US amazon affiliate link)The revised (2009) version of the book by Ralph Grabowski + David Byrnes + Geoff Langdon, “Archicad for Autocad users” covers all the commands, procedures and concepts usually known from the Autocad days, and how to replicate, simplify, and even evolve those processes in Archicad. It goes through all the essentials of drawing up floorplans, sections + elevations effectively by providing practical knowledge.
This doesn’t mean that Autocad is completely replaced, there are plenty of ways to share Archicad 2D + 3D files with Autocad, but as Archicad is a full BIM package you can increase your productivity significantly with the Virtual Building Model.
I think I’ll let the authors sell the concept themselves :
”We’ve actually found it fun to go from an extensive but general CAD package
like AutoCAD, to an advanced architecturally intelligent package like ArchiCAD.
Here’s why: a lot of what you had to worry about in AutoCAD
(scale, layers, units, setting limits, trimming walls for door openings, and more)
is handled automatically by ArchiCAD...
... It is also fun for architectural designers to have the immediate visual feedback
of 3D perspectives, sections, and elevations as they are designing,
just as they had when designing with cardboard (only better)...
... Over 80% of ArchiCAD users were AutoCAD users in the past,
so you have a lot of company. We invite you to see what all those
experienced CAD users have discovered in ArchiCAD...”
Will Archicad be the first true CAD app on the iPad?
the archiPad - mobile CAD in the Post-PC era
all about new and exciting Apps for Architects, Engineers and Designers!
There are many rumours going around about which will get to be the first official CAD application on the magical iPad. I discussed in a previous article about the possibility of the tablet device having 3D technology, as many recent Apple patents are steering to such a conclusion.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2011 - In the not so far future, we may see something very interesting from the company, who has been secretly hard at work in developing something, and the multiple rumours and signs are rapidly converging into only one possible outcome : the legendary and anticipated ….BIM Explorer (BIMX) for iOS !
Check out the new blog post >>> BIMx : ArchiCAD on iPad ?
Of course there are a few CAD-ish apps on the iPhone - like Mark on Call
or CADTouch - but these are mostly vector based drawing applications similar to Adobe Illustrator , only less advanced of course. 
“...maybe VectorWorks or ArchiCAD” says Randall Newton as they are both established CAD + BIM applications on the MacOS X platform. Both programs are now under the umbrella of Nemetschek - one of the leading companies for the AEC software sector - having matured to a position where it wouldn’t take as much work to get onto the iPad as say the highly anticipated Autocad for Mac which is still in alpha testing. Autodesk is mainly a Windows based company, though their amazing sketching application Autodesk SketchBook Pro was met with great praise on the Mac and the iPhone|iPod Touch. They’ve taken a good step towards possibly edging their way in with Project Butterfly which makes it easy to view + even edit Autocad drawings via an internet browser, making it technically cross-platform.
If Graphisoft could bring out a native iPad application or at least an Archicad project viewer like Virtual Building Explorer, it would become a great tool to show off and describe designs anywhere with a great touch interface easy enough for anyone to understand the design over coffee or on the building site.
5Y2D2KR59BRS
ACM004 - Archicad 101
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
If you have any comments, criticisms, ideas for new shows, or just to say hi , please email me at archicadmonkey@gmail.com
Enjoy the show!
What's the best video card to run Archicad on?
ArchicadWiki is a great resource for all technical info about Archicad - including troubleshooting. Based on the Wiki software - the same as Wikipedia- it allows easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages. Generally it’s a hub of information that anyone can take advantage of and add information
Illes Arvay has produced a very comprehensive article about recommended video cards and relevant drivers for Archicad 13, both for Windows + Mac. Also some test results for Windows XP + 7 with Nvidia Quadro FX , ATI FireGL cards, and Asus Geforce cards.
It’s worth checking out if you’re considering buying a new Mac or PC and running Graphisoft Archicad 13.
> Link to source
ACM003 - intro to Archicad
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
To view the show, please subscribe via RSS or through iTunes or Miro.
To check it out now, play the 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
- Abvent Artlantis
- Best of Archicad
- Archicad Wiki
- Architectsjury.com
- Architalk.com
If you have any comments, criticisms, ideas for new shows, or just to say hi , please email me at archicadmonkey@gmail.com
Enjoy the show!
