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

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“Fallingwater” , a.k.a the Kaufmann residence, designed by Frank Lloyed Wright in 1935 is a very well known house in the architecture community. There have been many who have remade the house in 3D CAD, exploring the intricacies of the house on top of the waterfall, but an architecture student called Kasperg has gone a step further, creating a 3D model of the house, not using traditional CAD but rather the Source Code of the Half Life, the science fiction first-person shooter computer game.

The short film demonstrates the visualisation quality of Half Life, and games engines in general, for standard walkthroughs and even fly-throughs, providing a very good example of alternative uses for game engines.

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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.....

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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.

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A great find for today, Laura Handler of bimX has had an interesting encounter at the annual Bentley conference - BE Community Live - with some tablet technology + a bit of augmented reality in the mix.


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Ok so by now after the tutorial shows “Intro to Artlantis” and “Artlantis 101” you’re probably starting to get the hang of it, experimenting further with shaders and rendering a few scenes.

Now you can test your knowledge on an Artlantis Rendering Contest, created Design8 and Artlantismedia.nl. There is no modelling involved just download a ready-made model and render it to the bone! Continue Reading....

In a couple of past articles I’ve talked about the different options offered for CAD on iPhone and iPad, and how nothing has really impressed anyone yet - bringing great frustration to many design professionals. We’ve transitioned from desktop to laptop quite quickly in the past few years, and now we’ve been aching for someone to create a useful app on the go. The existing apps are either too simplistic or just vector-based drawing systems - which give the impression of an architectural drawing - without any practical use other than creating an image of say a floorplan, which later must be traced over - most times inaccurately - in a proper CAD application to become useful.

Enter SitePAD : Pocket Aided Design for iPhone and iPad!

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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 !

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So in the previous tutorials (ACM006 + ACM007) I mentioned the Catalog - Artlantis’s great object manger. By now you’ve probably started using Artlantis a bit more and explored using the objects + shaders provided with the package; and though there are plenty to get you by at the early stages, if you want to step it up a notch you’re probably going to want some more!

Well fear not, archiCADmonkey’s got ya covered. I found a fantastic site called ArtlantisObjects.com, where you can find all sorts of Artlantis news, interviews, some Artlantis tutorials and media all in one place.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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!

ILoveSketch from Seok-Hyung Bae on Vimeo.

A while before all the hype of tablet PCs and iPads, some great minds over at the Department of Computer Science of Toronto University developed a system giving the ability to “sketch” in 3D space while using a tablet-type device. “ILoveSketch” is a 3D curve sketching system that brings the benefits of drawing like pen on paper, while automatically creating a concept 3D curve model. It’s a really clever system integrating traditional sketching techniques and user interaction with a 3D model in novel ways.

“I Love Sketch” could become a great asset to industrial designers to rapidly draw up 3D concepts designs, though you can easily see it being used for conceptualising architectural forms and complex designs before moving onto CAD or BIM apps. As Google Sketchup revolutionised quick + easy modelling to a point where nearly anyone can draw in 3D, this kind of system could do the same with virtual sketching methods as sketching is more natural than using a mouse and requires less training to get the hang of. This isn’t just t two-dimensional sketching, but an evolution of a kind using nurb-based geometry to create freeform shapes via curves of high precision and great ease. ILoveSketch takes advantage of multi-stroke sketch techniques and gesture-based functions to create groups of these curves while drawing with a Stylus-type pen.

The video above demonstrates what ILoveSketch is all about while taking the viewer through the basic techniques used to create an airplane model in 3D without needing any kind of command or specific buttons.The environment is easy to navigate - zooming, panning, rotating, etc. are intuitive, while easily switching between the different sketching techniques.

If this sort of system could become integrated somehow into a powerful multi-touch surface like the iPad together with something like the Pogo Sketch, it could change the designers workflow dramatically and even be a major step up from the previously discussed CAD or BIM app. Hopefully in the near future we’ll see what these guys can come up with - one thing’s for sure, cadmonkeys of the world are itching to see in the next few months what’s boiling in the iPad pot.

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

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.

Of course there are a few CAD-ish apps on the iPhone - like Mark on Call (iTunes link) or CADTouch (iTunes link) - 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 (iTunes Link). 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.

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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!

View the show on iPhone

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

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!

Mac fans around the world are holding their breath in anticipation that the fabled Apple Tablet / iSlate / iGuide / MacTabletNetbookThingy(MacOsKen) will be announced at next week’s special Apple event (Jan 27th). It will the culmination of over a year’s exhausting rumours.

For those of you who have missed a few steps - or have been living in a cave with no WiFi for the past year - check out the definitive rumour roundup (via TechRadar) + the awesome concept 3D renderings (via DVice)

This type of multi-touch device can obviously be beneficial in many fields but especially CAD; from sketching + annotating drawings, or by providing a more interactive user interface for viewing / editing 3D models + navigating through CGI environments. Imagine having a supersize iPhone while “pinching” + “flicking” through a Sketchup file, or even just tilting it 360° to view a 3D rendered environment - creating a more “natural” experience. The possibilities are mind-blowing if you could integrate this with 360cities or even better - 3D video panoramas!

Another potential revolution could be on the way from Apple, as a recent patent surfaced not long ago about 3D head-tracking technology. The logic is that an embedded camera with face-detection would track the user’s movement and adapt accordingly, creating even more realism to 3D objects and spaces:

“Using the detected position of the user, the electronic device may use any suitable approach to transform the perspective of three-dimensional objects displayed on the display.”

“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.

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In the first of the series we explore Google Sketchup. Most possibly the most intuitive three-dimensional design program, it offers unparalleled user friendliness, simple design tools and techniques. This allows the user to quickly draw up conceptual designs, while also having the ability to add extensive detail to the 3D model.

Users can simply draw lines to create a traditional 2D CAD drawing, or take it a step further and quickly create 3D objects. Along with its seamless integration with Google Earth, it is a very powerful piece of software which practically anyone can learn and master.

Following an overview of the program’s capabilities and main user interface we continue with some basic and essential techniques to get you started.

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

You can also watch a lower quality version below:

acm001 - Sketchup 101 from archicadmonkey on Vimeo.

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!
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