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Geoffrey Moore Langdon
CADENCE AEC Tech News # 22 (March 17, 2000)
Gala Events
Kevin Matthews, President of Artifice, Inc., says that the GreatBuildings web site, now a top reference resource for all architectural schools, and the free to download DesignWorkshop Lite has been so successful that they are able to continue making improvements to the DesignWorkshop software, and a new free version is imminent.
Revit Technology is having an announcement kickoff for their new architecturally smart software called revit, in Cambridge, MA on April 5, 2000 at the Fogg Art Museum.
Mark Madura, President/CEO, of DataCAD LLC is hosting a gala event in Avon, CT on April 28, to introduce their new DataCAD Plus software, which leapfrogs DataCAD into the 3D architectural smart design software paradigm. Rick Morse, of his office, also mentioned that a new DataCAD 9 release is coming in the Fall.
Kristine Fallon, FAIA is setting up a new initiative called "CAD For Principals" which is endeavoring to help define critical technology and strategy requirements for the new millennium. She is also inviting review and comments on the documents so far at http://www.cadforprincipals.org
Bricsnet Architecturals is released
Now available for downloading, and available on CD, the super powerful architectural design software that created so much stir at A/E/C SYSTEMS last year when they teased us with it while it was still in development, is finally here. The current version makes use of Bricsnet IntelliCAD2000 as a core, though actually, when using bricsnet architecturals, you are choosing architectural elements such as walls, doors, etc. The software is sold complete, so you do not need to own IntelliCAD first, and if you do already have any version of IntelliCAD, the bricsnet architecturals will replace it. The versions of bricsnet architecturals that run on top of AutoCAD 14 and AutoCAD 2000 are due out this summer at A/E/C SYSTEMS.
A huge plus for the software is that anyone familiar with either AutoCAD or IntelliCAD already knows most of this program. All the drafting, editing, layers, paperspace layouts use those same standard commands and methods. Where this software takes off as not only a huge timesaver but also as a real architectural design tool is in architecture building components and artificial intelligence. Even more remarkable is that the software is available, complete, for less than $1000, and also is available on an annual subscription basis for a small fraction of that.
For years, architects with AutoCAD have been wishing they could make that leap from 2D CADD drafting to the 3D CADD architecturally smart building model approach (where plans, sections, elevations, and details get generated automatically) without disrupting their whole office (by switching to software other than AutoCAD) and now here with bricsnet architecturals there is a very good way of making that transition.
The software uses a system of organization called Styles, which automatically keep track of how the building is presented on screen and on paper, showing different floor stories, showing proper sections, rendering perspectives, and displaying construction documents as well as presentation drawings. Built into the software is even an ability to automatically post the drawings, if desired, on an architect controlled project web site on the bricsnet Project Center extranet service.
The architectural smarts of the software is impressive. Once a designer designates any given control surface, such as a roof (which can have complex curves if desired) to affect any given element, such as a wall (or a floor or even another roof) it will automatically adjust everything in all drawings any time something is moved or stretched. As an example of this, Kevin Garry, moved and rotated a complex wall in a building already finished with all the notation, related sections, dimensions and everything, and dynamically on the screen every related drawing and perspective automatically updated, perfectly coordinated. The implication of this for the AutoCAD world of architects is huge.
A significant difference of bricsnet architecturals with many of the other architecturally smart CADD softwares available is that designers can also do sloped and curved walls (and frames) in complex ways, giving a design flexibility usually seen only in freeform solid modelers (such as FormZ). This particular flexibility, as well as the extraordinary project management features, should help the Bricsnet Architecturals Team in the upcoming Designers 3D CAD Shootout demonstrate that this new software is now a premiere architectural CADD design software.
Links :
GreatBuildings = http://www.greatbuildings.com
Artifice, Inc. (DesignWorkshop) = http://www.artifice.com
Revit Technology (revit) = http://www.revit.com
DataCAD LLC (DataCAD Plus) = http://www.datacad.com
CAD For Principals = http://www.cadforprincipals.org
Bricsnet Architecturals = http://www.bricsnet.com
Designers 3D CAD Shootout = http://www.architecturalcadd.com/shootout.html
Bricsnet ProjectCenter Extranet = http://www.bricsnet.com
About Geoffrey Moore Langdon, AIA
Prof. Langdon is a registered architect and is the principal of Architectural CADD Consultants, a firm that specializes in helping architectural firms with computing and CADD. He has taught Design, Solar Energy, and Architectural CADD at a number of colleges in the Boston area. He is the author of Architectural CADD: A Resource Guide to Design and Production Software Appropriate for Architects, a guest speaker at many AIA events, and the founder and organizer of the Designers 3D CAD Shootout competition. contact him at aectechnews@architecturalcadd.com, or through his website: http://www.architecturalcadd.com
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