The Designers 3D CAD Shootout 2000
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The Designers 3D CAD Shootout 2000 |
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The Rules for the 5th Challenge of the Architectural CADD Cup
June, 2000 at A/E/C SYSTEMS in Washington, DC
The Teams
Three people on each Team, at least one of which is a Registered Architect
Two networked computers for each Team
A maximum of two Teams representing each CADD software, one from the software developer and one from advocate users
Architects world wide are permitted to challenge. The first challenger with a given software is the challenger of record.
User group Teams can apply to A/E/C SYSTEMS for a scholarship grant.
The Task
Each Team will be given the design criteria for a single building on the day of the challenge, and they must complete the required drawings and images listed below in a three hour charrette in front of an audience.
The building will be at least two stories requiring ADA stairs, ramps, elevators, and possibly escallators, will be multi-use, and will have a sloped roof. In event the entire building is more than two stories, the Teams would still have only to detail plans of Two of the floors. To further ensure that each Team actually solves the design problem at the same time, part of the design criteria will involve a building foundation footprint they must use.
During the charrette, on camera, the emcee will interview each Team in sequence about what their Team is developing at that time according to a strict schedule of thematic interviews. (There will be no added vignette mini-problems as there were in the 1998 and 1999 challenges).
During the charrette, there will be at least one change-order to the design criteria. Each Team will be interviewed as to how they were or were not able to accomodate that change.
The next day (Wednesday) each Team will give a 10 minute presentation, which will be web-cast world wide, with the same drawings and images they handed in immediatly after the charrette (Tuesday).
Required Drawings and Images :
A. Coordinated Plans, Sections, Elevations
As gif/jpg files ready for Web - These 7 drawings are conceptual and schematic drawings.
B. 12 Perspectives (at least one of the required 3D detail)
As gif/jpg files ready for Web. They may be hidden line, greyscale, or color. They should represent typical fast study images for design.
C. The Best Two Renderings They Can Manage (not duplicating any
previous views)
As gif/jpg files ready for Web. They must be in at least 8 bit color, printed out in greyscale or color. They should represent the best rendering their system is capable of within allotted time.
D. VRML - Virtual Reality Model for the Web - A Massing Model only,
of their Entire Building
File in vrml/qtvr/3dmf ready for Web. Teams may use 3rd party software if this ability is not directly in their CADD software but must identify their need to do so. We are accepting QuickTimeVR and 3DMF as essentially the same for these purposes. Due to the current technological limitations of VRML we assume this would be a simplified portion of your model.
E. A 2D Detail Section
As gif/jpg files ready for Web. We will ask that you take a small portion of your building and turn it into a proper 2D construction drawing, with dimensions.
F. An Animation Sequence
Displayed in means of their choice, during their final 10 minute presentation. The length, quality, and size are at the descretion of the team. We will be putting this sequence later (after the event) onto videotape.
G. DXF file and DWG file Versions or Translations of the Project
Since collaboration and compatibility are critical issues - we will check to see how well these programs can transfer information to other designers and engineers. These are handed in immediatly following the charrette
H. A 10 Minute Presentation on the Team's Design (next day)
Each Team will have 10 minutes to present their design solution, presenting the required drawings/images in the order listed above - Plans, Sections, Elevations, 12 Perspectives (at least one of the required 3D detail), 2 Renderings, VRML/QTVR, 2D Detail, Animation, Composite.
We will provide a standard Web template for each Team to drag and drop their images into while they are working.
We will use the color HP DesignJet we have on site to print out 4 images of your design (your choice) to post at A/E/C SYSTEMS.
Please print out the files at high resolution at your office after the competition and send them to us for publication.
We will collect the gif/jpeg images the day of the challenge, via zips or CD-R.
Deliverables, after the Presentation : (via Zip or CD-R)
1. All the 22 still images listed above as gif or jpeg files ready (or already) for publishing to the Web.
2. The animation and VRML/QTVR files
3. DXF and or DWG file versions or translations of the project
4. Any ScreenCam or QuickTime movie files used in the special Team presentations
5. A written statement from the Team about their software and the design they did in the challenge, to be included on their Team web site.
6. For print publication - higher quality printed images of certain selected views - the Teams will have two weeks after the challenge to submit these. Obviously no changes to the design or model.
Evaluation // Jury Proceedures for 2000
Notes on Criteria, Required Changes, Time Limits, and Other Requirements
Results and Fun - not Keystrokes
As opposed to the 2D electronic drafting CADD shoot-outs of the past, where productivity was measured in counted keystrokes, the new generation of architecturally intelligent 3D design software gives us the opportunity to have a more fun and visual event where the software is evaluated on many levels.
Stretch to the Limits
The objective is to see what real architects have to say about the software, as well as sharing their insights on the limitations as well as the special features of their software. We would like to see the limits of what you can design with the software - so part of the design requirements will be to include certain 3D elements that would be a challenge to any 3D software.
Real Office Situations - Constant Changes
We would also like to see how well the software does in real, typical architectural office situations - thus the need for plan, section, elevation, construction drawings as well as perspectives. Also, we want to see how easily the designers can deal with drastic changes to their design. Thus, an important element is how the Team shows how changes are accomodated.
Two Networked Systems
Additionally, design firms now are concerned at how well several designers can collaborate on a project across a network. Having two networked systems in each team will help everyone evaluate how well each particular software may help or hinder this collaboration.
Design Criteria for the Main Building Complex
The design criteria for the Main Building Complex will be given to the teams only at the start of the Shootout (to prevent anyone from getting an unfair lead) and will involve a small enough building design project to be doable in the designated time. Certain challenging 3D elements will be required to be included (to test the design limits of various softwares) including elements that may require subtractive boolean 3D solid modeling.
A Design Criteria committee develops the specific requirements to be revealed at the shootout challenge.
Teams Provide Hardware/Software/Network
Each team brings their own computer hardware. We realize that it may look inequitable, however, it is valuable to see what any given software may require to be optimal. For instance, if any given team could produce impressive results with older, slower, cheaper machines then that would obviously count in their favor. Currently the feeling is to limit each team to two machines for practical reasons. We feel that having two machines linked by network would shed valuable information on the networking and collaborating abilities of various CADD softwares.