Architectural CADD News by Software
| |
Architectural CADD News by Software |
|
Last Updated : July 8, 1999
DesignWorkshop
(DesignWorkshop)
800.203.8324 toll free . 541.345.7421 voice . 541.345.7438 fax
Eugene, Oregon, USA
DesignWorkshop Discussion Area ------------------------------------ http://www.artifice.com/support/wwwboard.html
Artifice is the sponsor of GreatBuildings online (http://www.greatbuildings.com) which is a fantastic resource for all architects and other building design professionals. Schools of Architecture worldwide now make it required web-reading. Several of the historic buildings are available in a viewable 3D model allowing you to do virtual walk-arounds in a way that is unparalleled and a wonderful learning tool. To view these you download the free DesignWorkshop light version. While being used initially as a "model viewer", people will quickly realise that it is really a true 3D CADD modeling program, and they start doing test models. A great marketing "gimick" yes, but also an enormous resource for the entire architectural design industry. Thank you to Artifice. Geoff Langdon
Artifice has been shipping easy-to-use design-oriented feature-based modeling software for the architectural CAD market since 1993. Being Macintosh-only from 1993-98 helped us keep this secret, but now across the family line we count more than 100,000 registered users. User interface patent appproved for issue. More info from http://www.artifice.com/dw.html
DesignWorkshop News - from Artifice
Great Buildings Online has recently been recognized in feature articles in the Time(s), more specifically The Times of London (1999.0106):
"I have just fulfilled a lifetime's ambition and been to a yurt - and it did not cost me either an arm or a leg to get there. Nor, as it happens, did I have to endure, while on my visit, the unlovely smell of rancid mare's milk. For the truth is I was never even remotely close to the high plains of central Mongolia. I was in my warm study all the time, immersed in a magical web site called The Great Buildings Collection, at www.greatbuildings.com.
"After inspecting the yurt, I went straight to a zulu kraal. The architecture of this modest dwelling was described with charming pedantry by the site's writers as "owner-built housing" in the "African vernacular" style. Next, I hopped continent to - where else? - the Taj Mahal, having decided to postpone to another day my trip to I.M.Pei's spectacular glass pyramid outside the Louvre in Paris...."
and the New York Times (1998.0217):
"There are dozens of sites devoted to history and architecture on the Web, but one of the most detailed and involving is Great Buildings, the online counterpart to the Great Buildings Collection CD-ROM...."
If any other major periodicals of the English-speaking world would like to jump on the bandwagon, we hope they won't hesitate. For that matter, we're happy to be praised in any language. Take your own free trip at:
http://www.greatbuildings.com/gbc.html
---- Events -- DesignWorkshop Training in Oregon ----
Back by popular demand, we're currently scheduling three one week DesignWorkshop training sessions here in our friendly home town of Eugene, Oregon. Each full session is five days, Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm, with open session from 9-10am. The schedule for the week looks like this:
Monday - Overview, Basics, and Techniques
Tuesday - Guided Project, Printing, and Organizing the Model
Wednesday - Personal Project and 2D/3D Integration
Thursday - Rendering, Animation, and Multimedia
Friday - Advanced Rendering with Radiance Online
Rates start at $595 per person for the complete week during early registration, or $150 for individual days,. Current dates available are May 24-28 (early registration through March 31), June 21-25 (early registration through April 30), and July 26-30 (early registration through May 31), and enrollments are limited. Please call us at 800-203-8324 or write to Artifice Sales ("sales@artifice.com") for more information, and to register.
---- Mac News -- FineArt Rendering Plug-in ----
Inklination of Vancouver BC has just released "Inklination FineArt 3D", a terrific plug-in renderer for DesignWorkshop and other QD3D applications. This unique renderer works inside DesignWorkshop to draw your 3D model with soft pencil style hatching, pen-and ink-style drawing, and other soft traditional media looks. Some of you have been asking us for this capability, and now it is here -- and it works great!
Inklination gives you a free trial version version online, and through March 31 a registration key is only $39.95. This is a hot one, so run, don't walk, to:
---- Win News -- Windows Updates to GBC, DW Pro ----
It is official -- the Great Buildings Collection on CD-ROM is going dual platform, to support Windows 95/98/NT in addition to Macintosh. At the same time, we'll be adding more color, better 3D, and great speed improvements to this premiere multimedia encyclopedia of architecture. Look for availability of The GBC dual platform around the end of March!
http://www.greatbuildings.com/gbc_cd_rom.html
Meanwhile, there is new functionality in beta for DesignWorkshop Professional for Windows, available now for free downloading by registered Professional owners at:
http://www.artifice.com/confidential/index.html
---- Web News -- Email this page... ----
If you peek down into the fine print near the bottom of several Artifice and Great Buildings pages, you'll see one of the newest communication features of the Artifice web territory. Using this new "Email this page to a friend" link makes it a snap to share info about DesignWorkshop, a design precedent, or simply a favorite picture. For example:
http://www.artifice.com/dw_pro.html
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Villa_Savoye.html
---- Rendering -- RenderCity! Memberships ----
First of all, the Radiance Online web site is know known by the catchy name of RenderCity! Otherwise, this is the same uniquely powerful self-service web-based rendering technology we've been supporting and enhancing over the last year.
http://www.rendercity.com/rendering/render.html
What's really new is that in addition to vast free and pay-as-you-go rendering options, we've now added monthly membership accounts. Aimed at serious Radiance power users, for just $19.95 a month the RenderCity membership includes unlimited free rendering with Radiance Online, a personal account on a Radiance server with complete login, ftp, and texture customization privileges, and unlimited technical support (including support for setting up and using your own Radiance machine, if that's where you want to go). You asked for it -- you got it! Start up your membership today, at:
http://www.cadoutpost.com/sales/order_form.html
---- Great Site -- C.A.T. Architects ----
Many of you may be familiar with the design, modeling, and rendering work of C.A.T. Architects, coming from the amazing team of Douglas Teiger and Michael Anonuevo, as seen in the Artifice Gallery. But you may not realize how much more great 3D work is ready to see at their impressive web site, awaiting your browser at:
---- Cool -- HobbyPAK from ByteSyze ----
ByteSyze Studio continues to add beautiful new 3D objects built with DesignWorkshop, for use with DesignWorkshop. The latest cool stuff includes the BMW 530 sedan, a curvy new VW Beetle, Jeep Wrangler, and a classic tricycle. These objects are an inspiring example of DesignWorkshop modeling abilities, available individually at great values from $19.95 to $49.95!
http://www.bytesyze.com/hpak_express.html
Artifice, Inc.
http://www.designcommunity.com
800.203.8324 toll free . 541.345.7421 voice . 541.345.7438 fax
Eugene, Oregon, USA
New Design Community User Gallery
A great addition to the Design Community discussion area is the new DesignWorkshop User Gallery, at:
http://www.designcommunity.com/user_gallery.html
The new User Gallery provides a quick and easy way to share your images, whether preliminary or perfect, whether showing-how or asking-how, with a friendly audience of like-minded participants. Some very interesting (and beautiful) work has been uploaded in the first days of the gallery.
If you're using DesignWorkshop, now it's your turn to show us what you've got. Or just drop on by from time to time to see what's new and cool...
RenderCity!
Progress marches on for Radiance Online at RenderCity! The first of a series of server hardware upgrades went live last week, and the built-in photorealistic materials have been improved again.
You can see examples of the newly updated metallic materials in the discussion area at:
http://www.designcommunity.com/messages/1850.html
To do your own free ray-tracing at RenderCity!, just point your web browser to:
http://www.rendercity.com/rendering/render.html
And if you like RenderCity! for free, please also consider a RenderCity membership to help support this unique free on line service. For just $19.95 a month, member benefits include unlimited free rendering with Radiance Online, a personal account on an Artifice Radiance server with complete login, ftp, and texture customization privileges, and unlimited technical support. Support RenderCity! and start up your own membership today:
http://www.cadoutpost.com/sales/order_form.html
GeoPraxis Inc.
With the support of the California Energy Commission and 3D CAD developer Artifice, GeoPraxis is developing an energy analysis software module that will be integrated with existing 3D CAD architectural software tools. For more information about the project, visit http://www.geopraxis.com/cec.htm
All 3D CAD-using architecture professionals are invited to take the Design Methods Survey at http://energy.designcommunity.com/ and a chance to win a Palm V.
Among other things Artifice is investing in several new translation modules for DesignWorkshop Pro, in addition to the currently supported DXF/DWG, PowerCADD, 3DMF, VRML, and Radiance formats. Translators under consideration for this next round include 3DS, ArchiCAD GDL, Artlantis DB/OPT, and Piranesi Epix.
