Parametric Ceiling Object Tool for ARCHICAD
This Guest Post is by Kristian Bursell.
Does anyone remember the time before BIM took over? I do. I was poor (relatively). I worked on developing my own GDL objects and I did a lot of surfing. Life was good. Now with a young family, a house and the BIM revolution in full swing, I don’t really get time to develop any new tools. Most of my GDL work is for manufacturer’s content.
It’s fairly frustrating as I have so many good ideas. I wish I had even just a little bit of time to develop one of them. The things I could do for your workflows would blow your mind. Unfortunately you’ll never know because I never get the time to develop them. That is until now.
Some time ago, Jared mentioned the idea of crowdfunding—a spark hits the tinder. This could actually be a means by which I could guarantee the necessary returns on time spent in development. A few months later Nathan Hildebrandt brought up the topic again and the tinder started to smoulder. Lo and behold, a conversation starts on Twitter between Linn Areno, Jared, Nathan, Patrick May, Rob Jackson and Frederic Deschamp regarding the dire need for a decent parametric ceiling Object. We discussed the solution and all of a sudden the tinder is ablaze and we launched our first crowd funding project for ARCHICAD content.
Back in April 2016 the discussion on Twitter was started by Linn Areno, who was lamenting the lack of a perfect tool within ARCHICAD for the creation of ceiling panel systems. The discussion revolved around the inadequacies of current tools in regard to the Zone accessory types and its drawbacks, as well as issues with polygon counts, representation, and IFC export. I was a little disappointed that no one thought to ask me; I guess my name isn’t as synonymous with intelligent ARCHICAD tools as I would like to have thought… it’s alright, I recovered, plus its healthy to have an ego bashing once in a while… pricks.
Anyway, the conversation continued on the side, between Linn and I, and after I gave her a rough estimate for the parametric ceiling Object, she thought it would be a good idea to have everyone chip in. So we put it to the group on Twitter and from there a group was formed consisting of 20+ well-known ARCHICAD experts from around the globe. We discussed – at some length – the various requirements for the tool and what everyone perceived to be the most powerful functionality. A wish list was compiled and the brief defined.
The group is excited about the creation of this parametric ceiling Object, but more, I think, about the potential of making the method of crowd funding for ARCHICAD tools a regular thing.
The joy of this for me is that I finally get to develop some of the functions I’ve had rolling around in my head. Plus I get to do it for users who I know are going to appreciate the free form and intuitive nature of the type of tools I enjoy creating. We might even completely bypass the User Interface on this one and have all configuration functions accessed through the 2D and 3D view. Needless to say it’s going to be a lot of fun.
For those who aren’t aware of my stance on paying for 3rd party tools, this is not going to require you to tap into your resources year after year after year after… You pay once (AU$250 in this case) for your entire company regardless of the number of ARCHICAD licenses and that’s it – unless of course you want the latest version and your 12 month automatic update subscription has expired.
I’m a nice bloke and I create tools that are fun to use, plus you know it will be what ARCHICAD users want because they defined the brief. I hope you can join us in making this a reality, and maybe we can redefine a few standards in the process.
To learn more about the Kickstarter Campaign (which runs through July 22nd, 2016), click the link below:
ARCHICAD Users Need a New Parametric Ceiling Object!
If you aren’t familiar with Kristian’s fantastic GDL work, check out his website, read his previous guest posts, follow him on Twitter, and of course if it’s before July 22nd, 2016 go support his Kickstarter! Kickstarting ARCHICAD needs is a fantastic solution for our community, and I hope this is the first of many, many to come. And of course follow Shoegnome on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. I stopped drinking caffeine a week ago, so I think I’m going to start writing more. We’ll see. It is also the first day of summer vacation for my daughters, so maybe not.
Brian Spears
I am so much looking forward to this Ceiling Object, Kristian!
Kristian Bursell
Thanks Brian. I’m looking forward to creating it provided we reach our funding goal
Stuart Smith
Graphisoft really needs to introduce a dedicated Ceiling Tool. A GDL object solution is not ideal, because ceiling systems are higher-level *assemblies* of multiple components. Light fixtures, HVAC registers, and other ceiling mounted components (which should be schedule-able GDL objects on their own) should stay associated with their host ceiling, similar to the way doors and windows are associated with walls. I could imagine a Ceiling Tool that works in a similar manner as the Curtain Wall Tool, where you could define the system geometry and then associate accessories to panels as required.
I’ve been using Archicad since 8.1, and, until recently, updates have usually added functionality that help us create models that more accurately reflect the way buildings actually are built. 18 and 19 have been pretty underwhelming in that regard. I guess we’ll see about 20.
Kristian Bursell
Hi Stuart, I agree and disagree.
How long are you willing to wait for GS to create a dedicated Ceiling tool? why don’t we fast track it for them. Most ARCHICAD tools started life as GDL objects, turned into API’s and then became a built in tool. Hopefully that will be the scenario with this GDL object, though i’d prefer to skip the API step and let GS take care of that aspect.
We can have all the other components you mentioned added as macros that are not only hosted in the ceiling but also respond to it to adjust geometry and data. I agree that this is a vital function and it is therefore something that I have already thought about, and was briefly mentioned by the group, and will therefore be the basis of version 2. I have some pretty cool ideas for this that I have to keep to myself for now.
Okay so the scheduling of these items may be a little different as they are not independent and this may also affect the IFC output. However we can resolve the scheduling with a predefined list scheme or very powerfully with a built in XML output, and I’m sure we could resolve the IFC output also.
You need to think beyond the standard use of objects and tools as there are a lot of untapped function that hardly any ARCHICAD users are aware of.
We can also help GS with their development if we create worthy content and prove its need in the community. If you feel a decent ceiling tool is lacking then you should get behind this project. The returns will be immediate for the resources to apply.
Charles Gillon
Graphisoft needs to solve this. Stairs and ceilings are critical elements that need some long overdue R&D.
Phil Allsopp
Hi Charles. Agree with you. Thus far we end up making our own staircase objects from slabs and angled beams. It gives us a lot more control and the results don’t seem so “clunky” as the results of using the staircase tool that comes with ARCHICAD.
Kristian Bursell
Charles; though I think it would be best if Graphisoft would create all the tools we need I don’t think we should waste the potential to help ourselves. Not sure if its the same elsewhere (probably is) but in Australia we call it “passing the buck”. You want something, go get it.
Plus I think your view, which is the same as many others, can create animosity towards a company that have created a wonderful tool that improves our work immensely.
Charles Gillon
I have been with Archicad since 1997 and I am a fiercely loyal advocate for Archicad. The tool is beyond wonderful. However, ceilings and stairs are an important part of what we do and we should not have to depend upon 3rd party components to solve these challenges. Until we speak up, Graphisoft will not hear us and surly they would not have animosity. They understand critic and this is why they have become so successful…..”tool for architect built by architects”. The voice of users has steered them to this point today. For whatever reason, ceilings and stairs have taken the back seat. I have invested in third party tools for many years and the challenge in particular are updates keeping up with latest releases.
Kristian Bursell
Hi Charles, I fear you have misinterpreted me a little; all my fault as communication isn’t my greatest skill unless we are talking algorithms, so please accept my apology.
The animosity i was referring to was from users who potential think that GS aren’t doing right by us when they don’t provide us with decent stair or ceiling tools.
I agree with you but I take a slightly different approach, probably because I hate waiting (for anything) with a passion. I believe by creating a decent ceiling tool we can solve the need and demonstrate that need to GS as well as giving them something that they can take off our hands and then improve it by making it not an object but a built in tool.
The other aspect is that this tool will not suffer from the inability to keep up with the latest release because it is a GDL object and not an add-on, so you wont have that problem you mentioned or the price associated.
Phil Allsopp
This is a heartening post for sure. Tools like this are vital for productivity and accurate reporting out of the characteristics and details of a design. Similar needs exist across the spectrum of elements including Zones that can report out on the maximum, minimum and average ceiling height for non planar roof/ceiling configurations.
Thank you for the work you do. The crowd funding news is good to see in what appears to be an unraveling world at the moment!!
Phil Allsopp
Kristian Bursell
Thanks Phil,
Your input is always appreciated. Does that mean you might throw some coin in the bucket yourself 😉
We have a few more pledging later in the week that will get us much closer to our target so every little bit will count.
Kristian Bursell
There have been a couple pledges for users who wont actually require the tool but are supportive of the process and the potential it brings. They have pledged as little as $50 or even $1 to show their support. You do not have to pledge at the level of the first reward of AU$200.
I will follow Jared’s suggestion and put together a couple more rewards:
$1 – $20 pledge will earn you the choice of any CADSWIFT tool.
$20 – $50 pledge will earn you the choice of any 2 CADSWIFT tools.
Chris Price
The brief mentions the possibility to convert the object to a zone accessory, and I think this is definitely the way to go. Ideally the ceiling object would conform to the zone boundary, so that when the room layout or bounding wall thickness changes the ceiling conforms to the new area automatically once the zone is updated. This could potentially streamline our workflow for large projects.
Kristian Bursell
Hi Chris,
We will definitely create a zone accessory version at some point in the near future as it is not overly difficult to convert the standard GDL object to a zone accessory. Its simply a matter of having the extremities map to the zone accessory values rather than the custom object values.
The reason we decide to do a standalone GDL object for the first version is for several reasons. Firstly because zones may be used in different ways in relation to the walls (internal, external, or reference line) which would therefore cause inconsistencies.
It is also, at times, the case that the ceiling panel design will not necessarily cover the entire room/zone but rather be a feature for a certain portion.
Generally we want the tool to have ultimate flexibility and therefore not be restricted by association as this is more a Revit-centric methodology 😉 whereas ARCHICAD user don’t require such strict boundaries to stop us from hurting ourselves (fishing with some large bait here).
However, there are still gains to be made for some systems where a zone accessories would be ideal and therefore would not ignore such potential.
Jeroen de Bruin
Have you considered creating Ceiling objects for use in the Curtain Wall tool? You can create custom panels for lighting and airconditioning, Accessories can be used for hangers.
Kristian Bursell
Hi Jeroen,
Good to hear from you, and hope you are getting plenty of GDL time these days.
Yes the curtain wall tool was discussed and personally I thought it was a good idea, and it would be far more economical. However, though we could do a lot of what we needed with it we could not do everything with regards to curves, edge treatments, flexible hole placement and the varying levels of structure. There was also the concern that we would be subject to GS’s development of the curtain wall tool and therefore could not give any guarantees of functionality.