A Tale of Exploding PDFs
February 21, 2017
Guest blogger Ferenc Traser returns to talk about exploding PDFs in ARCHICAD. When Ferenc isn’t guest blogging, he can be found working as a Product Designer at GRAPHISOFT.
Guest Bloggers
A Tale of Two Platforms
March 8, 2016
Folklore says that Bill Gates’s magnificent residence on Lake Washington may have been, ironically enough, designed on a Mac.
The Making of Point Clouds in ARCHICAD 19
January 19, 2016
This post is by Ferenc Traser, a Product Designer at GRAPHISOFT. In it, he talks about the development of Point Clouds in ARCHICAD 19 (and beyond).
Why your Building Project Might Fail in 2016
January 14, 2016
BIMQ CEO Christian Ehl shares his thoughts on the data-driven building and why the construction industry needs to reinvent itself in 2016.
The Wedge Between Us
December 14, 2015
One other pet peeve of mine is to hear architects…talk about their ‘CAD guys’ or ‘BIM technicians’…It’s the same thing as someone touting themselves as an orchestra conductor but they can’t read music or play any of the instruments before them.
Building Better BIM Libraries
October 6, 2015
Jon Buerg talks about his experiences building BIM Libraries for both Revit and ARCHICAD. To him, it’s the key to any successful project.
ARCHICAD training advice from Ken Good
August 26, 2015
Ken started using ARCHICAD in the 1990’s, and since that time has spent over 15,000 hours training individuals and groups of up to 200 throughout the UK.
Here We Go Again
August 18, 2015
Jon recalls the transition from hand drafting to CAD and sees some frightening similarities to our current struggle with the shift from CAD to BIM.
Be Open, My Friend: Bruce Lee and the secrets of OpenBIM
June 10, 2015
Guest blogger Jon Buerg shares his thoughts on openBIM. This post includes both the best BIMpoem and best BIM image of 2015.
DWG output from ARCHICAD via Worksheets
June 8, 2015
A brilliant way to get bullet proof DWG output from ARCHICAD. Your archaic DWG using consultants will be amazed and extremely happy with the results.
What does your BIM content say about you?
November 3, 2014
Luke Johnston, the former Marketing and Development Manager for the Britex Group (Australia) has some great advice for BIM content creators.
3D Printing Buildings: Fire Up the Constructorbots
October 7, 2014
3D Printing Buildings is quickly becoming a reality. Guest blogger Crawford Smith looks at three current trendsetters.
BIM Content With Too Much Detail — It’s All Your Fault
February 20, 2014
Are you frustrated with all the over detailed BIM content out there? Or all the under detailed content? It’s all your fault. Luke explains why.
Putting the “I” into your BIM Documentation
February 19, 2014
Nathan Hildebrandt follows up his previous post with more on how and why you need to focus more on Information when working with ArchiCAD and BIM.
Profile Manager in ArchiCAD 17
February 10, 2014
Graphisoft product designer James Badcock is back with a new blog post about the changes to the Profile Manager in ArchiCAD 17.
How the Conscious Home Can Make You a Better Parent
February 3, 2014
In this follow up to my article from mid-January, Eliot from SmartThings shares how the Conscious Home can really make you a better parent today.
The House my Master’s Degree Built: my path to becoming a licensed architect
January 29, 2014
Another great guest post by Alicia Liebel Berg. Great and a little depressing…we really need to fix our profession.
Auditing your ArchiCAD Model using Building Materials and Surfaces
January 23, 2014
I love this post. Guest Blogger Nathan Hildebrandt starts with Building Materials, then leads you down a path towards reinventing how you think about BIM and use ArchiCAD. It’s a great example of how focusing on improving how you use a piece of software will make you a more valuable member of the AECO team. Even if you don’t use ArchiCAD, this is a must read.
An architect can architect architecture?
January 15, 2014
Guest blogger Alicia Liebel Berg shares her thoughts on Kayne West’s visit to Harvard.
Happy Holidays, Guest Bloggers, Seattle and an eventful 2014
December 20, 2013
It’s the end of the year. Are you ready for 2014? I’m not, because I need some guest bloggers for late January and early February 2014. Here’s why…
Guest Blogger James Badcock: Modify Reference Line and Plane in ArchiCAD 17
December 19, 2013
Curious about all the changes big and small in ArchiCAD 17? Read what developer James Badcock has to say about Modify Reference Line and Plane in AC17.
Guest Blogger Alicia Liebel Berg: What Emerging Architects are about to inherit
December 10, 2013
Has anyone noticed that obtaining the title of ‘Architect’ is not evaluated on the merit’s of one’s design, but how mathematically they grade within a set of standardized parameters?
Guest Blogger Willard Williams: Why I’m going to the AEC Hackathon
November 8, 2013
Regular guest blogger Willard Williams shares his thoughts on why he’s going to the AEC Hackathon this weekend in San Fransisco. And he’s also going to convince you that you should go to one of these events as well.
Guest Blogger Kristian Bursell: Nasty ArchiCAD Models
September 16, 2013
Guest Blogger Kristian Bursell shares his thoughts on free ArchiCAD content from manufacturers.
Guest Blogger Jeremiah Gammond: What’s in a Name?
September 4, 2013
Nurse, doctor, mechanic, carpenter, lawyer, prostitute……..architect. These occupational titles are well-seated in the vocabulary of most. They are descriptive and, though there’s variance in the specific duties and specialties these professionals perform, it’s generally understood what they mean. Some are even evocative, due in most part to romantic portrayals in popular media. Say “lawyer,” and some might picture a passionate and moving discourse delivered by a high-powered individual with magazine
Guest Blogger James Badcock: ArchiCAD and Urban Design
August 23, 2013
As I sit here, working on some upcoming features for an upcoming version of ArchiCAD, I’d like to reflect on my time before working here at Graphisoft HQ as a Product Designer, when I was a user of ArchiCAD. My fanboy status for the program started back in the late 90’s at the University of Tasmania where ArchiCAD, version 5.1 at the time, was the only architectural software we were
Guest Blogger Willard Williams: Designers Masquerading as Architects
August 19, 2013
Designers masquerading as architects is a topic within the profession that bothers me deeply. I have had numerous co-workers (architectural educated/trained designers) publicly call themselves architects at cocktail parties, around their peers, to the general public… One even went so far as to be published being referred to as an architect in printed media. I contemplated calling the California Architects Board and filing a complaint against him as he was working
Guest Blogger Martijn de Riet: Let me tell you about Revit Families
August 14, 2013
Jared’s Note: As should surprise no one, Kristian’s post comparing ArchiCAD GDL vs Revit Families caused quite a stir on both sides of the ArchiCAD vs Revit divide. I am both thrilled and honored that Martijn de Riet has written a wonderful response to Kristian’s comparison, from the Revit side of things. Martijn is one of my favorite Revit pros on Twitter (more so after reading this post while doing
Guest Blogger Jeremiah Gammond: Every Building has an Architect(ural Technologist…)
August 14, 2013
Jared’s Note: Jeremiah originally wrote this post for his own site. I asked him if I could share it on Shoegnome because it fits so well with the recent discussions on the use of the word architect and what to call people who work in the field, but aren’t licensed architects. Turns out Canada has a nice solution already. Jeremiah graciously said yes to letting me repost and also promised
Guest Blogger Kristian Bursell: ARCHICAD GDL vs REVIT FAMILIES
August 13, 2013
Recently I spent a great deal of time working with Revit Families (RFA’s) to determine their capabilities. I approached this endeavor with no bias; as most mathematicians will tell you, it is all about potential with personal preference a liability. Though I could write a book on the topic of ArchiCAD GDL vs Revit Families I’m going to be as brief as possible and hopefully expand in later posts. Basic
Guest Blogger Djordje Grujic: Untangling the Arcane Secrets of GDL
July 17, 2013
“The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore… Unlike the mediocre, intrepid spirits seek victory over those things that seem impossible… it is with an iron will that they embark on the most daring of all endeavours… to meet the shadowy future without fear and conquer the unknown.” Ferdinand Magellan, Explorer (c.1520) Every time I think of GDL, the
Guest Blogger Rob Jackson: If you haven’t discovered ArchiCAD Favorites, you haven’t discovered BIM
July 16, 2013
If you haven’t discovered ArchiCAD Favorites, you haven’t discovered BIM That title might seem a bit extreme, but it probably got your attention. Having personally used ArchiCAD for over 12 years and spent the last 12 months really trying to understand what we need to deliver in terms of wider BIM deliverables, Favorites are an ArchiCAD users keys to fully collaborative BIM. Without using Favorites I see few other efficient
Guest Blogger Willard Williams: Review of the Better Detail Marker by Master Script
June 28, 2013
The Better Detail Marker for ArchiCAD by Master Script is an awesome little tool to add to your box. Â The Object basically allows you to adjust how the tail will look while removing the arrow at the markers’ head. Â The stock ArchiCAD detail markers have limited adjustments of various types of marker heads but few tail options for the Object. Â Our preference within our drawing standards is to have a
Guest Blogger Shivang Rajvir: 3 Responses to Technology
June 24, 2013
The days and nights we used to spend creating drawings by hand during the early days of college are still fresh in my mind. It was then that this question first hit my mind hard, and it is still with me today. “Why do we use computers?” Since my college days (i.e.2002-2003), there have been innumerable arguments regarding this, with senior faculty members, students, professionals, and even with CAD and
Guest Blogger Endre Ilauszky: The Random City Object for ArchiCAD site models
June 19, 2013
After the successful Ceiling Editor and Floating Dimension objects the next BIM component has arrived in the “Wish upon an Object from BIMcomponents.com”. The Random City component is a very useful tool when you want to place schematic buildings or town parts simply and quickly into the background of an ArchiCAD site model. It is random, as you can adjust the buildings’ geometry and measures to be generated by the
Guest Blogger Arne Heeres: ArchiCAD Template Creation
June 13, 2013
Reinventing the Wheel Let’s face it. We love it. We reinvent every chance we get hoping to make things better. Without it our lives would be pretty boring, Does this mean however we need to re-invent everything? More specifically, do we need to reinvent our interaction with ArchiCAD for every project? In our careers so far, each of us at [mac interact] have worked with and for offices that to
Guest Blogger Shivang Rajvir: Top 9 BIM Myths in India
June 6, 2013
Jared’s Note: Shivang originally wrote this with his ArchiCAD students in India in mind. The issues are universal so I thought about shortening the title to just “Top 9 BIM Myths”, but I really like that the original title highlights that we’re all facing the same BIM implementation challenges all over the world. Whether Boston or Bangalore, we’re all fighting the same fight, trying to get everyone to see the
Help me make June 2013 “Guest Blogger Month”
May 22, 2013
You up for a challenge? I’d like to make June 2013 Guest Blogger Month. Interested in helping me? If you are a regular reader, you might know that there are some big changes afoot in my life. After eight wonderful years in Minnesota, my wife, daughters, and I are moving on. We’ll spend the next two years moving every six months or so for my wife’s new job. The details
Guest Blogger Kata Danis: Reinforcement plans in ArchiCAD
April 4, 2013
ArchiCAD is considered to be a modeling program for architects only. We at Eptar Ltd. however do not think that is the case. We believe that ArchiCAD can be made capable of handling not only architects’ but other designers’ preferences as well. The [eptar] Reinforcement solution was developed to make sure that architects and structural engineers can work together in ArchiCAD on the same BIM model. While developing the solution
Emerging Professionals and writing for the CRAN Chronicle
February 23, 2013
UPDATE 09/11/13 – The AIA CRAN Chronicle is always looking for submissions for current and future issues of the newsletter, so ignore the dates below and send in your stories. So you might recall that I wrote an article for the AIA CRAN Chronicle recently. Well I enjoyed it so much that I’m now part of the editorial team putting together future issues. We’re now looking for content for the
Guest Blogger Danny Mattock: Playground Information Model
February 11, 2013
ArchiCAD… it can be swings and roundabouts at times Playground design, play equipment design and landscaping are not areas of the industry you would normally associate with ArchiCAD. However if you put your mind to it you would be surprised what can be achieved using a BIM programme of which the intentions were focused upon architecture and interior design. It turned out that I didn’t really have any choice but
Guest Blogger Kata Danis: [eptar] Tiling Accessory for ArchiCAD
February 4, 2013
Creating wall and floor tiling plans in ArchiCAD Creating wall and floor tiling plans in ArchiCAD can be a troublesome task. The abilities of built-in elements and textures of ArchiCAD are limited when it comes to modelling and arranging tiles. In order to make these tasks easier, you could choose to download and use [eptar]’s wall and floor tiling application for ArchiCAD. This application will not only help you draw
Guest Blogger Mark Beauman: World of BIM
January 6, 2013
There are a few websites now that offer free BIM content from manufacturers But there has never been a central point where architects, engineers and construction related professionals can access commercial BIM content through a flexible platform. It is for this reason World of BIM was created. I am a great believer and supporter of manufacturers providing their own BIM content free to the community. However there will always be
Guest Blogger Willard Williams: BIM is a Distraction
September 27, 2012
This is an expansion of some comments that Willard Williams made on a LinkedIn thread. I really liked what he had to say and asked him to expand it into a guest post for Shoegnome. Enjoy! In the end it is the final product that is of greatest importance. The reality is that both ArchiCAD and Revit (as well as the rest of the BIM software family) have done something
Guest Blogger Endre Ilauszky: We call it manuBIM…
June 19, 2012
At the end of last year, an ex-colleague of mine and I — after 18 and 12 memorable years spent at Graphisoft — decided to carry on with the work we did as GDL fans in our former workplace with heart and hand. Since we established our new company, many friends have asked what manuBIM means Well, it’s not an unknown deap-sea animal —as we usually say 🙂 — but parametric
Guest Blogger – David Jefferis shares an alternative to Photorealistic Renderings
April 3, 2012
Photorealistic rendering is probably the most time-consuming mode of architectural representation. Even approximating realistic lighting conditions and material effects through specialized rendering software is an arduous task of trial and error. While I recognize and respect the place of these images in the contemporary practice of architecture, the daily reality of a small practice demands a method for producing renderings not dependent on large investments in software, time or personnel.
Flexible, Fast and Functional – A Review of Master Script’s Total Keynote
March 11, 2012
This guest post is by David Jefferis. “Someone finally made a good keynote object.” The reaction by a former co-worker sums up my feelings about the new Total Keynote object by Master Script. The object has a deep level of functionality and easily conforms to any graphic style or working method. In addition to describing and analyzing the object (note, it’s NOT an add-on), I will also explain how the
Guest Blogger – Scott Barrington shares the BIMstop Manifesto
February 26, 2012
At BIMstop we like to think big. We’ve come from humble beginnings and credit our growth and development to our engaged user base, such as the dedicated followers of this blog. Our service enables Architects and Specifiers to connect with the Manufacturer specific 3D BIM model of their choice, meaning less time searching and more time designing. Our vision is to be the helping hand when dealing with anything BIM
Interactive ArchiCAD Practice Manual – guest blogger Vaneshrie Sullivan shares insights into her book
January 22, 2012
The Interactive ArchiCAD Practice Manual came from the realization that, although there are numerous books on teaching ArchiCAD users how to use the tools and navigate around projects, there is not much guidance on how to apply this software in the most efficient manner in an everyday office environment. ArchiCAD is both user friendly and customizable, giving users the freedom to work in the software in countless ways. The price
Adventures in GDL — guest blogger Kristian Bursell shares the origins of CADSwift
January 11, 2012
I officially entered the building design realm through the Architecture and Environmental Design course at the University of Canberra. After constantly being told that my ideals were that of a dreamer I became unsure of myself and decided the safe option was to follow the notions of friends, family and university Lecturer’s on “what life is”. However I felt nothing when I reached the milestones they said would bring fulfilment;
Adventures in GDL – guest blogger Jeroen de Bruin talks about being a GDL Specialist
August 28, 2011
My adventure started after finishing a bachelor in architecture and working in several architects’ offices. I found that drafting in 2D really annoyed me: First draw the floor plan, then the elevations, manually add in shadows… and then the architect changes the design and you start over again. Those painstaking hours of checking if the elevation matched the floor plan… If only there had been an ArchiCAD feature like Trace
Greater than the Sum of the Parts – guest blogger David Jefferis talks about Hybrid Notation
July 24, 2011
This guest post is by David Jefferis. My preferred style of notation breeds the Full Text Note with the Full Keynote to produce the Hybrid Note. The primary problem with both styles of notation presented last week is the lack of hierarchy: special details or materials are not given special treatment and can get lost amid the notes for standard assemblies. Using the Hybrid Note system, these standard assemblies such
Key Notes – guest blogger David Jefferis takes us from Conventional to Exceptional
July 17, 2011
This guest post is by David Jefferis. In these posts, I will focus on general techniques of standardized representation and strategies for producing construction documents so that our conventional drawings can be exceptional. An important but rarely discussed part of starting an office is establishing a set of effective graphic standards for communicating design intent through construction documents. Most design websites and blogs show multiple rendered perspectives, plans and sections
I’m Looking for Guest Bloggers
May 22, 2011
In the next few months I’m planning to revamp the blog and website. I’ve spent the last year focusing on writing and getting the word out. Now it’s time, among other things, to update the about page and the ArchiCAD page to better reflect who I am and what the blog has evolved into, add links to my favorite ArchiCAD sites, etc. As the first step in that process I’d