An architect can architect architecture?
January 15, 2014
Guest blogger Alicia Liebel Berg shares her thoughts on Kayne West’s visit to Harvard.
Challenge
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…
Blacksmith, Telephone Operator, Architect
December 6, 2013
I want to see a chart tracking Blacksmiths per Capita over the last 150 years. And for telephone operators. And then one for Architects extending to 2050.
My license says I’m an architect. Why do I still feel like an intern?
November 22, 2013
Oh the first world problems I have. Being a young architect can be a hard slog. Does a license change anything? Or is it just a worldview I lack?
Creation, Movement, and Revision: Simple Architecture Tool Tests
November 6, 2013
Can we distill the benefits of ArchiCAD, Revit, Sketchup, Hand drafting, etc. down by looking at simple architecture tool tests? I think so. Here’s why.
How NOT to talk about BIM: losing control of the message
October 8, 2013
Two upcoming seminars on BIM reveal some problems we have in the architectural community.
ArchiCAD vs Revit Grand Challenge, this could work
October 4, 2013
Learning about ArchiCAD to teach you about Revit. What another comparison video and some ArchiCAD-centric posts have in common.
More than just a simple speed test for you to argue about: ArchiCAD vs Revit
September 23, 2013
Another ArchiCAD vs Revit post? Seriously. Yup. Just remember I’m interested in the concept of this argument, more than the specific outcomes.
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
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
Architects are Lazy (plus ArchiCAD 17 news)
February 21, 2013
News of ArchiCAD 17 The shape and form of ArchiCAD 17 continue to be slowly revealed. I’m not sure if I’m just more aware this year or if more news is getting shared than in the past. Either way, here’s a very interesting article from Enigneering News-Record that talks about both EcoDesigner STAR and some time frames for the eventual release of ArchiCAD 17. I guess we can start tossing
The Ideal BIM Software
February 12, 2013
Understanding the Challenge of a BIM Challenge The histories of BIM and CAD are littered with shoot-outs, comparison tests, and pissing contests. By now you probably know my favorite Mine vs Yours, ArchiCAD vs Revit saga:Â The Unkillable Beast with a 1,000 heads. Though now it’s more like 1,400 heads. A lot of people are annoyed by this thread, but as I’ve said before the longer it goes on the more
What’s (BIM) Life Without a Challenge?
February 7, 2013
There is constant, never ending talk concerning the whole Revit vs ArchiCAD debate. In years past there have been CAD shootouts, though it’s been long enough since the last one that they might as well have never happened. But there’s really no current data on how these major BIM platforms compare. And isn’t that what all of us BIMnerds are about? Gathering data and turning it into functional Information? A
Onward towards 1,000
January 8, 2013
I’ll use Post 300 as an opportunity to look ahead to the coming year. I’ll be honest. I want to hit 1,000 followers on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube this year. And then 1,000 on the remaining two in 2014. It’s not going to be easy. As of January 2nd, 2013, I was at 557, 466, and 300 respectively. To reach that target, it’ll mean a LOT of content generation this
I want to see your plan Printed Out. And Soon.
December 27, 2012
FACT: Ugly drawings are the bane of many people in the early stages of using understanding BIM. Don’t fight your coworkers. Instead draw them in. Teach them. When starting a project, whether it’s new construction or a remodel, I always want to see a clean plan as soon as possible. Whether that means adding 2D or 3D place holders to the model, I get to a spot where I can
Little Clues
November 29, 2012
You say “you know what you’re doing in ArchiCAD”. You might not be the best, but you’ve got a really good system. You’re fast and efficient. But how quickly can an ArchiCAD Expert tell if you’re a good judge of your own skills or just horribly deluded? That all depends on how long it takes for ArchiCAD to open your file. Because once it’s open, a pro will need less
Finith Jernigan, Awards, and an Original Goal of the Blog
August 22, 2012
Finith Jernigan’s latest book, Makers of the Environments recently won a Global Ebook Award. That’s great. Congratulations Finith! Very much deserved. Read more about the award here. Finith’s writing and the Origins of Shoegnome Back when I started Shoegnome (now almost 2 1/2 years ago, yikes!), I had a few vague ideas about what my plans were. I thought I’d write a blog and make a little side money acting
Why isn’t your next job posting like this one?
November 6, 2011
A while ago I saw a job posting. Here are some highlights. If you could hire someone tomorrow, would your job posting look like this? Why not? Small, award-winning firm seeks licensed Architect/Project Manager. 60% multi-family housing, mainly for non-profit developers of affordable housing. 40% single family residential, commercial and institutional work. 100% thoughtful, beautiful design. Our work is varied, exciting, and creative. Everyone from drafters to the Principal use
This IS Crunch Time
August 31, 2011
“I’m laid back at lunchtime, but I’m aggressive at crunch time. Let’s get it.” – Jacob “Crunch Time” Mann Many firms out there have figured out how to stabilize in this down economy. The hard layoffs and continued reduction of hours are over (note I didn’t say BEING on reduced hours is over). Many owners are now thinking that their firms will survive. Times will still be tough for a
Korean Professional Video Game Players & ArchiCAD
July 10, 2011
Can you make a living playing video games? If you work hard. It also doesn’t hurt if you’re South Korean. Want to hear more about that lifestyle? There’s a great Tech Stuff podcast about it. What does this have to do with ArchiCAD? Keyboard short cuts. I’ve talked about them before and I’ll talk about their importance again. Watch the following video. The entire thing is pretty mesmerizing, but all
Virtual Visible Views Project
March 27, 2011
In the ArchiCAD LinkedIn group, Michael Scarmack, AIA, recently started gauging interest in a global experiment using the ArchiCAD BIMserver that he’d like to conduct. There’s a lot of excitement about this grassroots project and I think it will lead to some big things. What things? I don’t know. But it is entrepreneurial experimentation and group collaboration like this that will bring our industry into the future and prevent our
Backup! Seriously. Backup.
February 13, 2011
How often do you back up your files? Daily? You better. Anything longer is a wrong answer. Here’s Part One of why: My brother is in IT; when I was younger he excitedly told me about a new server he’d installed. It had 7 drives in parallel. You could rip one out of the server while it was on and no data was lost. It needed to be set up
BIM Breakfast (overdue thoughts)
October 13, 2010
I went to the September AIA BIM Breakfast. As anyone who’s talked to me about BIM knows, I’m a big fan of this group. We were all supposed to bring examples of BIM requirements so we could discuss how they impact the project delivery process. Twenty people attended. One person brought in an example for a new prison facility. The BIM requirements for this project (when various levels of modeled
10 ArchiCAD tips from Pantera’s Reinventing the Steel
August 22, 2010
The track list from Pantera‘s last studio album, Reinventing the Steel, has great advice for any ArchiCAD user. You don’t need to love their music like I do to see what accidental BIM geniuses these guys were. Let’s look: Hellbound – This is how we all feel when we start ArchiCAD. The first two weeks can be just awful. You’ll curse your new employers or think your reseller has swindled
What have you Unlearned Today?
August 4, 2010
We all have bad habits in ArchiCAD. Some of this is from how we were taught and some from the version we learned on. As the program evolves, we need to reevaluate how we work. Do we still need to hold down shift? Is it time to get used to the tracker? Are we still hanging on to old key commands from v8.1? Some are worth keeping. I want to
I find 3.5/ is the Easiest
July 28, 2010
Whether you’re using the the coordinate box or the tracker, there are a lot of ways to write a number. Some are easier than others. A quick rule of thumb is that ArchiCAD recognizes fractions as inches, whole numbers and decimals as feet. So… a couple of ways to input three and a half inches: .2916667′ .2916667 0-3.5″ 0-3.5 3.5″ 3 1/2″ 3 1/2 3.5/1 3.5/ 7/2″ 7/2
MNAUG Challenge #1
July 14, 2010
(or how to humble yourself every 90 seconds) In preparation for my next post on strategies for learning ArchiCAD, take a look at the ArchiCAD Competency Challenge. Try a few questions and if you have time take the whole test. It’s tough. It’s humbling. And I learned a lot from taking it over the weekend. More on that later. Also, there are two of us MNAUGers in the Hall of Fame. As