Products and Services
Software that Speaks the Architect's Language
The Rice Daubney Group - Sydney, Australia
??Building simulator? is a great term because before you commit to anything, you can make a 3D model and test the building?not just visualize it.?
Leading Sydney architectural firm The Rice Daubney Group is one of the first in Australia to break away from traditional CAD methods and work in 3D for the entire design process. They had been using CAD software for more then 10 years but recently signed an agreement to use ArchiCAD. They are expecting big returns from the change of software, hardware, and methods in their Sydney and Indonesian offices. Ian Simpson, The Rice Daubney Group?s information technology manager, said that most of today?s CAD systems are simply used to improve the way 2D drawings are produced. However, he sees drawings as a nuisance?old technology and an imperfect means of communication. By contrast, ArchiCAD lets the architect forget about drawings and focus on design. As the architect develops the 3D model, the drawings are automatically updated and ready to be plotted at any time. The result is a streamlined design process, virtual elimination of visual risk, and a more cost-effective building.
?The software understands the language of architecture, so the architect doesn?t have to learn ?computer speak,?? he said. ?For a long time CAD systems have been able to create 3D models but now we have a system that links the model and documentation. In 2D CAD, my brain is the only thing that ensures that changes are made to every drawing. Now that the drawings are generated from the 3D model, all corrections are automatically assured.?
Simpson says the firm was not prepared to miss out on all these advantages just because it is harder to find trained people. ?ArchiCAD is so easy to learn that CAD novices can start using ArchiCAD on a project after two days of training,? Simpson said. ?Two to three months later, a two-day advanced course ensures that they are confident and proficient.?
At The Rice Daubney Group, ArchiCAD has changed the design process more radically than 2D CAD did 10 years ago. This is not just about reproducing drawings differently. Simpson said: ??Building simulator? is a great term because before you commit to anything, you can make a 3D model and test the building?not just visualize it. We have made a huge leap forward in our ability to communicate within the firm and with outside parties. ArchiCAD removes the communication barriers inherent in 2D drawings and helps our clients understand and participate in the design process. We sit down together and explore the options. We can test lighting and color schemes, see how the building looks in context, or assess how effective the signage is.?
Simpson noted: ?It is also a great sales and marketing tool. Our clients can use our 3D design to communicate with their clients, local councils, or resident action groups. It?s hard to get excited about a flat drawing, but a 3D model you can walk through brings the whole thing to life and can really help clients to rent or sell their buildings.
?Architects often say that they don?t want their design skills restricted by a computer ? an excuse for not getting into CAD. But with ArchiCAD the reverse applies; it has freed up what we can design,? Simpson said. ?In the past, architects did not use 3D modeling extensively because it was too hard. But ArchiCAD is a breakthrough, perhaps because it was written in Hungary behind the Iron Curtain, away from the influences of existing software. They didn?t copy other CAD systems but focused their energies on developing an architectural CAD system. They found a great solution and have excelled in tailoring it to architects? needs.?
