Graphisoft - New Pages

Superior 3D functionality provides the cornerstone of an award winning '60s addition.

Budapest, May 8, 2008 - Graphisoft is proud to recognize the extraordinary work of Daniel Marshall Architect Ltd - A winner of the 2007 NZIA Resene New Zealand Awards for Marshall's stunning alteration to a classic modernist dwelling in Auckland's Corinth Street, modeled and documented using ArchiCAD.

Separated by a small glazed link, this addition to an otherwise fully preserved 1963 house by Vladimir Cacala creates a stunning juxtaposition between a white volume suspended within a second larger volume. The soft black zinc cladding of the exterior of this bold form reflects details from the '60s house that features a mural referencing the era.

"ArchiCAD's strength in 3D modeling was integral throughout the design process: From providing visual rendering to communicate ideas to the client, to ensuring compliance with planning controls; and of course, providing construction documentation to easily convey information to the contractor," says Daniel Marshall.

About Daniel Marshall Architect Ltd:

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London & Leeds Based Architectural Firm Wins the BIM Experience Kit Grand Prize

Budapest, May 6, 2008 - Chris Cook of DLG Architects, already the winner of a free commercial license of ArchiCAD 11, has won a trip to Budapest as the grand prize winner of the "BIM Experience Kit" Competition.

"I have experienced most of the popular CAD and modeling platforms and for me, the ArchiCAD BIM Experience Kit was both educational and compelling." said Chris Cook, CAD & Collaboration Manager of DLG Architects, based in London andLeeds, UK.

"I believe ArchiCAD to be one of the leading BIM solutions on the market and the interactive training guides helped to underpin this.� We look forward to having the opportunity to use ArchiCAD within the practice and are particularly interested in pursuing its links to environmental analysis tools."

"The BIM Experience Kit has proven to be a tremendous value for individuals and firms wishing to explore BIM but not sure of where to start" said Akos Pfemeter, Director of Marketing.�� Due to this success, we will continue the monthly competition of free ArchiCAD licenses with another grand prize draw again in the spring of 2009.�

To participate in the competition, register and download the free BIM Experience Kit from: http://experienceBIM.com

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Joclemns Technologies to distribute ArchiCAD in Nigeria

Budapest, April 23, 2008 - Graphisoft, the global leader in Virtual BuildingTM solutions, has announced that Joclemns Technologies, Nigeria's leading software supplier, will distribute Graphisoft's award-winning suite of 3D architectural design products in West Africa.

Joclemns Technologies is a pioneer in legal software distribution in Nigeria. With its head office in Lagos, Jocleamns will focus its activities throughout West Africa - including Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana.

"West Africa's economy is growing rapidly and 3D based building design is a must - conventional design methods will not keep pace", said Clement Nnedu, the CEO of Joclemns Tecnologies. "It is perfect timing to start introducing the Nigerian and West African architectural community to Graphisoft's Building Information Modeling (BIM) solution, which has proven itself with millions of great buildings realized throughout the world."

"In expanding our presence in the West African market, we were looking for a company who really understood what it takes to make solutions successful in firms," said Stefan Larsson, Director of International Sales for Graphisoft. "With Joclemns Technologies's industry leading role in software distribution & support, we believe our customers and future customers will be very well served".

About Joclemns Technologies:

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FormFonts� 3D to Host Parametric ArchiCAD Building Objects Online

Boston, April 23, 2008 - Graphisoft and FormFonts® 3D have teamed to provide high quality ArchiCAD Geometric Description Language (GDL) models online to ArchiCAD Users.

FormFonts, the leading provider of high quality Google SketchUp models, is partnering with Graphisoft to develop, host and share GDL building content libraries.� These libraries include both generic and manufacturer specific content for residential, commercial and institutional projects such as hospitals and research laboratories.�

The GDL objects found on FormFonts can be placed into ArchiCAD's 3D workspace and once placed; they can be edited at any time, including modifications to color, material or any other parameter setting. GDL objects are information containers that carry 2D and 3D geometry, product logic and behavior, parameters, material definitions and an object-specific user interface. Unlike other object libraries in the building industry, GDL objects take full advantage of parametric technology allowing the user to create many variables from one object single object.

FormFonts 3D is unique in the marketplace" said Patrick Mays, VP of Graphisoft North America. "It creates value - an economic platform for ongoing creation of professional virtual building objects. We believe this is the only rational and viable approach to generating the vast model library BIM requires."
The FormFonts website offers both a content trading section as well as a professional subscription library of more than 35,000 3D models. All models are available in multiple 3D formats, and can be accessed for as little as $16.58 per month in prepaid annual subscriptions.
FormFonts pioneered revenue sharing for 3D developers under the subscription model in 2003.

"We have a professional community of modelers producing excellent content on our website today, and now we will expand that community to encourage GDL developers to contribute content in exchange for royalties," said Fred Abler, Principal and CEO of FormFonts. "In BIM environments, digital product models are not just "content", they are essential data. High quality objects are a ‘must have' that people gladly pay for." Abler sees this awareness growing rapidly as users increasingly exploit the analytic capabilities of their BIM environment.

About FormFonts® 3D:

"It's a big world out there, someone has to model it!"� (SM)
FormFonts® 3D is the pioneer and leader in developing 3D building components and data for the AEC industry. Pioneering the subscription model in 2003, FormFonts® 3D is widely acknowledged as the world's best and largest professional 3D model library on-line. Our clients include some of the largest architecture and entertainment firms in the world. Further media requests for information can be made by emailing: info@formfonts.com.

FormFonts®, SharedNetTM, and EdgeServerTM are registered trademarks of FormFonts Inc.�
Graphisoft and ArchiCAD are registered trademarks of Graphisoft.
All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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50% reduction in energy consumption for the new alkiTECHNIK headquarters building in Germany

Budapest, April 21, 2008 - No oil tank, gas lines, radiators or air conditioners. �The new headquarters of alkiTECHNIK in Ingolstadt is not only distinguished in its high-quality architecture but also in its innovative sustainable energy concept.

The dynamic shape of the building combines the administrative offices with the production hall of the manufacturer of torque wrenches and screws. The architectural office of Peter Bachschuster planned the production hall in a curved style on which the three administrative levels float. The lighting system emphasizes this floating effect at night. Behind the facade of the building lies an innovative and trend-setting energy concept. In the words of the architect, the system represents the innovative power of this world market-leading company.

The intelligent combination of using ground water and solar energy results in a savings of 50% compared to similar sized buildings using more traditional heating and cooling.�

The building can be heated up or cooled down with the energy that comes from the earth. A complex system of pipes leads the ground water through the concrete walls, ceilings and floors. The generation of heat is taken over by two electrical heating pumps, which are mainly self-conducting thanks to photovoltaic energy conversion. The photovoltaic energy conversion system is installed in several facade sections. A self-sufficient and therefore very economical cooling system for the summer season is also part of the overall system. The glazed facade on the west side of the building is also "climate-active". A tube system is hidden in between the steel beams. The warm water circulation in the tubes helps to keep the building warm during the winter.� �

There are only five other buildings in Europe with a similar energy concept.� �Scientists and project developers from all over the world have been attracted to this countryside site to learn from this innovative use of energy technology.� The building costs were only 5% higher than those for a conventional building, which will quickly be paid back thanks to reduced energy consumption. "ArchiCAD was very helpful in exploring different concepts for the alkiTECHNIK project", said Peter Bachschuster. "Also, the smooth data transfer to all the different engineers on the project helped greatly in the realization of the sustainable energy concept".

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American Canyon High School: A New Model of Green Building and Education Innovation

Boston, April 5, 2008 - A new high school being built in California's Napa Valley will be one of the country's first to be a Collaborative for High Performance School (CHPS) - verified "green" school. The CHPS program helps communities design and build high performance school environments that are not only energy and resource efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well lit, and containing the amenities for a quality education.

Renderings courtesy of Pechara Studio

Designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), the American Canyon High School will also be a model of education architectural innovation when complete. The school is organized around an elliptical campus green flanked by four Small Learning Communities, each with its own smaller courtyard. The small learning communities will ensure that students have a stronger sense of belonging, while teachers and administrators are better able to offer personalized academic and emotional support.

Across the campus green will be an elliptical library and administration building, flanked by a theater and gymnasium, which make up the public front to the campus.�

The high school will incorporate numerous innovative sustainable design elements. It will include a 500 Kw photovoltaic solar array that will provide more than 40 percent of the campus' electricity. It will also use an advanced ground source heat pump mechanical system, extensive daylighting controls, many sustainable materials and numerous water conservation measures.� Together these features will make American Canyon an excellent example of green design. ��

QKA used the ArchiCAD model throughout the length of the project to design and document the school, coordinate the design with engineers and consultants, create presentation renderings and drawings, and perform energy and daylighting analysis, according to Aaron Jobson, an architect at QKA. "American Canyon High School was designed to incorporate state of the art technology and educational philosophy. The 3D capabilities of ArchiCAD were essential to the successful realization of this design," he said. "The school was also designed to embrace sustainability. QKA used ArchiCAD to synthesize these ideas into a dynamic campus that will be an excellent example of sustainable design."�

See the webcast

Register today for the free BIM Technology in Practice live webcast with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects. Discover how QKA used the ArchiCAD model to:

coordinate the design with engineers and consultants
create presentation renderings and drawings
perform energy and day lighting analysis

When: May 7, 2008, 3:00PM - 4:30PM EST. Register Here

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Vico Site Survey for ArchiCAD

Design to Build. Built to design: Vico Site Survey for ArchiCAD further integrates the design and construction processes. Using this technology designers can place virtual survey points into the desired positions in the Virtual Building model. Later these points can be published for use in a Total Station and thus make the design information accurately "projected" on the site. This allows you to really "build the design" and prevent costly errors. Comparison of "As Built" to "As Designed" is enable by improving the points measured on the site back into the design model.

General Contractor Achieves Award-Winning Construction Project Results with ArchiCAD

Holder Construction unifies team and avoids costly conflicts with BIM

Boston, MA - March 27, 2008 - Opening this month, the Aquarium Hilton Garden Inn in Atlanta will showcase how general contractors can use Building Information Modeling (BIM) to enhance project teamwork, build faster and avoid costly change orders and field conflicts.

Atlanta-based general contractor Holder Construction made it easy for its partners to utilize BIM throughout the award-winning, $46 million project. Holder created 3D architectural, structural, and mechanical models in ArchiCAD from various 2D drawings provided by the architect, engineers and trade contractors. This approach enabled project team members to work with traditional CAD software they already had and knew, while reducing the risk that comes with using 2D documents among partners.

Image courtesy of
Stevens & Wilkinson Stang & Newdow, Inc.

Through frequent 3D coordination sessions, the project team was able to quickly identify and resolve field conflicts, saving more than $800,000 in extras and avoiding months of potential delays from collisions. The non-BIM-savvy partners were able to visualize Holders' model using a free NavisWorks model viewer.

"The collaborative 3D sessions improved communications and trust between the various stakeholders and enabled us to make rapid changes in the early phases of the project," said Paul Hedgepath, Senior Engineer - Building Information Modeling, Holder Construction. "The team could now see, walk through and engage in the model collectively to understand the design and construction better. The spaces they designed and approved with 2D drawings and static renderings now could be experienced in an active 3D model."

For example, common beams between the hotel and parking deck presented difficult formwork challenges since the two structures had different floor to floor heights, as well as a ramped parking deck adjacent to the flat floor hotel. "By isolating these beams in the model, we were able to visualize and share this information with the trade contractors, which assisted in formwork logistics planning," said Hedgepath.

Holder and the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection trade contractors were able to coordinate in a 3D virtual environment prior to the installation of work. This accelerated the coordination process by quickly identifying routing conflicts to the team. These sessions provided instant visualization of the placement elevations of MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) components that would have otherwise only been discovered by lengthy calculations between trade 2D elevation notations.�

"The relatively few architectural adjustments we have had to make on this project due to conflicts with MEP routing have alone been worth the BIM effort," said David A. Deis, Senior Project Architect - Stevens & Wilkinson Stang & Newdow, Inc.

Serving as the BIM creator, integrator and manager, Holder modeled the structure, skin, MEP systems and interior finishes in ArchiCAD. The model was used by the owner, architect, preconstruction team and field team during all phases of the project. The ArchiCAD model seamlessly integrated with NavisWorks to enable the team to identify 590 collision conflicts.

During the design development phase, for instance, the 3D model revealed several concrete beams protruding through finished ceilings. The 3D visualization of these design conflicts was supportive to the design process. The team addressed and resolved the issues quickly, without incurring any costs or schedule delays.

Holder Construction won the 2007 Construction Best Information Technology Solutions (BITS) Award from the Associate General Contractors of America for the most innovative use of technology to solve a particular business problem.

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Wine and Architecture Award with ArchiCAD

Budapest - March 17 2008 - h.e.i.z. Haus Architecture and Planning has been awarded first prize in the 2007 National "Wine and Architecture" competition for its "Schloss Wackerbarth" a state-owned vineyard project in Radebeul, Germany.� The award is given by the German Ministry of Economy. �

The new production plant and renovation of the Baroque castle together reshaped the neglected property into an experiential world of wine. The project achieved a fascinating contrast between the Baroque terrace of the historic castle and the contemporary architecture of the new production plant.

h.e.i.z Haus, based in Dresden has made a name for itself with its redevelopments of historic buildings and is also active in residential and industrial construction and urban development planning.

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Graphisoft Sweden Established

March 6th, 2008 Budapest, Hungary - In order to continue its rapid growth in providing high value added services to the architectural community in Sweden, Lasercad Sverige AB will now be operating under the Graphisoft brand as Graphisoft Sweden.�

"We have already achieved very strong market share in Sweden.�� With this change, we can see our clients and partners getting even higher value and security on their investment", says Magnus Dulke, Managing Director of Lasercad and of newly formed Graphisoft Sweden. "Graphisoft is a powerful global brand and we are proud to further develop our business under the name of Graphisoft Sweden".

"Graphisoft Sweden is the logical next step as we expand our penetration in the Swedish market and with Swedish firms that are going global with their business", says Stefan Larson, Director of International Sales for Graphisoft.�

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Award-winning, child-friendly urban housing with ArchiCAD

Boston, March 5, 2008 - Architect Keith Rivera recently won a design competition for creating an ideal urban housing environment for families with children in the City of Portland, Oregon.

Portland's Courtyard Housing Design Competition is part of the city's quest to retain families with children in its neighborhoods in the face of increasingly unaffordable housing. Participants submitted designs demonstrating how courtyard housing can provide a quality living environment at densities higher than conventional detached housing.

Architects were challenged to design courtyards that can serve as useable outdoor space while also providing environmental sustainability benefits, acting as a setting for community interaction while also respecting privacy needs, or serving as a pedestrian-oriented space while also accommodating cars. They were also challenged to design courtyard housing that avoids a purely inward focus and contributes to Portland's tradition of street-oriented urbanism. The competition attracted more than 250 submittals from around the world.

Rivera's winning submission, designed with Graphisoft's ArchiCAD, achieved a high density of 26 dwellings per acre with individual two-story homes, while still providing traditional single-family amenities such as private yards and garages. Rivera's plan proposed six design principles:

'Fee simple' ownership
Neighborhood compatibility
Open space hierarchy
Security and privacy
Affordability by design
Sustainability

Rivera said that working with an ArchiCAD BIM model was critical to his winning success due to the large number of iterations he had to make in a short timeframe. "BIM makes the design process efficient, especially when it comes to making rapid changes and refinements," he said. "Placement and accuracy were also critical benefits of ArchiCAD. Because of the competition's tight urban infill requirements, the BIM model enabled me to make efficient use of every square inch of the tight space."

The City of Portland intends to follow the competition with a design-build program to provide an opportunity for implementing Rivera's design.

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Record Attendance at the Graphisoft International Partner Conference

Budapest, Hungary, March 5, 2008 - Attendees from 51 countries representing distributors, resellers and ISV's gathered in the German Alps for the 2008 Graphisoft International Partner Conference (IPC).

"The attendance underscores the dual momentum of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Graphisoft as the leader in delivering the technologies that have already helped our clients realize millions of buildings in a model based workflow," said Dominic Gallello, CEO of Graphisoft.��

The ArchiCAD Solutions Showcase highlighted the latest third party tools and applications for users to enhance their BIM design environment and workflow. These included design productivity, building energy analysis, mechanical & structural design & analysis, 3D navigation hardware and stereoscopic display.

The 2008 Graphisoft IPC was capped off with an awards ceremony in which partners were honored for their outstanding achievements in promoting and expanding the use of Graphisoft design technology.� Winners included WSC of Poland as Distributor of the Year, Graphisoft West of the United States for Highest Growth for a Reseller and CAD Solutions of Germany for Highest Revenue for a Reseller.

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Denver Architect Wins January BIM Experience Kit Competition

Budapest, February 29, 2008 - Tom Gallagher of Semple Brown Design has won a free commercial license of ArchiCAD 11 as the winner of the January draw of the "BIM Experience Kit" competition.

"I found the ArchiCAD 11 BIM Experience Kit an extremely helpful an encouraging and non-intimidating way to jump into the BIM pool without drowning." said Tom Gallagher, Architect and Associate of Semple Brown Design, Denver Colorado USA. "The video format was helpful and instructive in understanding the program's interface. I look forward to experimenting further and evaluating the program for potential implementation in our office."

To participate in the competition and get a chance to win the next month's free ArchiCAD 11 license, and a trip to Budapest in the spring of 2008, register and download the free BIM Experience Kit from: http://experienceBIM.com

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New Zealand's First 5-Star Green Building with ArchiCAD

Budapest, February 26th, 2008 - With the Government mandating the use of the Green Star NZ tools from the New Zealand Green Building Council, there has been a market shift towards buildings that are economically, socially and environmentally beneficial for both owners and users. Meridian Energy's new Wellington waterfront building, designed in ArchiCAD by Studio Pacific, is expected to consume 60% less energy and 70% less water than comparable buildings.

The building features solar hot water, heat recovery systems, intelligent and addressable lighting controls, mixed mode ventilation (including chilled beams), an active external fa�ade and a rainwater collection system for water re-use within the building. "The primary business benefit we experienced by using ArchiCAD on this project was the availability and implementation of a 3D model approach right from the start", says Marc Woodbury, of Studio Pacific. "ArchiCAD simply helps us to visualize the design better, and thus develop the design for a better result".

About Studio of Pacific Architecture Ltd:

Studio Pacific has developed considerable experience in the field of environmentally sustainable design; has a reputation for working with symbolic artistic and cultural projects, and fosters a willingness to collaborate with a range of designers, from architects and landscape architects to sculptors and artists.

About Graphisoft:

BIM Experience Kit a 2008 CODiE Award finalist for 'Best Workforce Training Solution'

Boston, MA - February 21, 2008 - Graphisoft's ArchiCAD BIM Experience Kit is a finalist in the 23rd Annual CODiE Award competition for "Best Workforce Training Solution."

The CODiE Awards, sponsored by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), are among the most esteemed awards in the software industry, honoring achievement and vision in software, education and technology.

The CODiE Awards recognize the high-tech industry's most outstanding products and services. The BIM Experience Kit was chosen from more than 1,200 nominations submitted by more than 600 companies in a variety of software categories. Over 219 individuals in the trade press, consulting, education, information technology and other fields reviewed all of the products entered. CODiE Award winners will be announced at a gala function May 20, 2008 at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA. �

The ArchiCAD BIM Experience Kit is a CODiE finalist for its unique approach in helping architectural users of 2D CAD become familiar with working in 3D building information modeling (BIM). The free kit combines a full-functioning version of ArchiCAD with an innovative multimedia training tutorial that guides users through the modeling of an actual Frank Lloyd Wright-designed project: the Massaro House in upstate New York. The kit also includes testing to help support to learning process.

One user who downloaded the kit and became a customer said, "ArchiCAD's Interactive Training guide is very user friendly and an excellent training resource.� I was impressed with the content and the in-depth way Graphisoft constructed the lessons in each section. I also looked at another BIM software and worked with the training that came with it, but found ArchiCAD's interactive training to be far better."

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CADALYTIC MEDIA RELEASES SPECIFICAD BETA FOR GRAPHISOFT ARCHICAD DELIVERING PRODUCT CONTENT FROM THE SWEETS NETWORK.

Cadalytic Media releases SpecifiCADTM Beta for Graphisoft® ArchiCAD® delivering product content from the Sweets Network®

SpecifiCADTM Delivers Relevant McGraw-Hill Sweets Network® Content on the BIM Desktop.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - February 13, 2008 - CADalytic Media, Inc. today has released SpecifiCADTM beta for Graphisoft® ArchiCAD® 10 and 11. SpecifiCADTM delivers relevant building product data to the designer's Desktop within the BIM environment using CADalytic Media's patent-pending technology. In its collaboration with McGraw-Hill Construction, CADalytic Media through SpecifiCADTM delivers the functionality of the Sweets Network® to provide manufacturer content directly on the BIM desktop. Designers can quickly access CAD details, SketchUpTM 3D models, catalogs, three-part specifications, and Green information. SpecifiCADTM for ArchiCAD® includes a powerful multi-hyperlink utility-linking to product data to design contents is easy using the SpecifiCADTM linking interface. SpecifiCADTM also delivers relevant Google 3D WarehouseTM content including the McGraw-Hill Construction Sweets3D Collection content to the Desktop.

"SpecifiCAD is a great productivity booster for ArchiCAD users because it delivers relevant building product content directly to the ArchiCAD desktop. Architects can spend less time searching for products and more time focusing on their designs," said Patrick Mays, Vice President and General Manager of Graphisoft North America.

1. SpecifiCADTM delivers relevant product data for the component selected in ArchiCAD®. At any time, the designer can simply click on a hyperlink or icon in the SpecifiCADTM Sweets Network® window to get more detailed building product information. Designers can then incorporate BIM and specification data back into their design documents.

2. Designers can link the desired Sweets Network® manufacturer's product web page to the selected objects by clicking the "Link" button in the SpecifiCADTM Sweets Network® window. The "Edit/Follow Hyperlink" window allows the designer to manage and follow multiple links for a given component.

SpecifiCADTM for other Platforms

Remember that SpecifiCADTM is available for all major architectural software solutions. These versions all leverage the SpecifiCADTM Sweets Network® and Google 3D WarehouseTM user interface.

SpecifiCADTM Download Information

The free beta release of SpecifiCADTM is available immediately on the CADalytic Media website: http://www.cadalytic.com/index.php?dir=downloads&subdir=SpecifiCAD

Note that all versions are for the Microsoft® Windows® platform only.

CADalytic Media is headquartered in San Francisco, California. For additional information about CADalytic Media, please visit www.cadalytic.com. If you would like more information on this topic, please contact us at pr@cadalytic.com.

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Award-winning, Eco-Friendly Cambridge House Designed in ArchiCAD

Boston, February 7, 2008 - When Boston-based developer Duncan MacArthur hired architect Robert Augustine to design one of his many spec houses, little did he know that his family would love the completed building so much that he'd end up buying it himself.

Augustine's "Cambridge House" in Cambridge, Mass., represents a new architectural movement in Boston to revitalize the area's aging housing stock in non-traditional form. Since its completion this summer, the Cambridge House has garnered awards, raves and even pans for its contemporary challenge to the region's colonial-style McMansions and townhouse neighborhoods. The Boston Globe said "With its flat roof, sharp angles and metal protuberances, the building strikes an aggressive, modernist profile that homeowners seem to either love or hate." World Architecture News gave it its "House of Month" award for last month, calling the Cambridge House an "extraordinary space wrapped in sustainable materials like pre-patinated copper and red cedar that weather with grace."

Using ArchiCAD, Augustine incorporated many sustainable design strategies into the project. Copper has the longest history of recycling of any building material known to civilization. About 80% of all copper remains in use today, with 40% of copper used annually recycled from prior uses. The living roof deck is covered in sod, and all floors and cabinet work is crafted from sustainable bamboo.

The ArchiCAD BIM model enabled Augustine to run animated sun studies to optimize the house's solar efficiency. While high-efficiency glass windows capture the sun's energy, two-sided (dark/light) roller shades reflect solar glare and mitigate overheating.

Beyond sustainability, Augustine said that working with BIM enabled him to collaborate better with building owners and contractors, as well as create designs that he otherwise couldn't do using traditional 2D approaches.

"I'm an artist at heart, so the ability to create 3-dimensionally and experiment with different materials is the best design format for me," he said. "And clients love it because the BIM model enables them to visualize the completed building and have me make changes in real time, rather than waiting days for me to redraw the blueprints. In fact, sometimes the only way I can get a client to buy into the design is to sit down with them and interactively reshape, resize and move things around with the ArchiCAD BIM model so that they can see all the possibilities."

A solarium with opaque glass marks the entrance to the main living space. Stepping across the threshold, one is taken in by the expansive views, literally stepping into the outdoors through a sweep of floor-to-ceiling windows. Large glass panels with operable sidelights and sliding doors connect inside to outside at all levels. Decks and balconies extend the living space physically into this outdoor environment. The free flowing open floor plan provides flexible living space on four levels.

There are two main living levels - one off the street and a lower level leading to the grounds and lawn terrace. The terrace is paved with fieldstone inviting outdoor living and entertainment. The 3rd floor holds a library and study, along with the recreation room, called the Jungle Room (in a nod to Elvis), clad completely in weathered green copper. It opens to the sod covered roof deck, providing MacArthur and his family wonderful views of Cambridge's Fresh Pond Reservation and Boston's skyline.

About Graphisoft:

Graphisoft makes BIM software affordable

ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 helps small architectural firms get started in BIM for less

BOSTON, January 31, 2008 - Graphisoft, the global leader in Virtual BuildingTM solutions, today launched an affordable, entry-level version of ArchiCAD for architects seeking to expand their business with building information modeling (BIM) skills

The new ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 is based on the Virtual Building technology of ArchiCAD 11, but with a feature set and price tailored to the needs of small architectural practices, home builders and contractors.

"ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 brings the benefits of BIM to the small-firm segment of the architectural market at a very competitive price", says Patrick Mays, Vice President and General Manager of Graphisoft North America. "ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 allows architects and builders with tight budgets to get the best BIM technology at an affordable price."�

ArchiCAD START Edition 2008:

ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 contains the necessary tools to create a building information model from which all of the associated 2D documents can be automatically extracted. It also provides the latest DWG-DXF and IFC 2x3 file exchange interfaces with external applications.

ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 contains all the powerful design and documentation features of ArchiCAD 11, but without the group collaboration features required by large firms. At the same time it ships with its full local content of ArchiCAD 11.

For the full specification of ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 please visit the following product website.

Availability:

ArchiCAD START Edition 2008 will be available from January 31 for the SRP price of $1995.00.�

About Graphisoft:

2007 Fall ArchitectsJURY Competition Results

Budapest, January 29, 2008 - Innovative style by Polish student selected

Based on eight months of voting by the community of ArchitectsJURY.com, the "JURY" selected the library project from Lodz, Poland as the winning entry. The project was designed in ArchiCAD by Maciej Grelewicz, who has finished his studies in January, 2008 at Technical University of Lodz.

"Very simple interiors with open plans are contrasted with an ornamental fa�ade", said Maciej Grelewicz about his design. �"The whole building is covered by golden colored panels with a laser-cut letter pattern. The Art Nouveau font, designed by Otto Eckmann forms the connection to the surrounding buildings - the majority was erected at the turn of the 20th century".

To see more images of the winning entry and the other works of Maciej Grelewicz, please visit http://www.architectsjury.com/pages/competition/2007-fall-semester/winners/. ��The Spring, 2008 competition will close in May, 2008.�� For application details please visit: http://www.architectsjury.com/pages/competition/2008-spring-semester/

About ArchitectsJURY:

This Web 2.0 community site was launched by Graphisoft in 2006 to enable students to share their designs and get feedback from their peers on a global basis.� �Anyone visiting the site is offered a unique series of design works to vote on. Visitors can also give comments and discuss design issues of the published works at http://architectsJURY.com

About Graphisoft:

Animated glass fa�ade leads to exclusive design distinction

Budapest, January 30 - L�nch�d 19 Hotel of Budapest has been granted membership to the Design Hotels chain - an exclusive club for hotels with unique architectural and interior design solutions.

The hotel is situated in the narrow belt between the Castle Hill and the Danube River, facing the symbolic Chain Bridge in Budapest, Hungary. The main architectural feature of the hotel is its animated glass fa�ade facing the Danube.� Glass lamellas making up the surface are in constant motion, reacting to their environment.� The lamellas can move together or individually, as huge waves mirroring the ripples of the Danube. At night, the fa�ade is lit up with thousands of LEDs exposing a second and a third layer of the surface.� The color of the light is constantly changing with movements in the outside temperature.

Photo: fenyszabo.com

The architectural design was done in ArchiCAD by P�ter Sug�r and L�szl� Bencz�r Jr. of Radius B+S. The fa�ade design was created by talented young artists at Sz�vets�g 39 and Nextlab, in cooperation with the architects.

About Graphisoft:

Mexican Architect Wins Graphisoft BIM Experience Kit Competition

Budapest, January 31, 2008 - Janette P�rez Arriaga of Arquitecto No� GL & PARTNERS has won a free commercial license of ArchiCAD 11 as the winner of the December drawing of the "BIM Experience Kit" competition.

"It was an incredible journey working with the BIM Experience Kit and the Interactive Training Guide", said Janette P�rez Arriaga, Architect of Arquitecto No� GL & PARTNERS, Jalisco, M�xico. "The sample building project was actually located on an island and built upon a huge rock formation they called the whale rock. The way this complex terrain problem was handled was especially convincing for me".

About Graphisoft:

Nikken Sekkei's Signature Theatre Design - with ArchiCAD

Budapest, January 22 - Construction was recently completed on the Jimbocho Theater in Tokyo. This landmark building was designed by the studio of Tomohiko Yamanashi of Nikken Sekkei, Japan's largest architectural firm. Yamanashi is considered one of Japan's leading architects. This six-story 1,428 square meter theatre and entertainment center is owned by Shogakukan, a publishing firm.

The design phase of the project was completed in just three months. ArchiCAD and its 3D environment helped the design team to realize the most appropriate design for the stunning building, while also meeting strict code requirements. Because the building will be used on a 24 hour basis, the exposed concrete interior serves to naturally cool the building.

With the clarity of the 3D information provided to the builder, there was virtually no waste at the construction site, and the building cost in the range of a normal theatre of its size. The construction period required just 15 months.

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iPod keeps $300M building design project on track

Budapest, January 16, 2008 - ML Design, a master planning, urban design and architectural firm based in Brisbane, Australia was faced with a crashed project server which jeopardized project progress and meeting an important client deadline.

Hugo Riveros at ML Design is the Model Manager for a $300 million office tower in the heart of Brisbane. The night before an important deadline, the firm's project server malfunctioned. They were unable to retrieve data from their server or to communicate between computers. Fortunately, an ArchiCAD draft file was saved on Mr. Riveros' computer. The project team was able to continue working by creating an ArchiCAD Teamwork file on the iPod and share it.

"I had the idea that if one person could sign in multiple times for different people, and then save those respective drafts onto the iPod, we could possibly take the iPod to another computer, copy the draft for them onto their machines, and allow them to continue work. We had seven people working on a teamwork project without a server!" said Mr. Riveros.

After the successful iPod Teamwork-solution, ML Design started to discover other benefits in using an iPod:

"It's so handy to carry sample work on an iPod. I also store templates, our office specific libraries and other related items. Whenever I meet with a client, I always have what I need in the palm of my hand."

ML design is an established multidisciplinary, architecturally based design practice with studios in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. The company is a strong performer in design and uses ArchiCAD for their broad range of type and scale of projects. They cover commercial, retail, residential, multi-residential, hotel, resort and tourism, public works and mixed-use projects. Today, ML Design has a reputation as a national and international design practice and has completed projects in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam, China and the United Arab Emirates.

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Graphisoft West Unites West Coast BIM Technology Resellers

New regional resource for sales, marketing, training and support of ArchiCAD; Clients gain world-class implementation and technical support

Boston, MA - January 8, 2008 - Graphisoft announced the launch of a new regional distribution/reseller business aimed at making it easier to sell, teach and support ArchiCAD to architects in the western U.S.

Graphisoft West, headquartered in Oakland, Calif., will serve as a centralized resource for North American ArchiCAD resellers and their customers in the Pacific and Mountain regions. Graphisoft West provides marketing, branding, educational materials, technical support and retail web store capabilities for technology partners who wish to tap into the fast-growing market for Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. It also makes it easier for customers to get the sales, training and support they need to transform their architectural practices to the new world of 3D BIM.

ArchiCAD is recognized as the world's most well-established BIM system, with millions of buildings already realized. Graphisoft, which already has a substantial North American customer base, is expanding rapidly in the western region thanks to the company's increasing brand awareness and an innovative business model that makes 3D virtual building design accessible to more businesses and individuals.

"We're uniting the West Coast ArchiCAD resellers into a single group to support Graphisoft's customers faster, better and smarter," said Tom Simmons, Graphisoft West president. "Partners will continue to operate their individual businesses, but they now gain sophisticated sales, marketing and branding support while their clients gain world-class educational and technical support."

In addition to ArchiCAD, Graphisoft West offers a range of complimentary software and products. It also offers offline and online e-classroom training, seminars, webcasts, workshops, online user forums, books, DVDs and other training materials.

CAD resellers interested in joining Graphisoft West should contact Chris Clark or visit the Graphisoft West web site.

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New Puma Headquarters in Germany

Inspired by Brand, Created with ArchiCAD

Budapest, January 7 - Construction began on the new Puma Group HQ in Herzogenaurach, Germany in November 2007. Known as the Puma Plaza, the complex is being developed in an area of approximately 50,000 square meters and will house 700 employees. The design was created by Klaus Krex of da capo al fine architects, based in Nuremberg.

The plaza of three buildings includes an administrative building, a brand centre to be used for employee development and training, and a retail store. In his design, Krex drew inspiration from the Puma brand and its logo: the retail building resembles the world-famous red shoe box.

Environmental considerations played a significant role in the design concept. All three buildings have modern concrete-core conditioning for eco-friendly heating and cooling. The building's energy requirements are met by a 1,000 square-meter solar energy system on the roof of the retail building and along the facade

Remarkably, the overall design was created by Klaus Krex alone, who accomplished this by using ArchiCAD and its ability to help visualize his creation in 3D from the outset. Later, a team from the firm realized the entire project with ArchiCAD.

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PINI to Distribute ArchiCAD in Brazil

Budapest, December 14, 2007 - Graphisoft, the global leader in Virtual BuildingTM solutions, has announced that PINI, Brazil's leading building information and software supplier, will distribute Graphisoft's award-winning suite of 3D architectural design products in Brazil. PINI, with its head office in Sao Paolo, will focus its activities in major urban areas throughout Brazil.

"Brazil's economy is growing very rapidly and the construction business is booming.� Traditional design methods will not keep pace", said Ademir Pautasso Nunes, President of PINI. "It is perfect timing to introduce the Brazilian architectural community to Graphisoft's BIM (Building Information Modeling) solution, which has proven itself with millions of great buildings realized throughout the world."�

"In expanding our presence in the Brazilian market, we were looking for a company who really understood what it takes to make solutions successful in firms," said Dominic Gallello, CEO of Graphisoft. "With PINI's industry leading estimating (Volare) and construction ERP (Versato) applications, ArchiCAD will fit perfectly into the design phase of the construction process.� We believe our customers and future customers will be very well served".

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Habitat for Humanity Volunteers 'Blitz Build' Katrina Homes in Record Time with ArchiCAD

ArchiCAD Standard at Habitat for Over a Decade

Boston, December 13, 2007 - Graphisoft's ArchiCAD is helping Habitat for Humanity and an army of volunteers build five houses in five days in partnership with families who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina.�

Solid Rock Carpenters, a Habitat group of volunteers who help people in need acquire decent and affordable housing, is wrapping up its latest "Blitz Build" of homes in Bogalusa, La. Solid Rock Carpenters consist of 1,000+ volunteers of all ages, genders and experience levels who have participated in Katrina-related construction and rebuilding projects, helping more than 70 families in the Gulf Coast area to date.

The Glenview, IL-based organization raises funds to buy construction materials, as well as donating their own time and contributions to Habitat for Humanity.
The Bogalusa Blitz Build is the latest rapid-construction project in the organization's history. Having recently completed a two-home project in Franklinton, La., this summer, approximately 400 volunteers converged on Bogalusa to best their own record.

As many Habitat houses in the United States are designed in ArchiCAD, the organization was able to leverage the 3D Building Information Model (BIM) to dramatically accelerate estimating and construction coordination of the Bogalusa project, according to Mark Benner, architect and Solid Rock Carpenter volunteer.

"Volunteers came together on weekends and evenings to precut, layout and build all the walls and building components, shrink-wrapping them into neat packages for assembly by our on-site volunteers," Benner said. "The ArchiCAD models enabled me to quickly and easily generate all the construction documents to be utilized by a largely unskilled workforce, while also helping to coordinate material delivery and construction sequencing to speed up the process. This level of preparedness enabled our professional volunteers to move into supervisory and quality control roles, which ultimately produced more homes of better quality in less time using the same number of volunteers. It was a huge success."

ArchiCAD is used to design and construct Habitat for Humanity projects throughout the U.S. and in many other countries across the globe. Graphisoft has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of software to architects working at Habitat regional offices and affiliates.

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Iceland architect wins Graphisoft BIM Experience Kit Competition.�

Budapest, December 11, 2007 - Helgi Mar Hallgr�msson of Arkthing has won a free commercial license of ArchiCAD 11 as the winner of the November drawing of the "BIM Experience Kit" competition.

"In the past, I have only used 2D CAD software for drafting and specialized 3D Software for modeling. Exporting back and forth between programs has always been a frustrating, time consuming process and often produces unpredictable results," said Helgi Mar Hallgr�msson, Architect of Arkthing, Reykjavik, Iceland. "Being able to use a single software package for both 2D and 3D is something I have been interested in for some time.� ArchiCAD's Interactive Training guide was a great way for me to develop a fundamental understanding of the BIM way of doing things."

To participate in the competition and have a chance to win next month's free ArchiCAD 11 license, and a trip to Budapest in the spring of 2008, register and download the free BIM Experience Kit from: http://experienceBIM.com

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Dubai Sports City Tower Hotel Takes Shape with ArchiCAD

December 7, 2007 - The Munich architectural firm of Lang Hugger Rampp GmbH emerged the victor in a hard-fought competition for the design of the Dubai Sports City Tower Hotel - a project of special importance because of its sustainable design approach, still unique in the region.��

The 5-star hotel is part of a new district, known as Dubai Sports City, which is currently being created in the southwest part of the Emirate, in the middle of the desert. Three stadiums, a golf course and a sports academy are being built, as well as a shopping mall, hotels, flats and office buildings.�� The main design concepts for the Tower Hotel include serving as an axial link to the sports facility and the residential developments as well as its sustainable energy approach.� The 39-floor hotel with its dynamic styling reflects the theme and function of the new district - sports.��

A dominant visual element is the innovative sunscreen structure that the Munich firm developed for this project. The sunscreen had to dramatically minimise the energy consumption required while not blocking light for the hotel rooms or obstructing views.�� The solution is a doubly curved sunscreen structure, made of 1.5 meter deep perforated aluminium sheet panels hung in front of the glass facade. The vertical spacing of the panels is 3.6 metres. This creates a structure which, along with its shading function, also gives the building its unique character, which is marked by openness, transparency and dynamism.� Despite the high visual transparency, this sunscreen design reduces energy consumption by approximately 60 % compared to a "normal" glass facade. �Neither the amount of daylight entering the rooms nor the view from the rooms is in any way impaired.

Lang Hugger Rampp, is a young, successful firm, handling both domestic and a number of major international projects. Lang Hugger Rampp has worked with ARCHICAD since the firm was established in 2004.� �"The software once again proved its worth in this project," says a delighted Thomas Joseph Rampp. "The program proved to be so powerful that it was possible to cope with the difficult geometry, involving curves in two directions, both in the areas of styling and detail."

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Houses of Indian Beach Fuse Modernist Architecture with Sustainable Design

Guy Peterson Architects uses ArchiCAD to design award-winning residential neighborhood

BOSTON - November 27, 2007 - A new, awarding-winning neighborhood in Sarasota, Florida, will be one of the first projects to combine the clean beauty of International Style architecture with sustainable design concepts for both the buildings and surrounding landscape. �

Described as "architectural art you can live in," the Houses of Indian Beach will be an enclave of 23 homes inspired by the regional modernism of the "Sarasota School of Architecture," a recognized architectural movement from the 1940s and 50s.

Each home will be individually designed, with no two homes alike, and strategically located to maximize the lot size and privacy of each home on a secluded 8.4 acre plot of land highlighted by dozens of mature oak trees and exotic landscaping.

Architect Guy Peterson, FAIA, designed the project in ArchiCAD to take advantage of the landscape's beauty, with lot shapes and build locations preserving as much of the natural environment as possible. The houses will be of modest size, use simple, modular components, and employ the latest energy efficient systems, sustainable building materials and green building construction techniques.

Working with ArchiCAD enabled Peterson to design the development as a single integrated virtual environment with all buildings, materials, characteristics and landscape contained into a 3D building information model (BIM). From this BIM model he was able extract all the information needed to completely describe the project, complete plans, sections and elevations, architectural and construction details, Bills of Materials, window/door/finish schedules, renderings, animations and virtual reality scenes.

"These houses should serve as a model for modern neighborhoods by being designed by analysis and reduction rather than by stylistic imitation and embellishment," said Peterson. "The ability to design the entire neighborhood in ArchiCAD as a BIM model enabled us to maximize the sustainability of the homes and landscape, merging new technologies with classic modern architecture while preserving the area's spectacular treescape."

The Houses of Indian Beach garnered Peterson the Merit Award for Unbuilt Work by the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects.