My first overtly ArchiCAD vs Revit Post, sort of.

I’m trying some new things on the blog, now that I have more time and more outlets for writing about ArchiCAD. So just like last week, I’m trying for 5 posts in 5 days. And to have them all within a theme. Here’s #1.

So of course I’m going to be horribly biased…. but here’s a few thoughts.

I think both ArchiCAD and Revit are easy programs to learn, but hard to master. HOWEVER… if you know one, learning the other will be easy IF you don’t try to make Program A act like Program B. Instead think “Okay, in Revit I could do thing X, so therefore I MUST be able to do something similar in ArchiCAD.” That’s a great mentality. If you say “I did this in Revit, therefore it must work the same way in ArchiCAD.” You will fail. Trying to make ArchiCAD act like Revit will drive you mad. And vise-verse. Use the knowledge of how BIM works and apply it elsewhere. Neither program is really harder. Just different.

Each program can help you work smarter as an architect. And that’s what I care about. Obviously I have my strong preference–this is not the time to explain all the reasons behind why I think you should be using ArchiCAD (if you aren’t). If ArchiCAD and Revit offer similar value, or if ArchiCAD is better for architects to use, why is one dominating the other? That’s a complex question, but it really comes down to this… Revit LOOKS more popular. Autodesk has a huge marketing team. They have done a good job convincing people that everyone else is using Revit and that if you don’t know it you’ll fall behind. That’s BULLSHIT. The only people who are going to fall behind are those that are not shifting to BIM and then continuing to learn and improve.

The market for ArchiCAD users in the USA is definitely smaller, but so is the pool of applicants. So I don’t think finding a job based on ArchiCAD knowledge is a hindrance. Now if you are in a position where you have your own firm or are independent and you’re just trying to find a program that is a good fit for you. If you’re not worried about the pressure to be marketable to Revit firms (which is a bullshit external pressure). Instead, if you want to find a program that is a good fit for your company or the place you work, etc. etc. then ArchiCAD is going to serve you very well. You will not be limited in your ability to design, produce, or collaborate. Our community is strong and growing. And there are more and more resources out there to help you learn and connect with others.

New Train of Thought

Another way I like to describe it is this: if you choose ArchiCAD you are standing up and saying ‘I’m going to forge my own path, be a leader.’ If you choose Revit, you’re saying ‘I’m going to play it safe and do my best to conform.’ Now in the real world, both those are honestly acceptable routes, but I know which statement I try to live my life by. When I first became the reseller (Agent technically) for Minnesota, I was chatting with a Revit reseller while on a field trip with the AIA Minnesota BIM Breakfast group. I told him I was the new ArchiCAD reseller and here was his response: “Oh ArchiCAD. That’s a great program. But no one ever got fired for choosing Revit”. His words have stuck with me. I love them. In no way was he saying one was better than the other, and I’m not about to get into that trap. He was just acknowledging that one was the safer choice. I’m tired of safe. Safe doesn’t cause jump shifts in evolution. Safe keeps you in a job you hate. Take a stand.

Okay, now that I’ve made everyone agree with me and abandon Autodesk products…

Remember it’s CAD vs BIM and dumb vs intelligent models, not ArchiCAD vs Revit that matters. Let’s all get to BIM then fight it out. Or better yet: get to BIM, embrace Open BIM, and let everyone use what suits them best. Then we can all focus on getting the jazz mindset and managing all our success. There’s still too many people that think flatcad plus a certain 3D modeling software that’s free/cheap is a good enough solution. Once you know how to use ArchiCAD or Revit or Vectorworks’ BIM capabilities, etc. whatever speed you think you have will be put into context. Three ranting pet peeves in less than a week. Ah well. Viva BIM.

Until tomorrow…

and now the disclaimer: I don’t really have one, other than that I’m an architect who uses ArchiCAD for primarily residential work. If you don’t know that, read some more of my blog before you start flaming. It’ll help you get more ammo.

15 Responses to "My first overtly ArchiCAD vs Revit Post, sort of."

JennK says:

September 10, 2012 at 3:12 pm

Great post!

I have worked for a firm that uses ArchiCAD for 3 years and was taught Revit in school before that.

I have had arguments with people over what is ‘better’ Revit or ArchiCAD. Some don’t even know what ArchiCAD is or what it does. It’s sad because it is such a great program that hasn’t been marketed like Revit has been.

Reply
Dave Olufs says:

September 10, 2012 at 4:02 pm

I’ve been in positions of purchasing cad programs for firms I’ve worked for or my own practice…

And numerous times, an AutoCad sales person made the comment, “AutoCad may not be the best but its the biggest and that’s the only reason you should buy it.” Further, their reasoning included the fact that when you need employees, there’s a ready supply of AutoCad trained candidates…

“Not the best but the biggest…” was not the ringing endorsement I was looking for. In my business, I like to think I’m providing the best, therefore why would I settle for something that was not the best. Granted, great tools don’t make a great practitioner but inferior tools can limit a practitioners ability to perform and produce…

In the end, quality performance and efficient production is a main business endeavor. And that’s why I use ArchiCAD.

Reply
Djordje says:

September 10, 2012 at 10:29 pm

What everyone in the AvR fight forgets – and the Autodesk sales reps are arguably better at this, too – is that the combined usage is still WAY less than the flatcad …

… I said USAGE, not ownership. Somehow I would guess that most of the people who own ArchiCAD actually use it, while not being so sure about the owners of the Revit licenses …

… so, what’s the point? To each his own, if you are happy to drive a beige Toyota, please do it, but safely. Looking at a bigger picture, BIMming is the point.

And … nobody but Graphisoft could squander 25 years of market presence as marketing and awareness, but that’s another story, that mostly rings true in the US. Very different elsewhere.

Reply
Troy says:

September 10, 2012 at 10:50 pm

At the end of the day projects still need to be designed and documented. If Revit isn’t doing the job then people wouldn’t use it. The fact of the matter that companies are getting projects designed, documented and built using Revit shows all that matters.

If you want to compare feature to feature its a wash. Look at project completion, that’s all that matters.

Reply
1. Jared Banks says:
  
  September 11, 2012 at 7:31 am
  
  First off, thank you everyone for the great comments. BIMming is definitely the point. I like that Troy and Djordje’s comments mesh well. Project completion… ArchiCAD did have a huge headstart on Revit regarding project completion in the US, but I fear that buffer is severely eroded.
  
  Jay, great points. I did say I was going to be biased! The original post had way too much suspect language and I did what I could to cut much of it out. Clearly I could have gone farther. But it’s out of my system now (for the most part) and the rest of the week will be much, much less about the rhetoric. I hope. (we all know some will slip in!) Thanks for calling me on it. It is so easy to fall in the trap and it can often be too distracting from the main point. Never said rebel, though perhaps I’ll edit the post to say ‘Maverick’. That might help push it towards the lighthearted spectrum.
  
  I like the BMW vs Mercedes idea. Because, come on, isn’t that what we’re both driving? Any argument that does go down the path of me vs you (which is silly), is really about two great tools for our industry. So it’s all just nit-picky. And I have the feeling that the big differences between the programs are just views on how to get to a similar end product. And I’m happy to have choices in the market (more on that later this week, I think). I can’t even imagine having to work back in the dark ages of CAD. Finally, Jay your comment does a good job of foreshadowing today’s post, as well as some of the others I have coming this week: http://www.shoegnome.com/2012/09/11/the-beast-with-1000-heads/
  
  Like I said, I really appreciate the comments and am thrilled to see us all pushing for the common goal of architects working smarter.
  
  Reply
Jay B Zallan says:

September 11, 2012 at 12:05 am

For one advocating the use of whatever tool we choose, your post is of a quite opposite mindset.

A vs R is a needless argument, like BMW vs Mercedes is… It’s the drivers, if all is truly equivelent.

You are still playing the “My BIM tool is better than yours” and while other Archi-heads may agree and feel all warm and cozy at your rhetoric, it is shying away from meaningful writing you may have…

-and whilee it may make you feel like a rebel using A, just remember James Dean even wore Levi’s… It is what one does with things, not what things are!!! In BIM as well as life.

Reply
Jared Banks says:

September 11, 2012 at 7:47 am

And as I said on twitter, if this is the response people have after reading the post:

“It is what one does with things, not what things are (used)!!! In BIM as well as life.”

Then I’m very happy (thanks Jay for that Tweet). That’s the same point I was hoping for people to see after my Michael Graves rant, too.

Reply
Erik says:

September 11, 2012 at 8:10 am

In response to something you said at the beginning of the post about learning and mastery:

When we have new hires that come from a different platform, I always counsel them that the software are basically the same. Your job is to now figure out what Revit calls the particular tool you are looking for. Once you can do that, your well on your way to a deep knowledge of the program.

Reply
1. Jared Banks says:
  
  September 11, 2012 at 8:16 am
  
  Erik, well said. I always harp on people to use the correct terminology. I know it’s helpful to use old terms to help reference your learning, but it can also be distracting. I find it helps with learning to use the new words in the correct way and not use the old language. One example that comes to mind is we (ArchiCAD) have the Layout Book and AutoCAD has (or had?) paperspace. Similar, but different. I always cringe when users still say paperspace. It just hints at either a lack of investment or understanding. Neither a good sign. Thanks!
  
  Reply
Dave Plumb says:

September 11, 2012 at 2:15 pm

Started reading the first paragraph or two and I kept thinking:
Sure ArchiCAD can do somethings better (and has been around longer) and Revit can do other things better.
But what really matters is making the mental switch from CAD to BIM.
Then I got to your last paragraph.
Bingo!
BIM (any flavor) forces you to think more holistically and communicate/coordinate more with the rest of the team. And that’s a good thing.

Reply
1. Jared Banks says:
  
  September 11, 2012 at 2:54 pm
  
  Dave, Yes it is a good thing! Thanks for bringing an extra smile to my day.
  
  Reply
Andres Vimos says:

December 1, 2012 at 10:09 am

Im sorry! but i dont see any good arguments why Archicad is better than Revit, rather i find it subjective. You like Archicad and that’s it. Now totally agree BIM is the future and you will get stuck if you dont learn and improve.

Reply
1. Jared Banks says:
  
  December 1, 2012 at 1:39 pm
  
  No need to apologize for your opinion. Like I said in the post it’s not about Revit vs ArchiCAD but getting us all to BIM.
  
  The Revit vs ArchiCAD debate has a lot of subjectivity to it (as clearly my thoughts are admittedly biased). But there is a lot of objective debate (or debate that tries to be objective). Here for example: http://www.shoegnome.com/2012/09/11/the-beast-with-1000-heads/. And as much as we all don’t want to admit it, it probably is possible to definitively and objectively say one is better than the other. Though I doubt any of us are qualified to make that call. And even setting the criteria for what better means is beyond our grasp as well… So best not to go down that road.
  
  HOWEVER, to say you don’t see any good arguments why ArchiCAD is better than Revit is complete BS. There are plenty of great arguments. Just like there are plenty of great arguments why Revit is superior.
  
  What is more important is to not be afraid of the other; to avoid claiming one is better than the other because we don’t want to admit we are using an inferior product. Ask yourself why ArchiCAD can’t be better than Revit. Verify that it is an honest view. Hopefully it’ll make you better at using Revit, better at acknowledging it’s flaws and benefits, and appreciate more the strengths/weaknesses of ArchiCAD as well. And for me the same, but the software names reversed. The moment we just blindy say we’re right, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment, failure, and obsolescence.
  
  Reply
Scott Page says:

December 20, 2012 at 3:33 pm

Having been an Archicad user since v.6.5, I found it a reliable platform for getting projects built. More recently, I’ve had to look to Autodesk and Bentley for their commitment to point cloud technology, whereas Graphisoft has clearly punted. I will find work-arounds to bring processed scan data into Archicad as 2D images, but will look to others for leadership in the area of 3D reality capture. For more on this, check out my recent article at AECbytes:
http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/2012/issue_66.html

Reply
1. Jared Banks says:
  
  December 21, 2012 at 11:17 am
  
  Scott, great article. Hopefully the future will be open. I have to believe it will be. With Trimble buying SketchUp, the concept of a more robust point cloud connection with SketchUp seems believable. And I also only see the connection between SketchUp and ArchiCAD getting stronger over time (again Trimble being in the mix seems to make this more likely).
  
  Finally, I also see the Morph tool as ArchiCAD’s solution to Point Cloud integration. Let another company master the creation of the clouds. Then once those clouds can be imported to ArchiCAD as an object in one form or another (.skp, .kmz, .3ds, .ifc…) they can be morphed and manipulated as necessary in ArchiCAD. An extra step, yes. But…
  
  Again great article. Very exciting things on the way!
  
  Reply

So of course I’m going to be horribly biased…. but here’s a few thoughts.

New Train of Thought

Okay, now that I’ve made everyone agree with me and abandon Autodesk products…

Share me:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply