This blog is about using BIM on a day to day basis. I cover ArchiCAD tips and tricks, BIM and management thoughts, and occasionally how this all relates to the Minnesota ArchiCAD Usergroup (which I started in 2009). The specifics are about ArchiCAD—that’s the software I use and sell—but the overall themes are relevant regardless of your software. Programs are just tools. BIM is a mentality.
Did you know you can make a ramp using just a slab and nothing else?
Recently I’ve had opportunities to model quite a few schematic designs and imaginary buildings for the creation of renderings and walk-through movies. I love working on these types of models in ArchiCAD. A part of me would be happy to just get paid to design and model imaginary structures (take that as a hint). You don’t have to worry about how the building goes together. It’s just about surfaces, feelings and prettiness. Maybe that’s why I’m such a fan of Steven Holl’s phenomenological approach to architecture (and yes I know that’s an over simplification).
Because I’ve been focusing on the experience of viewing the models, I’ve learned a ton of cool new tricks in ArchiCAD. When working on presentation models one needs to create a lot of objects and elements that are typically ignored in a model built solely for construction documents. Many I’d never have found in my regular work. Take this post for instance. Or this one. Both are some of my favorite posts.
So here’s some cool stuff about slabs now that they can have custom edge conditions.
It’s Valentine’s Day, so let’s share some love between BIM platforms… It also happens to be a busy week at Shoegnome doing things I can’t talk about or share right now. So here’s some news that’s a little old, but still good.
You can now download Tekla BIMSight directly from www.myarchicad.com. You can read about all the details here. This is a great step for the industry. We need convergence, openness, and interoperability between programs. I want to work in my software, you want to work in yours. We can share via a common language in a neutral, free platform. That’s the dream. And that’s what Tekla is aiming to do with BIMSight. It’s nice to see Graphisoft put their support behind this. I hope others do as well.
I found an excuse to combine my love of art cars and ArchiCAD
I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent trying to match shadows in renderings to photos. Why didn’t I think of this before? All digital photos have a date and time stamp. Plug that into ArchiCAD (3D projection settings/more sun), pick your location, set your project north correctly and that should be that.
This photo was taken in my driveway in St. Paul, Minnesota. Can you tell me when it was taken?
Instead of writing a blog post and recording a video for the Youtube Channel tonight, I get to deal with a broken washing machine. Joy. I’ll get the post and video up either Tuesday or Wednesday night. In the meantime…
There are a lot of ways to hear about my latest blog posts, news, and adventures. Here are the three biggest:
Since the release of ArchiCAD 15 I’ve enjoyed using the shell tool–more for it’s ability to be reshaped in 3D, plan, section, and elevation than its crazy form-making opportunities. BIMES has created a 4 minute video that highlights how impressive and versatile the shell tool is and I am just blown away. Enjoy.
This video originally came from a blog post by BIMES that explains the origin and reasoning behind this interesting form. It’s worth a read.
One additional thing worth mentioning that’s not covered in the video. Once the shell is created, it can be saved (like anything else) as an object for ease of replication in the project. Any time you need to have multiple copies of a form created by the shell tool, it’s worth thinking about creating an object. Since currently a shell can’t have multiple instances that link back to a master element, if you have 100 identical forms they couldn’t all be redefined with a few simple clicks. But saving the shell as an embedded object fixes that and is very easy. Refine the shell, resave the object and the updates are propagated to all the placed objects. Fast and easy. I’ve got a video on my to do list that shows how that process works more clearly.
Thanks BIMES for the awesome video. Can’t wait for more!
To Close out 2011, here’s a great video of Ice Cube talking about the Eames. It’s from Pacific Standard Time the birth of the LA art scene. I know it doesn’t have anything to do with ArchiCAD, but it’s Ice Cube talking about the Eames. How cool is that? I hope you enjoy it and I’ll see you in 2012 with a lot of great new ArchiCAD stuff for the blog and beyond. (More on that next week).
Wisdom from the Crowd