Welcome to AECWeekly! Live sections and updated architectural objects are just some of the enhancements in the latest version of VectorWorks Architect from Nemetschek. Read about that product in this week's Industry News.
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Industry News
VectorWorks Architect 12 Breaks New Ground
By Susan Smith
 This shows off the new window object which is part of Architect's new intelligent building objects. |
1) The addition of live sections. “A building section is typically a drawing that an architectural builder has to create. Creating these sectional drawings is currently a very manual process in most CAD applications,” said Monaghan. “With live sections we now can cut a section through a three dimensional model of a building and then we can view that section drawing and begin to embellish it to create that section drawing. That section view of the model is live, so if you move a wall in 2D or in 3D or you replace a wall with a different type of wall, then all those changes will be reflected in a section view. In addition to creating section views and section drawings, it's very easy now to create interior elevation which is a common drawing that architects have to create. This was one of our top wish list items.”
2) Updated all architectural building objects. “We updated and improved the intelligent building objects that shipped with Architect 12,” said Flaherty. “We improved walls, stairs, doors, windows and cabinets, to name a few. The overall improvement is that they're much easier to use and more configurable.”
Some of the improvements made to walls included making the creation of compound or cavity walls much easier. Architect 12 also makes it easier to manage libraries of wall types. Most importantly, Nemetschek added the ability to replace one wall type with another wall type and to have that replacement be intelligent, so as you swap one wall style with another wall style they are automatically aligned correctly. “So if you go from a 10 inch foundation wall to a 12 inch foundation wall it'll know, based on your input, whether to stick in the walls from the inside or the outside of the centerline,” explained Flaherty. “The objects have intelligence, and will rejoin everything at the end. Intelligent wall replacement gives you much more control over how the walls are replaced and will automatically align them correctly.”
In the previous release, walls only supported centerline replacement. It did that intelligently, “but the problem we heard from designers was, a lot of times they kept the structural part of the walls in the same place, but they might change the installation or the facade material and they wanted the structural part to all stay the same,” Flaherty pointed out.
For walls, stairs and doors, Version 12 has graphical dialogues that allow you to preview the changes that are being made to the object. In the previous release, the dialogues were very text heavy and didn't allow for a preview any of the changes. The object itself was the preview and now you can actually preview your changes in the dialog.
 This is an example of the new human form found in VectorWorks Architect which can be used as scale references to round out drawings. |
1) Stairs are now made up of flight platforms and these different configurations of flights and platforms can be combined and reconstituted to create a wide variety of configurations that were impossible to recreate in other versions or even in other software programs.
2) The view on the bottom story and the view on the top story can be linked together. If you have a two story house, for example, the first floor view of the stair in PlanView and the second story view in PlanView are now linked together. Previous software was limited in that in placing the stair on the first floor you would then have to go back and draw the second view of the stairs, so one view would show the stairs pointing up with a break and the second story view would show the stairs with a break, yet the views are different. The advantage of the stair tool is that these now can be coordinated, so a change on one level will affect the view on the second level.
3) Now designers can also move the stair both on the first floor and the second floor simultaneously. There is also much more control over the handrail in the version 12 release.
Doors and windows, like stairs, have graphical previews to make it easier to configure them. They both have many more options so they remove a lot of the limitations that doors and windows in version 11 have and allow designers to create many more types of doors and windows. There are so many different types of windows for the U.S., Europe and Asia, said Flaherty, and more interest in European windows that are built to a higher energy standard because of high energy prices. Doublehung windows with different sized sashes, common in some areas like New England, are also possible.
Third party libraries and additional file format support
Nemetschek is a founding member of the Open Design Alliance, an organization responsible for providing alternative open design software libraries for those users of DWG and other file formats that enable them to exchange files. Nemetschek has a full time engineering staff that works on nothing but DXF and DWG translations. “VectorWorks Architect 12 is definitely the most compatible version to date, with some big improvements made to our translation,” commented Flaherty.
3ds is another file format that VectorWorks supports, which is a common file format for many 3D modeling and rendering applications. VectorWorks users will find it easier to share models with designers using Viz and 3D Max. Designers access hundreds of 3D modeling libraries that are available on the internet, so now VectorWorks users can go to these sites and download sometimes free content to use in their models. The 3ds file format is great for finding the one off models that you need to put into your design.
In addition, a high end furniture library is shipping free with VectorWorks Architect, so the new furniture library is from Knoll studios, a company that produces a line of high end modern furniture from designers like Geary. “It will allow architects to add a new level of sophistication to their newly rendered scenes. That's free in VectorWorks Architect 12.”
VectorWorks Product Line Up
The VectorWorks product line (although there is no one product called “VectorWorks” anymore) is comprised of Architect, Landmark and Designer. According to Flaherty, Designer is the culmination of all their products, containing all the functionality all the Design Series products (Architect, Landmark, Spotlight and Machine Design). Designer is good for those professionals who design both landscape and buildings. For both Architect and Landmark the interface has been dramatically improved -- not only is it much faster but more robust and is easier to use. Landmark is for landscape and site designers while Architect is for commercial and residential design.
The Digital Terrain Model is part of Landmark and also part of Architect. “We have had complaints from customers who find errors in the site information of their DTMs. One of the biggest advantages of the new DTM is it will help fix those site designs that you get sometimes, and will help people get their terrain much more quickly,” said Monaghan.
Besides these products there is Nemetschek's basic drafting and modeling program, VectorWorks Fundamentals.
An option to all those products is RenderWorks, a high end rendering add on. Built into VectorWorks is OpenGL rendering which is normal quality rendering. RenderWorks adds photorealistic capabilities with radiosity, the most accurate way to map light on the computer, according to Flaherty. This is useful for interior designers as in addition, what is known as Accurate Light is also part of the product. Accurate Lights are lights that follow real physical properties and will map inside radiosity exactly the way a bulb or light fixture is going to look in reality.
A partnership with CADdetails.com has been formed which provides many details from many building and landscape product manufacturers. Now VectorWorks 12 users can go to CADdetails.com and download details directly from libraries and have access to a generic library of details those ships free in VectorWorks Architect.
Company Background
Nemetschek North America's parent company is Nemetschek AG, a Munich based firm, and their two main products are AllPlan and AllPlot which are sold only in Europe. These products are very high end structural design software for the commercial automation market. In contrast, Nemetschek NA's VectorWorks products are design phase only products and are more broadly sold. Approximately one-third of Nemetschek NA's sales are in North America, one-third of sales go to Europe and one-third are in Japan.
Nemetschek AG in Munich formally bought what was called Diehl Graphsoft five years ago, which is organized as a holding company, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Nemetschek AG. Revenue for the whole corporation is about $120 million per year, and the company is publicly traded.
Announcements
Intergraph Corporation announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2005. Revenue for the quarter was $149.9 million, an increase of 11.3% from $134.7 million reported in the third quarter of 2004. For the nine months ended September 30, 2005, revenue was $431.7 million, an increase of 6.6% from $404.9 million reported in the same period of 2004. Read the entire press release
IBSystems, Inc. is pleased to announce that Willis Bennett is the winner of the October 17th iPOD mini sweepstakes. Will is a GISCafe.com reader from Fair Oaks California. Congratulations Will!
Autodesk, Inc. announced that its media and entertainment systems and software are shaping more than 40 television shows for the 2005-2006 television programming season. From returning favorites such as Lost and Nip/Tuck to provocative new shows like Prison Break and Rome, Autodesk's technology is relied upon by broadcasters and post-production facilities to realize edge-of-your-seat entertainment.
Epicor Software Corporation, a provider of enterprise software solutions, reported its financial results for the third quarter 2005. Total revenues for the third quarter were $70.1 million, compared with $62.2 million in the prior year's quarter, representing a growth rate of 13%. License fees were $18.3 million for the third quarter compared to $15.3 million in the third quarter of 2004, up 19%. Consulting revenue for the third quarter of 2005 was $18.1 million compared with $15.8 million in the third quarter of 2004, up 15%. Maintenance and other revenue for the third quarter of 2005 was $33.7 million compared with $31.1 million in the third quarter of 2004, up 9%.
Turner Construction Company, a wholly- owned subsidiary of The Turner Corporation, the nation's leading general builder, announced the findings of its survey of 665 building owners, developers, architects, engineers, corporate owner-occupants, consultants and educational institutions on Green building issues. Similar to the survey conducted in 2004, the 2005 Market Barometer again took a snapshot of the views of senior executives on the benefits and costs of Green buildings. However, this year's survey placed a special focus on Green educational facilities -- both K-12 and higher educational facilities.
Appointments
TRIRIGA announces the promotion of Robert Willis to vice president of IT for TRIRIGA. Willis has several areas of responsibilities. He currently leads the Technology Services and Performance Task Group. He was also instrumental in starting TRIRIGA's hosting services for its current product line.
Geac Computer Corporation Limited, a global enterprise software company dedicated to addressing the needs of CFOs, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Eric Rosenfeld of New York-based Crescendo Partners, L.P., as director of the Company, effective immediately.
Joan Miller, senior vice president of client development and marketing for CH2M HILL's Industrial Client Group, was named 2005 Corporate Woman of the Year by the Women's Vision Foundation. The award, presented during the 8th annual Women's Success Forum held here, recognizes a prominent woman executive in the Denver metro area who exemplifies outstanding professional achievement, quality performance, creativity and work/life balance.
Awards
PLH arkitekter as, an architectural practice based in Denmark, has won a 2005 BE Award for the SBA Group office building in Vilnius, Lithuania. The award category was "Building: BIM for Simulation and Visualization, Single Subject."
The University of Newcastle's School of Marine Sciences & Technology announces its M.Eng students have won both first and third place in the prestigious 2005 Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME). The accolades mark the ninth time the school has placed in the top three since 1995: seven times in first place and once in second. The Stage 4 Group Ship Design Project at Newcastle University brings together M.Eng students studying for M.Eng (Hon) Marine Technology in numerous disciplines.
V3 Companies Ltd., a multi- disciplined consulting firm, is one of the top firms for civil engineers and ranks first among firms headquartered in Illinois according to a recent survey by Civil Engineering (CE) News Magazine.
Sage Software announced that its Sage Timberline Office Customer Support department has won the 2005 SSPA STAR Award for Service Excellence in the category of High Case Volume, and was also honored as a Finalist in the category of Sustained Performance. Sage Timberline Office provides integrated financial and operations software for 20,000 customers in construction and real estate.
New Products
Autodesk, Inc. announced free tools for DWG users with new, free tools: DWG TrueView for viewing DWG files, and DWG TrueConvert for translating DWG files between newer and older versions. DWG TrueView and DWG TrueConvert are available to download for free* from the company Web site.
"Our customers need to know that the data they share can be accessed with accuracy by suppliers and partners," said John Sanders, vice president, Autodesk Platform Technology Division. "Where our customers have relied on inaccurate or unreliable tools in order to communicate or re-use DWG data, now they'll have the power and reliability of authentic DWG format files at their fingertips."
Cimmetry Systems Corporation, an Agile Software Corporation (NASDAQ: AGIL) company, announced the immediate availability of its collaborative visualization solution, AutoVue version 19 for EMC Documentum 5.3.
The new Web Portal for Dexter + Chaney's Forefront Construction Management Software gives a construction company's employees and customers access to critical data and functions in Forefront-including payroll/timecard and customer service-from any computer with an Internet connection. Construction companies also can use Forefront Web Portal to create and easily maintain any or all of the company's Website content.
CmiC, provider of enterprise and project management software for the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries, is taking real-time collaboration to the next level with the introduction of CMiC IO, a revolutionary technology that enables businesses to collaborate both internally and with outside partners by simply sending an e-mail from any device.
Around the Web
In an article in The New York Times this week (October 25, 2005) Google Found to be Testing Classified Ads , by John Markoff, it was revealed that an online classified service was being tested by Google. The discovery, by a computer programmer, was made when a web site for the service was accidentally made public on Tuesday.
Upcoming Events
| DFI 30th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations | |
| Date: | September 22 - November 24, 2005 |
| Place: | Chicago, IL USA |
| Every Fall for the past thirty years, the Engineers, the Contractors, the Academics, the Suppliers and Manufacturers from the deep foundations construction industry have gathered to learn from each other and discuss the state of the practice and the state of the art within our field.
The DFI Member's Conference gives all industry members an opportunity to discuss, on equal footing, the technical concerns specific to the design and construction of deep foundations. Inclusive of all foundation elements and systems, the program and scope of the Conference is enriched by the presence of all disciplines in the industry, from around the world. Four Sessions over 3 days comprise a program featuring the experiences of professionals at work in today's challenging industry environment. Presenters will be selected from among abstracts submitted by the industry worldwide by an interdisciplinary committee of foundation industry leaders. Beyond the program, The DFI presents every opportunity for attendees to interact and exchange ideas with each other. We take pride that our breaks, Luncheons, Welcome Reception, and Awards Banquet reflect the appreciation we have for our Members. In 2005 we are pleased to bring the conference to Chicago. |
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| ARE Prep Series/Fall 05 | |
| Date: | October 4 - November 1, 2005 |
| Place: | University of Washington Seattle campus
Seattle, WA USA |
| AIA Seattle encourages emerging professionals on the road to the architect license to join IDP Coordinator Jennifer Hawkins AIA and a peer group to prepare for the ARE, with expert guides. Sessions TTh 6-9pm. Location note: First session (A) at AIA Seattle; other sessions at University of Washington Seattle campus, EE1 042.
Join IDP Coordinator Jennifer Hawkins AIA and a peer group to prepare for the ARE, with expert guides – including info on exam features now in effect. Location note: First session (A) at AIA Seattle; other sessions at University of Washington Seattle campus, EE1 042. |
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| Academy of Architecture for Justice Conference and Exposition | |
| Date: | November 2 - 5, 2005 |
| Place: | Omni San Diego
San Diego, CA USA |
| What is the role of criminal justice facilities in the urban environment? How have courthouses and jails grown and evolved within the city and suburbs? How are efficient criminal justice services provided in an urban setting? How do criminal justice facilities fit within urban planning principles? How can a courthouse or jail be an asset to the urban fabric rather than a liability? What role can technology play in alternatives to incarceration, alternatives to inmate movement, and increased operational effectiveness? How can facilities be both open to the public and resistant to attacks?
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| 3rd International Housing Conference of the Americas | |
| Date: | November 3 - 5, 2005 |
| Place: | Four Seasons Hotel
Mexico City, Mexico |
| NAHB and CANADEVI (Mexico’s National Industry Chamber for the Development and Promotion of Housing) building on the success of the 2004 conference are again working together to provide a forum for the U.S. and Mexican Housing industries to exchange ideas, information, and technology to help meet the housing needs of both countries. The 3rd International Housing Conference of the Americas is the perfect venue for U.S. and Mexican companies, interested in building relationships and expanding their business, to meet, learn and explore future opportunities. The conference will feature educational panels, housing tours of middle to high-end
housing, table top exhibits, networking events, and valuable insight from key industry leaders and government officials.
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| Regional Conference of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) | |
| Date: | November 3 - 5, 2005 |
| Place: | Lima, Peru |
| The challenges facing the landscape architectural profession are breath taking in their possibilities. They embrace issues of sustainability that concern our cities and countryside, at this conference the speakers will stress the need to focus on the management of the landscape from a multidisciplinary perspective, respecting water and the land.
The speakers also will remained us of the need to empower ourselves as individuals and as a profession in the complex way of understanding and interpreting the framework into which the landscape is conceived. This framework is a complex way of physical, cultural, political, and environmental, social and economic factors. We can not hope to be effective without an understanding of the interplay between all of these. |
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| 2005 Building Systems Councils SHOWCASE | |
| Date: | November 6 - 9, 2005 |
| Place: | The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
New Orleans, LA USA |
| The Building Systems Councils SHOWCASE is the ultimate NAHB resource for the systems-built housing industry. SHOWCASE features educational sessions, trade show exhibits, award ceremonies, and considerable networking opportunities tailored to manufacturers, builders, dealers, suppliers, and associates in concrete, log, modular, and panelized home building industries.
See more on the event web page ... |
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| 3rd International Conference on Forensic Engineering | |
| Date: | November 10 - 12, 2005 |
| Place: | Westminster
LONDON, United Kingdom |
| The Institution of Civil Engineers is organising the third in a series of two-day conferences in recognition of the increasing profile of Forensic Engineering, ie. the technical investigation of performance failures some of which may lead to either civil or criminal legal activity. Such failures need not be catastrophic, however, and could range through to less noticeable, but potentially
serious, serviceability failures. The field of Forensic Engineering thus encompasses any engineering discipline that has, for example, the potential to be used in this way. This international conference will focus on diagnosing failures of constructed environments, and the lessons learned from them, to help solve or reduce potential problems. The conference will look at the implications for professionals with responsibilities for designing, assessing and maintaining such structures and buildings of any age, size or type. It will illustrate that, through investigation, assessment, example and dissemination, Forensic Engineering can benefit the community by reducing property damage, serious
injury, or loss of lives. |
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| 2005 Custom Builder Symposium | |
| Date: | November 11 - 13, 2005 |
| Place: | Sheraton New Orleans
New Orleans, LA USA |
| Related Topics: Custom Home Builders Committee, Building a Custom Home, Building Materials, Business & Strategic Planning, Business Management Tools, Business Tools for Custom Home Builders, Computer & Information Technology, Custom Builders Symposium, Custom Home Builders Committee, Customer Service, Economic Forecasts, Home Design and Consumer Preference, Home Sales and Prices, Sales & Marketing
Related Audiences: Remodelers, Architects/Planners/Designers, Builders/Contractors - Custom, Builders/Contractors - Small Volume |
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| NAHB - 2005 State & Local Government Affairs Conference | |
| Date: | November 17 - 19, 2005 |
| Place: | Wyndham Buttes Resort
Phoenix, AZ USA |
| Are you interested in state and local legislative and regulatory issues? Or an HBA staff member who lobbies on behalf of your association? If yes, then this conference is for you! Learn about hot housing issues during breakout sessions, guest speakers, and roundtable discussions. Social events offer prime networking opportunities.
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| Autodesk University 2005 | |
| Date: | November 28 - December 1, 2005 |
| Place: | Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel, Orlando, FL USA |
| Autodesk University (AU) is designed for people like you -- creative problem solvers who transform ideas into the real world we live in. The training and business contacts you'll make at AU will empower you to realize your next great idea -- and the ones after that. For well over a decade, AU has helped attendees advance their careers and companies by measurably improving personal productivity. |
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You can find the full AECCafe.com event calendar here.
To read more news, click here.
-- Susan Smith, AECCafe.com Managing Editor.