The new release of Autodesk's purpose-built BIM solution, Revit 7, was formally launched at Autodesk University two weeks ago. The previous major release of Revit, version 6, at the end of 2003 came at a time when BIM was still being talked about more than it was being implemented. Only a few early adopters were implementing BIM seriously and realizing its benefits... READ MORE >>
Less than one year after the last major release, Autodesk announced Revit 7, the latest update to its parametric building modeler. I reviewed a prerelease version of this program, as well as the Revit-based structural engineering and MEP engineering applications that are currently in beta release. I must admit that I am impressed... READ MORE >>
Autodesk Revit, the only software purpose-built for building information modeling,
eliminates coordination errors, delivers improved quality, and shortens timelines. READ MORE >>
You don't have to contemplate the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, or the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles for long to grasp the notion that standard two-dimensional drawings might be inadequate for architect Frank Gehry... READ MORE >>
In the Washington, D.C., division offices of DMJM Design (www.dmjm.com), more than 250 architects, engineers, and other building industry professionals tackle multimillion-dollar megaprojects for the United States government, universities, and other high-profile clients. With the kind of strict regulations, tight deadlines, and change control that such clients demand, DMJM is continually reviewing its resources and planning for the future. Without such careful preparation in the competitive business of megaproject architecture, a company can easily fall behind... READ MORE >>
This month we look at how architectural firms in South Africa -- a country known for its ability to effect change -- have adopted Autodesk Revit building information modeling. I explore the reasons for their easy transition to the new technology and what lessons we can learn from their success... READ MORE >>
"It will be almost two years before steel rises even to ground level in construction of the iconic Freedom Tower... But a few blocks away -- and far removed from public view -- a group of architects designing the tower are stretching design technology in ways that will change how buildings are created." READ MORE >>
We've had a number of inquiries recently about the future availability of a set of applications for Revit that will be comparable to the Autodesk Building Systems part of the Autodesk Architectural Desktop software line. In the past, the Revit folks have consistently said they plan to develop such a building services engineering product for Revit. But they've been pretty quiet about it recently, and such a forthcoming development is no longer mentioned in Revit's marketing literature or on the Revit part of Autodesk's Web site... READ MORE >>
Software developers have it tough. On the one hand, their sales and marketing departments want them to make software with all the bells and whistles, in the belief that potential buyers place functionality at the top of priority list. Yet many buyers say what they really want is software that’s easy to operate. All too often, trying to achieve higher functionality with increased simplicity results in a product which meets neither of the user’s needs...
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In AECbytes Newsletter #5, I published several responses to my invitation to readers to share their views on the BIM acronym, and if they didn't like it, to suggest more appropriate and better-sounding alternatives. In a subsequent AECbytes Viewpoint article, Paul Seletsky, Director of Technology for Davis Brody Bond, took up this acronym suggestion call and made a strong case for referring to the "technological time-bomb that the architectural and engineering professionals are sitting on" as PEN (for Parametric-ENabled) rather than BIM (for Building Information Modeling). Several readers have written to us in response to both these articles; a select few reflecting the diversity of viewpoints is presented here... READ MORE >>
No Pain, Good Gain
Oculus is a small firm with big clients. Kern attributes his firm's competitive edge to its use of technology to deliver exceptional architecture, interior design, and facilities management services. An AutoCAD house from the beginning, Oculus implemented Revit in 2000 for its parametric modeling capabilities and ease of use. READ MORE >>
With the increasing interest in building information modeling in the AEC community, the issue of interoperability as a means to integrate the various model-based applications into a smooth and efficient workflow has emerged to the forefront of professional attention... READ MORE >>
Architectural firms are increasingly realizing the advantages of using 3D modeling tools on projects, but most firms also have a long history of relying on 2D for plans, elevations, and other standard documentation required throughout the life of an architectural project... READ MORE >>
The architectural and engineering professions are sitting on a technological time-bomb that will soon radically alter the nature of their businesses. It's been coined BIM (Building Information Modeling) for the last few years by some, but I'd prefer to call it PEN (for Parametric-ENabled) as a more accurate representation of things to come, and here's my reasoning behind the acronym change... READ MORE >>
streaming tech tip explains how to make a modification in a wall family that will allow you to vertically lengthen a component within a wall without changing any of the other components, Phil Russo, Avatech Solutions, March 10, 2004 READ MORE >> |