ARCHICAD

one of the best in the BIM world

Fordele:

The sober and uncluttered interface makes it easy to use. Management of several data in the same program. Perfectly adapted for medium-sized companies. File sharing, 3D visualization of prototypes. It is possible to make more elaborate presentations and convince partners and collaborators more easily.

Ulemper:

Limited functionality for non-paying versions. Requires enough time to master the GDL programming language to create parametric objects. Basically, it is difficult to master all the features and sometimes the services of an expert will be required.

Fantastic drafting and BIM software

Kommentarer: I really enjoy using Archicad and exploring the options available. I am constantly finding new ways to use the program

Fordele:

Archicad is very easy to use, has every feature I can think of, and is just as easy to design in 3D as it is in 2D (usually at the same time)

Ulemper:

The biggest con is that most engineering firms use Revit, so the collaborative element with outside firms is limited.

Powerful piece of software that could rival Revit if Graphisoft could shift their approach

Fordele:

Sometimes I like that archicad is less rigid than Revit. It's easy to create what you want and to get it to look the way it should. Rendering is a breeze. Some of the tools are beyond intuitive. They function exactly the way they should.

Ulemper:

This is BIM light. You will be piecing together your model using slabs to represent everything under the sun. You will fudge things with solid element operations that will keep you up at night. Archicad will force you to be inaccurate unless you fight it to your last breath. You'll curse Archicad's lack of ortho snaps. The inability to create "blocks" is utterly ridiculous and maddening. There are 20 ways to access every objects setting and it will confuse you to no end for the first year. Instead of fixing problems and consolidating settings, Graphisoft has decided that their mantra is "addition." If something doesn't work right, just add features so that no one notices what they're missing. Instead of giving users what they need, modify the GUI and give them a bunch of useless crap to try to get them to buy the newest version. This is sloppy software development at its finest. It's sad because if they spent a few years cleaning up the beast that they've created, it could be a match for Revit. As is, it's a severely bloated Sketchup pretending to be a BIM package.

Best 3D Architecture Software

Kommentarer: as a civil engineering engineer Sa has been using Archicad for 5 years and believe me he is irreplaceable

Fordele:

Archicard is an excellent civil engineering design software. Its 2D and 3D structure makes it exceptional. More than 2 available print formats is really amazing what we can do with this software. His object bank is what fascinates me the most.

Ulemper:

What I like least about Archicad is its ability, this software weighs a lot and automatically makes use a little slow when you don't have a machine with good capacity. The manufacturer should review this issue in order to facilitate use by all

One of the best tools for BIM implementation

Kommentarer: As an Architect, I have been able to use ArchiCAD for conceptual designs, detailed drafting, interior layouts as well as generating high-quality elevations, sections and 3D views for all my projects, including presentation drawings. In fact, 3D modelling and rendering have been made simple thanks to ArchiCAD. Visualization, (placing cameras) and gathering documentation are also uncomplicated. Rendering tools are useful and there is no need to get extra plug-ins for performing the same tasks that can be done within the software itself.
I consider ArchiCAD to be better than its counterparts, e.g. Revit mainly because it is uncomplicated to use, with the same functionality at an economical investment.

Fordele:

ArchiCAD is one of the most innovative platforms for BIM available in the market today. It is a powerful software that can cater to the design needs of architects, interior designers as well as landscape and urban planners. One can either import 2D drafts into ArchiCAD and work on the same to prepare a 3D model; or work on ArchiCAD on Plan mode and the software will automatically generate elevations, sections and 3D views. If the building is multi-storey, it is much easier to correct any minor deficiencies in drafting (that can be missed in the plan view) through the 3D viewer, which makes it perfect to use when trying to pinpoint any errors. There is a wonderful feature in AutoCAD called Solibri Model Checker that can accurately analyse the BIM model to accurately locate errors along with any possible faults in design, and identify areas, where the components used, are clashing. As an Architect, I feel that it is a great tool that can be used to estimate the energy requirements of a building. Moreover, there is a plug-in called EcoDesigner STAR that offers features including energy model visualization, thermal zoning and simulations for energy performance. It is one of the better software I have used for 3D modelling and I never think of switching to any other.

Ulemper:

As is with other similar software, ArchiCAD requires a robust system to operate with a high level of RAM especially when rendering. It does tend to slow down the system a bit especially when you are opening a data-rich file. Secondly, there is a steep learning curve with the software, which is easy to overcome with practice. Apart from these two shortcomings, I have no other major concern that would affect my opinion of this otherwise excellent software.