Archicad

ArchiCAD

Screenshot of a building created in ArchiCAD 12
Developer(s)	Graphisoft
Stable release	12 / 2008
Operating system	Windows,Mac OS X
Type	CAD,Building Information Modeling
License	Proprietary
Website	Graphisoft ArchiCAD site

File:ArchiCAD-12-NHS-Floor-Plan.png

Screenshot of ArchiCAD 12 running on Max OS X

ArchiCAD is an architectural BIM CAD software for Macintosh and Windows developed by the Hungarian company Graphisoft.

Development started in 1982 for the original Apple Macintosh, and it became a popular product for that platform. It is recognized as the first CAD product on a personal computer able to create both 2D and 3D drawings. Today more than 100,000 architects are using it in the building design industry.

ArchiCAD allows the user to work with data-enhanced parametric objects, often called "smart objects" by users. This differs from the operational style of other CAD programs created in the 1980s. The product allows the user to create a "virtual building" with virtual structural elements like walls, slabs, roofs, doors, windows and furniture. A large variety of pre-designed, customizable objects come with the program.

Archicad allows the user to work with either a 2D or 3D representation on the screen. Two-dimensional drawings can be exported at any time, even though the model in the program's database always stores data in three dimensions. Plans, elevations, and sections are generated from the three dimensional virtual building model and are constantly updated. Detail drawings are based on enlarged portions of the model, with 2D detail added in.

Third-party vendors and some manufacturers of architectural products have compiled libraries of architectural components for use in ArchiCAD. The program includes Geometric Description Language (GDL) used to create new components.

The newest version (2008) is ArchiCAD 12.

ArchiCAD can import and export DWG, DXF IFC and SketchUp files among others. Graphisoft is an active member of the International Alliance for Interoperability (IA), an industry organization that publishes standards for file and data interoperability for architectural CAD.

Platforms and license types

Archicad is available for Windows and Mac OS X operating systems.

Commercial, Educational and Full functional 30day trial (BIM Experience kit) versions can be installed with the same installer: the license type is to be chosen upon installation.

• Commercial version is protected by hardware protection key. If no key is present Archicad switches to Demo mode where Save, Copy, TeamWork features are disabled (printing/plotting is still enabled).

• Educational versions are protected by registration numbers which can be obtained at eduregistration.graphisoft.com.

Note: Format files in educational version ArchiCAD not compatible with commercial ArchiCAD

• Full functional 30day trial (BIM Experience kit) is fully functional, 30-day limited version, can save, print and publish projects. File formats are fully compatible with the commercial version once the copy of ArchiCAD has been converted to a commercial licence. Protected by registration numbers which can be obtained at trialregistration.graphisoft.com.

Version history

• 1987 - ArchiCAD 3.1
• 1991 - ArchiCAD 4.1
• 1993 - ArchiCAD 4.12
• 1994 - ArchiCAD 4.5
• 1995 - ArchiCAD 4.55
• 1996 - ArchiCAD 5.0
• 1997 - ArchiCAD 5.1
• 1998 - ArchiCAD 6.0
• 1999 - ArchiCAD 6.5
• 2001 - ArchiCAD 7.0
• 2002 - ArchiCAD 8
• 2003 - ArchiCAD 8.1
• 2004 - ArchiCAD 9
• 2006 - ArchiCAD 10
• 2007 - ArchiCAD 11
• 2008 - ArchiCAD 12

See also

• Geometric Description Language
• CAD

External links

• Graphisoft - The manufacturer's website
• 3D Models Archive for ArchiCAD
• ArchiCAD Russian community, forum, download archive (Russian)
• ArchiCAD Wiki
• Objects for ArchiCAD
• Applecore Designs - ArchiCAD in the UK
• Bite Designs/ ArchiCAD in the UK
• Profiles - Thomas A. Heinz, p. 1 (A case study of an ArchiCAD user.)
• Archicad East - An Archicad Blog
• Cigraph - ArchiCAD Plug-ins developer - italian ArchiCAD distributor
• ArchiFM Product Family Integrated CAFM solution.
• Cadimage Tools - ArchiCAD Plugins Developer.
• Archispa - Users blog (Spanish)