Long time ArchiCAD firm, Terry and Terry, was recently named the San Francisco AIA Interior Design Award winner for their Hybrid Design project.

Graphic design firm, Hybrid Design contracted Terry & Terry to help them with a renovation of an historic brick building located in the Jackson Square historic district of San Francisco for their office. Terry & Terry had to work closely with respect to the historic location and took care to modernize while complimenting the older parts of the building. The building had to be brought up to code with ADA requirements for the entrance and restrooms.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Damonte Photography www.brucedamonte.com

Architect Alex Terry tells us the visualization feature was well received by the graphic artists – and the 3D model was extremely helpful for the team in communicating the design intent.

“We would produce a rendering at an instant so that they could clearly understand what the design was going to be. Then, that same model has our elevations and plans – abstracts for them, but necessary for us. Given that this was a commercial application, there were multiple layers to deal with, making it complicated for us to view the bones of the building and the design.”

From start to finish the project took about a year to get through planning, neighborhood review, obtaining permits and structural approvals. Twelve months after that, the project was completed, designed in ArchiCAD 15.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Damonte Photography www.brucedamonte.com

The old brick building was put together just after the 1906 earthquake – rather quickly according to Terry.

“They built it as a single story building. It became a bar and stayed that way for many years. There were also several iterations of cafes. We added a second story to provide Hybrid Design with more office space and were even able to create a deck area for the employees.”

When the project moved into the construction document phase, Terry & Terry made good use of ArchiCAD’s Teamwork feature.

“There were some alterations made to make the building better able to withstand an earthquake – since it was brick construction, we added steel beams every twelve feet to reinforce the structure. The façade of the building was partially altered, the header and brick walls were original.”

The award factored in how well the interior relates to the view from outside.

“In order to connect with the existing cornice above, we used a 3/8” solid plate, creating a bay window and concealing the underside of it. It folds into a bench – made of steel, which ties in to the other steel elements in the building. They have their front conference room there.”

ArchiCAD 18 – BIM Product of the Year & Product of the Year, Runner Up

Exciting news for GRAPHISOFT from the Construction Computing Awards – our BIM software, ArchiCAD 18, has won BIM Product of the Year award for the fourth year in a row. For four years running, ArchiCAD has dominated the BIM Product of the Year category, surpassing competitors Autodesk Revit (2014) Autodesk BIM360 Glue (2013) Nemetschek Vectorworks (2012) and Autodesk Revit Architecture (2011).

ArchiCAD 18 is a BIM solution that features smooth integration of rendering that never interrupts the design workflow. No need to buy, install or learn any new software. There are “point and click” type settings as well as advanced. Powered by Cinema 4D – MAXON’s world-class engine guarantees high quality, photorealistic presentation-ready images with the best architectural workflow.

“It’s great to see votes from users and readers deliver GRAPHISOFT a strong showing not only for ArchiCAD and BIMx, but also for the outstanding work of our partners and customers,” said Akos Pfemeter, Vice President of Marketing, GRAPHISOFT.

The Construction Computing Awards; affectionately known as “The Hammers”, showcase and reward the technology, tools and solutions for the effective design, construction, maintenance and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing and civil engineering projects of all sizes. For 9 years now, the Construction Computing Awards event has become a place where members of the industry gather to network and exchange ideas while having fun.

Along with the highly prized product awards won by GRAPHISOFT, ArchiCAD architect LSI Architects was honored with Collaboration Project of the Year.  UK Partner GRAPHISOFT Connect was runner up for Channel Partner of the Year.

Mobile Technology of the Year, Runner Up – BIMx

GRAPHISOFT was also recognized with an award for Mobile Technology of the Year. This is the second year in a row BIMx has been recognized with a Hammer award for Mobile Technology.

BIMx, has been in use since 2011 and it has been recognized as a revolutionary, game-changing app. As a presentation tool, it is unmatched in its ability to help architects communicate design intent and provide understanding to clients – even those with limited experience or exposure to architectural concepts.

GRAPHISOFT expanded the capabilities of BIMx – with BIMx Docs to high acclaim and the app has helped ArchiCAD users see its benefits on the job site. BIMx Docs offers lightning fast navigation within and across large layout books. Even if you are only working with 2D drawings, BIMx Docs offers unbeatable performance based on Map app technology.

GRAPHISOFT is a proud co-sponsor of an upcoming event at the National Building Museum. Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) – will display 20 featured projects, offering a behind-the-scenes look at its creative process. Beginning January 24th and running through August 30th, 2015 the installation highlights 20 different projects designed by BIG from around the world, exploring how the cultural and climatic contexts of each location shaped their design solutions. The array of signature designs provides a glimpse into how the firm works with intense creativity and innovation while developing concepts for new buildings.

Smithsonian Institution, Courtesy National Building Museum

This event is big on a couple of levels.

First, it happens at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. Through exhibitions, educational programs and online content, the National Building Museum works to advance the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Since 1985, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves.

Big U in NYC, Courtesy National Building Museum

Second, the exhibition puts the unique and innovative architecture of BIG on display on a national stage. BIG is a well-known international firm, but is quickly becoming a distinctive voice influencing American architecture and urbanism with its practice in New York and as designer of a $2 billion National Mall and Smithsonian refurbishment project in Washington, DC. The architects at BIG employ ArchiCAD in their BIM workflow. The software supports their flexibility and creativity in developing concepts and taking those concepts through to documentation.

The exhibition of one of our most successful client’s signature designs at the National Building Museum provides testimony to how significant their design philosophy and work has become in the United States and beyond.

GRAPHISOFT has been recognized with two Best of Show awards from Architosh, a leading online publication devoted to Mac and iOS CAD and 3D software professionals and students. The BEST of SHOW awards are announced based on software and technologies demonstrated during the 2015 AIA National Convention and Expo held in Atlanta, GA. Editor-in-Chief Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA, LEED, AP selected what he considered the best software items in four categories: desktop, mobile, BIM and innovation.

“ArchiCAD 19 was only announced weeks ago but has already garnered impressive reaction within the industry,” says Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA LEED AP. “GRAPHISOFT is relentless in its attack on its competitors in the area of raw horse-power, recognizing the limitations of sizable BIM models and the need for ever faster performance by tapping into the trend lines of microprocessor evolution.”

Pete Evans, AIA adds, “GRAPHISOFT’s new “predictive background processing” is very accomplished for a BIM tool. Refining the timing (through this patented technology) between the user and the software interaction is critical for fluid design and production. I’m very impressed!”

• Eligibility rules for recognition by Architosh in the Best of Show awards are published here.
• More reviews and coverage of the ARCHICAD 19 release can be found in AEC Magazine, upFronteZine and AECCafe.
• You can download a 30-day free trial of ARCHICAD 19 very soon, details coming!

AIA Florida announced winners of its most prestigious award program for the region, the AIA Florida/Caribbean Design Awards. The program selects projects that demonstrate great design and advance the profession of architecture in the area. Recently 25 projects out of a field of 300 entries were recognized at a ceremony held in Boston, among those selected, three projects designed by ARCHICAD firm, Guy Peterson |OFA led by Guy Peterson received an Award of Excellence for Historic Preservation, AIA Florida Unbuilt Award and an AIA Award of Excellence.

Design Freedom from Concept to Completion

Center for Architecture. Photo by Greg Wilson.

Of using ARCHICAD to design, Peterson says, “As a firm that works solely in ArchiCAD, we rely heavily on the program to execute our projects in plan, section, and 3D. The software truly helps us study every facet of the project in 3 dimensions and gives us more clarity on what the project will actually look like from concept to completion.”

The software supports design freedom from the outset for Peterson and his team. He adds, “Even in schematic phases, a lot of design decisions are made upfront because of the way ARCHICAD helps us visualize and design. We can get deep into conceptual work and adjust the project direction as needed with the efficiency that ARCHICAD provides.”

Ferguson Alley House. Photo by Ryan Gamma.

The Center for Architecture Sarasota received an Award for Excellence for Historic Preservation. Architect Guy Peterson, FAIA, Project Manager Damien Blumetti Associate AIA, designed the renovation of the 7,256 square foot building. Originally complete in 1959, the Center for Architecture Sarasota provides a place for students, design professionals, community leaders and the general public to come together to admire and debate our built environment.

In the Unbuilt category, OFA’s project “Treescapes” received an award. Peterson along with Project Managers Joe Kelly, Associate AIA, Damien Blumetti, Associate AIA, Amanda Byars, Associate AIA worked to create a residence on a 4,500 square foot area while keeping the existing trees in Hardee County Florida.

An AIA Florida Award of Excellence went to the Ferguson Alley House, located in Sarasota FL. With a total square footage of 2,500 the project team of architect Guy Peterson, FAIA and Project Manager: Damien Blumetti, Associate AIA designed a new residence for a previous client behind an existing photography studio home on a dense urban street in downtown Sarasota which the firm designed in the early 1990’s. An extremely challenging small footprint, recent changes in downtown zoning, and restrictions created several challenges. The team designed a vertical residence to provide the required 2,500SF residential program and used ARCHICAD to evaluate potential views from the upper levels, incorporating a series of roof gardens to allow the owner beautiful views to the downtown harbor and out into Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico beyond.

Treescapes project.

These awards – set to be given during this years AIA Florida Convention at the Boca Raton Resort and Club on August 1 – encourage excellence in architecture, elevate public consciousness of good design, and recognize those owners, designers, and contractors whose work enriches the built environment.

GRAPHISOFT North America congratulates the team at Guy Peterson | OFA for their outstanding work!

The team at Galbraith Carnahan Architects (GCA) took first place in the recent 2015 AIA Milwaukee Emerging Professionals Design Competition. Using ARCHICAD, architect, Nick Carnahan, and intern architects Brandon Reinke and John Annis seized the opportunity to display their skills by submitting a design titled The Oneida. Annis says the design came together quickly since ARCHICAD facilitated working schematically within the plan and 3-D window. Since everything in the model connects to actual building information, there’s no wasted work.

“Being able to work on the 3D model within its site context allows you to not work in a bubble,” said Annis. “On this contest submission, ARCHICAD helped us to work efficiently on the schematic design; our massing model was a great start to create the documents we needed for our board submission. Being able to draw schematics which were aesthetically pleasing and also worked in the existing site helped us make realistic choices early on.”

The team got busy on their own time, since the contest didn’t represent billable work, and with only a month to create the submission, coordinating away from the office was key. Once again, ARCHICAD’s  TeamWork functionality allowed real-time coordination on the project from a variety of locations.

The project itself involved the renovation of an existing building, located in downtown Milwaukee. The team chose to extend the site location to include a park. The building itself and the green space that rests alongside the River Walk in Milwaukee is in need of serious attention. In the GCA vision, the vacant building – a former restaurant that needs TLC – maintains that practical use of the space, keeping the restaurant and further transforming the upper floors into luxury apartments.

“The vibrant area surrounding the building, right on the River Walk in the heart of the Theater District provides an energetic backdrop to this project. It’s a shame the building sits there vacant now, since there’s so much night life and activity on the weekends.”

The GCA team brought back the original look of the 1880’s building – un-doing some previous renovations that in their opinion took away from its appeal. At the same time, the design helps the Oneida fit in contextually to its surroundings. Using ARCHICAD 18 and the built-in rendering engine powered by CineRender, the design shows off a more modern look, using materials that play off the old and new components.

“CineRender proved valuable for the boards we created. Because teams couldn’t be present during the judging, the judges needed to be able to understand the design through the board submission alone – a true ‘picture is worth a thousand words’ moment.”

Though conceptual in that no developer has contacted GCA to begin this project, it was a great design charrette and marketing opportunity for the young firm.

“Projects such as this one are very realistic. This building has incredible potential to become something the area needs today. It just needs to be re-thought, re-worked and updated. The apartments on the upper floors could end up balancing the cost of renovating a building such as this one.”

GRAPHISOFT North America congratulates GCA on their win!

GRAPHISOFT Wins “Company of the Year” at The Hammers

GRAPHISOFT was recognized for ARCHICAD which now offers lightning-fast response times, making it the undisputed speed leader in the BIM business.

ARCHICAD 19 – BIM Product of the Year & Product of the Year, Runner Up

Exciting news for GRAPHISOFT from the Construction Computing Awards – our BIM software, ARCHICAD 19, has won BIM Product of the Year award for the fourth year in a row. For five years running, ARCHICAD has dominated the BIM Product of the Year category, surpassing competitors Autodesk Revit (2014) Autodesk BIM360 Glue (2013) Nemetschek Vectorworks (2012) and Autodesk Revit Architecture (2011).

“We are pleased and proud to be recognized by users and readers alike for our work on behalf of architects and designers worldwide. It’s especially rewarding to see our partners and customers acknowledged for their outstanding work,” said Akos Pfemeter, Vice President of Marketing, GRAPHISOFT.

The Construction Computing Awards; affectionately known as “The Hammers”, showcase and reward the technology, tools and solutions for the effective design, construction, maintenance and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing and civil engineering projects of all sizes. For 9 years now, the Construction Computing Awards event has become a place where members of the industry gather to network and exchange ideas while having fun.

Along with the highly coveted product and company awards won by GRAPHISOFT, ARCHICAD architect Bond Bryan Architects won BIM Project of the Year for its design of The David Hockney Building for Bradford College.  GRAPHISOFT UK Partner Applecore Designs Ltd was runner up for Channel Partner of the Year.

GRAPHISOFT Wins at The Hammers

GRAPHISOFT has announced that ARCHICAD 20 has won the prestigious BIM Product of the Year award at the eleventh annual Construction Computing Magazine Awards in the United Kingdom. This is the sixth year in a row that ARCHICAD has been honored with the top BIM product award.  In addition, GRAPHISOFT again took home the award for Company of the Year.

ARCHICAD 20 – BIM Product of the Year

Exciting news for GRAPHISOFT from the Construction Computing Awards – our BIM software, ARCHICAD 20, has won BIM Product of the Year award for the sixth year in a row. For six years running, ARCHICAD has dominated the BIM Product of the Year category. As one of the few awards covering the use of IT in design and construction, the awards are known for reflecting actual users’ experiences with products for delivering projects.

“We are pleased and proud that ARCHICAD continues to be recognized by our users and readers alike in this annual competition,” said Akos Pfemeter, Vice President of Marketing, GRAPHISOFT.  “Our year-on-year success in these awards underscores the value designers attach to the extensive, regular enhancements we make to ARCHICAD,” he added.

The Construction Computing Awards; affectionately known as “The Hammers”, showcase and reward the technology, tools and solutions for the effective design, construction, maintenance and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing and civil engineering projects of all sizes. For 11 years now, the Construction Computing Awards event has become a place where members of the industry gather to network and exchange ideas while having fun.

Along with the highly coveted product and company awards won by GRAPHISOFT, the company’s client, Bond Bryan Digital, won BIM Project of the Year for the East Dormitory project, a collaboration with Bill East, author of the COBie standard. East and Bond Bryan Digital have worked together to publish the architectural design model as well as authoring a book together to demonstrate the practical application of COBie. This award follows Bond Bryan’s success in the same category in 2015.

“We are delighted to win an award for a project that was designed to help the industry understand COBie from a practical point of view,” said Rob Jackson, Associate Director, Bond Bryan Digital. “To win such a prestigious award against such tough competion two years in a row is a fantastic achievement for the team!”

Congratulations to all the winners!