ArchiCAD 15 - 3D Architecture Software

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the new features of ArchiCAD 15?

Multi-Plane Roof, Revolved, Rotated and Ruled Shells, Enhanced Model Element Connections, Editing plane displayed during input, More sophisticated 3D feedback during selection and input, More informative feedback on coordinate axes in 3D window, 2D Guide Line Improvements, Brand new 3D guidelines, On-screen aids for precise placement/editing in 3D, Streamlined pet palette choices, Free Rotate in 3D, Improved Rotate in 2D, Streamlined element creation: Define element depth (z-value) graphically in 3D window, Element-level Definition of Renovation Status, Renovation Related Plan Types Out of the Box, Graphical Highlighting of Elements by Renovation Status, Simple Export of Different Plan Types, IFC Properties as Native ArchiCAD Parameters, More Accurate Assignment of IFC Parameters for Library Parts, More Powerful IFC Manager, Effective IFC Data Handling in Teamwork, Improved Localized Text Handling, New features of IFC import/export: IFC I/O Story-mapping, Improvements in Detect IFC Model Changes, Improved Merge to IFC function, Handling of Renovation status at IFC I/O, Easier library migration, New objects (Sustainable design, Medical usage, Furnishings, Sanitary objects), Door/Window enhancements, Native 64-bit Mac ArchiCAD, Faster Autosave, IFC Performance / Optimized export (performance) / Optimized import (performance).

When will ArchiCAD 15 ship?

ArchiCAD 15 will be available for purchase worldwide as of May 23. Physical shipment of localized versions will start during the course of June. Following a tight release schedule, all 26 local versions are planned to reach the market by the end of Q3 2010.

What are the System Requirements for ArchiCAD 15?

Please visit our Support page for detailed information on the the system requirements for ArchiCAD 15.

What will happen with my existing EcoDesigner license in ArchiCAD 15?

The GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner add-on's compatibility upgrade will be available as a free download to all GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner users who upgrade their ArchiCAD license to V15. At the same time ArchiCAD 15 EcoDesigner will introduce a number of enhancements including an extended energy evaluation report for displaying detailed results and brand new export interface to passive house (PHPP) solutions.

What is the next big leap for sustainability and EcoDesigner?

GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner has been the first and so far only integrated BIM energy evaluation software for architects. With support for passive house (PHPP) solutions EcoDesigner now fulfills the most severe energy requirements as well. The next major development for sustainable design is integrated BIM based energy certification. GRAPHISOFT is working on such solutions that will provide energy certification.

What will happen with my existing MEP Modeler license in ArchiCAD 15?

The GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler add-on's compatibility upgrade will be available as a free download to all GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler users who upgrade their ArchiCAD license to V15. No functional developments in this compatibility update will be released.

What should engineers do with the Revit IFC I/O plug-ins in AC 15?

The free downloadable add-ins for Revit Structure and Revit MEP, developed by GRAPHISOFT, help map architectural and engineering models through the IFC-based export/import process between Revit and ArchiCAD. These add-ins are created for Revit and in this sense are independent from ArchiCAD releases.
(To be checked for compatibility with the final version of AC15)

What is unique about modeling free-form shapes in ArchiCAD?

ArchiCAD covers the entire BIM workflow with design tools and workflows 100% based on real BIM structures. Regardless of the shapes and forms of the buildings in ArchiCAD you start designing from scratch using intelligent real BIM structures such walls, slabs, roofs or shell structures. This approach has the huge advantage that any part of the building is easy and free to modify both in terms of geometry and physical attributes at any stage. This workflow eliminates the potential errors that one might encounter in other BIM solutions where the building geometry is separately created and modified from the real building structures requiring geometry to element conversion in the workflow whenever the building shape needs to be changed.

How does ArchiCAD 15 revolutionize designing in 3D?

Model based design solutions have been available for decades. Building information modeling has been mainstream for at least a full decade now. Yet architects, designers and draftsmen primarily create and edit these 3D BIM models in traditional 2D views such as floor-plans, sections & elevations. The reason for this phenomenon has been that the 3D environment was not equipped with the drafting aids familiar in the 2D environment. The latest version of ArchiCAD offers a dynamic 3D drafting workflow with the help of 3D guidelines that can freely be placed in space to provide the context for 3D editing. With 3D guidelines, working in the virtual space becomes very familiar to the conventional architectural sketching on paper – you start by defining the main directions in space with 3D guidelines and create your actual building structure adjusting it to the guidelines or their cross-sections. To help architects find their way in 3D naturally, ArchiCAD 15 also introduces brand new editing planes that provide temporary visual feedback and geometry constraint for editing. Editing planes can be placed to the most appropriate location or position during the editing process.

What is unique about ArchiCAD's renovation workflow?

In terms of volume, renovation and refurbishment projects start to reach the level of new projects in many parts of the world. Hence it has been necessary to provide intelligent BIM workflow that supports building projects where multiple project-phases have to co-exist for design and documentation purposes. ArchiCAD 15's renovation solution supports the entire renovation process including the replacement of MEP systems and evaluating the projects' sustainability as well. To the extreme polished BIM workflow details – such as after removal of existing openings the remaining wall-holes are automatically filled in with masonry specified as new structure – offer the most sophisticated BIM workflow for renovation available today.

How does ArchiCAD 15 advance OPEN collaboration?

ArchiCAD has been pioneering OPEN design collaboration workflow between the different trades of the AEC industry. Recently the entire industry started to follow this "open" approach. ArchiCAD 15 advances the level of intelligence of the open workflow with refined handling of model changes and with full support for IFC parameters as native BIM parameters in ArchiCAD models. Partial update of IFC files enables collaboration of the different design disciplines on common IFC files without interfering with the other parties' BIM elements in the IFC model.

Why is ArchiCAD 15 the highest performance BIM tool available today?

ArchiCAD has always been leading in the implementation of latest IT technology developments in its BIM solutions. ArchiCAD has been the first and still the only one offering full multiprocessor support next to its 64-bit support on both the Windows and the Macintosh platforms. Due to these cutting edge technologies and its modern database structure ArchiCAD is capable of handling virtually any size of BIM projects. ArchiCAD 15 also delivers major performance improvements including lightning fast Autosave of projects as the first practical implementation of background processing technologies.

 

What are the differences between the different versions of ArchiCAD?

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