Architosh Staff ([email protected])

28 April 2003

 

Reader Q&A: Moving from 2D CAD to Beyond, Does That Mean Single-Building Model CAD?

An Architosh reader sent us a complicated question regarding their firm's situation. They are currently a medium sized firm running PowerCADD on Macintosh and looking to "upgrade" their 2D capabilities to a "single CAD package that will allow them" to "include standard Autocad tools as the external reference." This reader writes:

"At this time we are not looking to work in the 'single building model mode', nor do we want the software to force us in that direction, but that option may be reviewed at a later date. The most important step for our firm is to move from simply replicating hand drafting, as we are currently doing in PowerCADD, to using single drawings in multiple locations."

This is an interesting question. We took this as meaning external referencing capabilities and workgroup or teaming functionality without the need to model the architectural building in order to generate coordinated and linked drawings.

At this time there isn't a Macintosh-based CAD program that has the external referencing features of Autocad in quite the same way. And since we are dealing with architecture here, the best hope for this individual is to consider VectorWorks' workgroup referencing functionality and its use of symbols. VectorWorks has the ability to utilize symbols in ways similar to xrefs in Autocad, enabling drawing components to be re-utilized at different scales and on different drawings. For example, on an office building the core of the building containing elements like mechanical chases and toilet rooms can be drawn entirely within a symbol. Within that same symbol various drawing elements can be turned on or off in terms of visibility based on "class" assignments. So for example, grab bars in toilet rooms could appear only on enlarged plans (say 1/2" = 1'-0" scale toilet room plans on an entirely different sheet) while not being visible at 1/4 or 1/8 scale floor plans where the core is shown. Likewise just the walls and other basic elements of the core can be shown in the same symbol when the core appears on reflected ceiling plans and other drawings of similar ilk.

While VectorWorks' symbols and use of sophisticated class setups can replicate a lot of the functionality of Autocad's xrefs, there are some things it can't do while providing functionality that Autocad doesn't have. It's VectorWorks' use of both layers and classes which allow more complex arrangements of visibility of objects based on which sheet they are assigned.

In terms of workgroup functionality, VectorWorks has capability there but not at the level of ArchiCAD or say Revit. As we have noted in previous reviews of VectorWorks ARCHITECT workgroup referencing needs stronger support. We won't touch on that subject here because it is quite substantial in itself. Suffice it to say, VectorWorks does allow teams to share and work on the same data on a project in a coordinated way -- just not at the level of the BIM software available today.

This reader expressed an interest in avoiding the single building model mode type of CAD, now referred to in the industry as BIM, or building information modeler (ing). On the Macintosh side of the equation that means avoiding products like ArchiCAD and BOA; but we would like to caution firms about resisting that direction and encourage them to have an open-mind about BIM products -- as that maybe the next step from electronic replication of traditional drafting: logically the electronic replication of actually building the building.

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