The Principal Benefits of ArchiCAD 12

ArchiCAD 12 reinforces its position as the most complete and flexible design solution in the BIM category. ArchiCAD 12 focuses on speed, design and documentation by introducing capabilities such as multi-processor support, a new Curtain Wall system and the 3D Document, a first for a BIM application.

To view the ArchiCAD 12 brochure including system requirements and overview of the additional features/functions in .pdf format, please click on the links below.

ArchiCAD 12 Brochure
ArchiCAD 12 Reasons

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Unprecedented speed for better productivity and efficiency

Speed - with the speed of the CPUs doubling every second year and multiple processors becoming standard, software should be able to utilise all the system resources that the hardware provides. ArchiCAD 12 is the first BIM software to take advantage of the availability of multiple processors, and performance is further enhanced by the optimisation of many algorithms.

View testimonials and a movie on the SPEED enhancements.

Multi-core processor support

• With ArchiCAD 12, multi-core processors become the recommended and standard platform for faster design.
• Noticeable performance improvements will include 2D and 3D navigation and 3D model generation, including sections, elevations and shadow casting.
• The raw speed improvements contribute to a better overall design environment.

Exploiting the capabilities of multi-core processors can significantly shorten long calculations

Algorithm Optimisation

New technology in ArchiCAD 12 for image and fill handling, provides significant increases in performance when working in the design phase and during the generation of the document layouts. In particular, there is a significant speed increase when manipulating large layouts.

For MacOS users, publishing of PDF is significantly faster.

Typical Use

• Opening and regenerating 3D view of large models
• Regenerating large model sections/elevations with shadow casting and vectorial fills
• Navigating between large layouts (especially layouts that include a large amount of 2D content)

User Benefits
ArchiCAD 12 has been extensively tuned to utilise multi-core computers which are now the normal processor types currently available (Core2Duo, Core2Quad etc). When viewing and navigating in the 3D window, and even the 2D floor plan in large projects, a significant burden is placed on a computer's processing power - ArchiCAD 12 now takes advantage of all the processing power available. This offers you the fastest BIM application available, delivering high performance gains from the integrated Virtual Building model.

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Innovation in design technology, unique workflow for design coordination

Design - the entire Virtual Building workflow is based on a single building model in ArchiCAD. ArchiCAD 12 provides intelligent and flexible tools for the design of contemporary structures (e.g. curtain walls), and capabilities that are invaluable for sharing the Virtual Building with other disciplines (e.g. display of structural core).

View testimonials and a movie on the DESIGN enhancements.

Curtain Wall

The entirely new Curtain Wall Tool enables you to easily design and document curtain wall systems. Based upon a flexible hierarchical structure of schemes, physical members and additional accessories, you can easily control and change the entire system or the smallest detail throughout the entire project.

The Curtain Wall tool, located in the regular ArchiCAD Toolbox, lets you design and document curtain wall systems in the Floor Plan, Section or 3D window.

One curtain wall element can describe complex curtain wall structures

Typical Use
The Curtain Wall Tool can be used for modelling any type of curtain wall system that is composed of planar or cylindrical elements including storefronts, glazed roofs and slabs, canopies and many more.

User Benefits

• Curtain walls are common structures on contemporary commercial buildings and ArchiCAD 12 makes them an integral part of the Virtual Building model, from design and detailing to documentation.
• The flexible system provides easy modelling and modification of the entire structure and their subcomponents, ensuring you can be productive when working with these types of facades.

Partial Structure Display

Partial Structure Display enables you to work in the rich environment of composite structure walls and slabs while also being able to easily document partial structures that follow architectural and structural drawing conventions.

Typical Use
When collaborating with other designers or consultants you are often required to publish a Structural Plan that only shows some of the elements within a complex or composite element. For example - you may wish to show only the structural (concrete in example shown above) elements and none of the finishes.

User Benefits

• Show and export only the load bearing (core) structures, has great advantages in productivity when communicating with other disciplines such as structural engineers.
• Net room areas (wall finishes subtracted) can be easily calculated.

Improved Hotlink Management

The Hotlink Module Management system has been renewed in ArchiCAD 12. This now provides easy management and visualisation of the entire Hotlink structure. Furthermore recursive updates of nested Hotlinks now produce a reduced file size and an increase in update speeds.

The new system has a one-step update of Hotlinked Modules, including Nested Modules. Nested Modules are updated from their own source files so you don't have to open and update these separately. The comprehensive user interface provides a clear and structured overview of Module instances and hierarchy.

The new Hotlink Manager dialog

Typical Use
Large projects containing many repetitive elements (e.g. a multistorey hotel with identical floor plans, bedroom accommodation and bathroom designs) can be modelled effectively with nested hotlink modules

User Benefits
The overall operation and control is improved when using the new Hotlink Module facility, especially on large projects. Updating of even very complex hotlink structures is now significantly faster while the size of the host file is reduced.

StairMaker Enhancements

The updated StairMaker tool in ArchiCAD 12 brings significant improvements in:

• Improved interface for more flexible 2D display of stairs.
• Stair Settings offers many more parameters allowing you to adjust the Floor Plan symbol display of stairs to conform to local standards.
• Custom User Interface Settings (2D Symbol and Attributes) enable text display, railing/walking line symbols, handrail types, 2D symbol and 3D attributes.
• Four new standard stair types for StairMaker: Single Winder at Lower End; Single Winder at Upper End; Single Winder U-Return; Double Winder U-Return.
• With user defined number of risers in the winder, related parameters will be adjusted accordingly.
• User defined offset of risers in winders from the corner(s) of the stair.
• Flexible Options for Defining Location of Saved Stair. When you save a new stair created with StairMaker, you can browse any library location.

Four new stair types are available in StairMaker

User Benefits

• No need for additional manual 2D drawing elements on the 2D symbol
• The most important 2D symbol and material parameters can be accessed without opening the StairMaker dialog
• Stair objects and StairMaker stairs can be edited in the same user interface

Reveal Options for Doors/Windows

An expanded set of options for defining Door/Window Reveals is now available in Door/Window Settings. For standard library parts, these are listed in graphical form in the Custom Settings panel of Door/Window Settings. The original Reveal Method options are still available on the Reveal panel for those doors and windows that are not part of the standard library or don't use the new set of reveal options.

Nudge/ Align/ Distribute Elements

You may now select any object in 2D or 3D and nudge, align or distribute them in the same way as is common in many standard office applications. These familiar facilities speed up design and document generation.

Dialog Box Enhancements

Ease of use in software typically depends on the flexibility of the graphical user interface and ArchiCAD 12 introduces enhanced setting dialogs with movable splitter bars, and headers that can be sorted.

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Transforming documentation for easier and better communication of design

Documentation - in another first for BIM software, ArchiCAD 12 offers a revolutionary way to provide 3D view-based documentation. This allows you to save huge amounts of time when explaining details to consultants and constructors. This 3D documentation also makes it easier for clients to understand the detail of your design.

View testimonials and a movie on the DOCUMENTATION enhancements.

3D Document

This innovative capability allows you to use any 3D view of the model as the basis for creating a document where dimensions, annotations and even additional 2D drawing elements may be added. Furthermore 3D Documents can display cut surfaces (composite display of walls, slabs etc) in a 3D model structure, optionally using the cut fill and line attributes defined at the element level.

The 3D Document has its own settings dialog box where parameters can be set that are specific to the 3D Document. These include fill/pen display of element surfaces and contours, transparency, 3D hatching, shading, shadow and sun effects.

3D Document based on a building section

Typical Use
The 3D Document allows you to convert detail drawings into a document that shows information in 3D including dimensions and annotations. Uses include:

• Intersection of composite elements
• Stair details
• Roof details
• Steel structure junctions
• 3D interior views
• and any situation where a 3D detail can add clarity

User Benefits

• Easier communication of design intent to owners, consultants, contractors and subcontractors - less time spent on design iteration.
• Differentiate against 'FlatCAD' competition by being able to explain more clearly your ideas to clients, by using more informative documentation that is easy to understand.
• Engineers and contractors are able to understand fully the design intent leading to a reduction in construction issues.

Fill Enhancements

ArchiCAD 12 introduces a new system of Fill Management and new Fill capability including translucent, solid and image fill patterns.

Image Fills enable you to use images as the foreground part of Drafting fills.

Fills listed in the Fill pop-ups are grouped under five types: Solid Fills, Vectorial Fills, Symbol Fills, Gradient Fills, and Image Fills.

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Floor Plan enhanced with image fills

Typical Use
Fills have traditionally been used in 2D to enhance drawings for competitions or presentations. Image Fills allow a greater degree of freedom in choosing the appearance of the documentation.

User Benefits

• Reduces the requirement of using third party applications for preparation of presentation material.
• The ability to produce high quality presentation drawings is a significant competitive advantage.

Improved Dimensioning Input Logic

Improved dimensioning input logic makes it easy to visualise dimension lines and adjust dimension points on the fly. There is no need to define the direction of a dimension line before placing it. The intuitive graphical feedback helps you to reduce the time spent on dimensioning.

DWG Element Conversion Improvements

ArchiCAD's advanced DWG conversion engine has been further improved with some additional features including:

• A new function allows you to convert AutoCAD 3D Solids, Regions and Bodies into GDL Objects.
• When saving an ArchiCAD file as DWG, only those ArchiCAD attributes used in the project will be included. This is an automatic process, reducing file size and eliminating the creation of empty layers in the DWG.
• The LTScale variable used in DWG files will now be appropriately interpreted when opening or merging DWG files in ArchiCAD.