Archicad vs Sketchup

[Anonymous]

Further to my email a few months ago now which some may remember in which I slagged off Archicad and stated that Autocad and 2d was still the way to go I want to modify that statement.

Ive tried Sketchup recently and god does that program poo all over Archicad! Its amazing and its so intuitive and easy to use. Its not like Archicad at all.

So now I am convinced that the way to go is Sketchup for up to planning/concepts and then converting to 2d Autocad after planning. I cerainly dont see Archicad featuring in the future of architecture much at all unless you are a house designer.

I would certainly ask any doubters to try Sketchup and then tell me I am wrong. I know the argument for archicad is its true BIM 'and all that' but I dont need 'all that'. I need a simple way of doing client friendly 3d designs and Sketchup is it. What I dont need is Archicads inflexible and complex object based mentality. I just dont need it.

Ive just done a great looking 3d house in Sketchup in 3 days that would have taken me a month to do in Archicad. And no I wouldnt have then saved the wroking drg time because you cant use Archicad to do working drawings I can tell you that as a fact.

So you see I havent changed my mind, I dont like Archicad as I am a design orientated architect not an IT freak.

[Dwight]

Why use 2 words when you can use 396?

[Anonymous]

What are the benefits of Archicad over Sketchup + Autocad.? You can do some poor sections that will need redrafting to detail up and you can use the BIM for lighting, heating and sound calcs, if you put the time into it. In my world we have M&E engineers who do the heat calcs and they dont use Archicad. You can work out lighting and sound very easily with a calculator.

Sketchup allows you to visualise projects in 3d really quickly as you design. If the planning policy changes in this country and we can submit 3d images rather than plans and elevs there would be no reason to start using any CAD system before planning approval. That would be a very good thing for architects.

Autocad does 2d drafting far better than Archicad but thats just my own opinion admittedly. Once I have done a 3d model in sketchup I just dont see any point in then having to model all of the project in Archicads clumsy complex object led methodology where you cant do anything that is slightly non standard without a lot of programming knowledge.

Archicad is a good example of being a jack of all trades and a master of none. It tries to do everything. It tries to do presentation where Sketchup is far far more intuituve. It tries to do BIM - whats the point? Ill never ever need it. It tries to do detailing. But you cant do that.

Its main failing though is that it is meant to be used by architects. Architects are inherently artistic people. And not many are technologically minded in terms of computer programming. The only way to get anything out of Archicad is to learn to programme it. The standard tools it comes with wont even do a house well never mind a piece of architecture. This is why I think it is 'quite' well suited to housebuilders who only need a very limited stock of objects. To the rest of the architectural world its just too difficult to use. Period.

[Eduardo Rolon]

Nats,

YOU don't HAVE to use ARCHICAD, so please stop telling lies.

If you don't have a question about Archicad then go to pushpull bar or AUGI were your comments might be appreciated.

edited to rephrase.

[Anonymous]

ejrolon wrote:
Nats,

YOU don't HAVE to use ARCHICAD, so please stop telling lies.

If you don't have a question about Archicad then go to pushpull bar or AUGI and bother them with your trollish comments.

Since when was this a forum for questions? Surely its a discussion forum on Archicad and its workings. Just becuase most people post questions doesnt mean thats all the forum is for. I'd like to find out what in my posts you consider to be a lie.

Anyway for anyone who is interested heres my Sketchup picture. Its not brilliant but its a start.

[Eduardo Rolon]

Opinion thus false, your opinions are not gospel.
Autocad does 2d drafting far better than Archicad but thats just my own opinion admittedly.

False
Once I have done a 3d model in sketchup I just dont see any point in then having to model all of the project in Archicads clumsy complex object led methodology where you cant do anything that is slightly non standard without a lot of programming knowledge.

Opinion
Archicad is a good example of being a jack of all trades and a master of none.

Opinion and False
It tries to do presentation where Sketchup is far far more intuituve.

False
It tries to do BIM

False
The only way to get anything out of Archicad is to learn to programme it.

False
The standard tools it comes with wont even do a house well never mind a piece of architecture.

Opinion
This is why I think it is 'quite' well suited to housebuilders who only need a very limited stock of objects.

False and Opinion
To the rest of the architectural world its just too difficult to use.

[Dwight]

Stop, already.

[Laura Yanoviak]

Hey eduardo, you forgot:

False
You can do some poor sections that will need redrafting to detail up

With Complex Profiles, our 3/4" scale wall sections need very little "2D enhancement".

[Anonymous]

Well I would love to dispute all this but I cant be bothered.

Sketchup is everything I have been looking for in terms of 3d modelling and massing/design. I dont need a BIM program. And I prefer using Autocad for 2d work.

Well just leave it that for some people Archicad is fine and dandy. Its not for me.

And I wouldnt be surprised at all if it disappears altogether once more people get into Sketchup.

[Anonymous]

Correction :

WE can't be bothered with all this stupidity of a galle spitting l..ser.

Please remove yourself and your face from the forum.
I assume, no, I'm sure, it's yours !

[Anonymous]

Hi Nats,

I can see your not convinced by anyones argument yet! It's a shame this discussion is getting a bit personal. Will everyone please lighten up and use this opportunity to compare and contrast the different programs and their perceived ease of use. The more people with different opinions, the better the forum is.

Anyhoo, thanks for posting up the picture of the project, It is much easier to see what your talking about.

Regarding the design of the building, I don't see anything that can't be built using the standard tools in ArchiCAD. What things specifically could you not work out how to build? What were you anticipating would need 'programming' in order to work?

If it was a building shaped like an organic blob, I would hold my hands up and say yes, use another program, but happily your building is very simple. It looks rectilinear in nature with a simple pitched roof. The windows and doors are rectangular. These all are things that ArchiCAD can do very easily and quickly.

Personally, to model that building to a level suitable for planning drawings, I'd be suprised if it would take me any longer than 3 hours using the standard ArchiCAD parts, and probably an equal time to set up and annotate all the drawings and enhance the plans and elevs with 2d entourage. I'm sure it could be done even quicker if pushed! A lot of the speed comes from both having a good set of preset materials, wall types and windows and also knowing exactly what tool you need to accomplish a particular task before you come to it. Trial and error is very slow.

In terms of co-ordination, what happens if you change part of the design? How do you ensure that you have updated every plan/elev/section/3dview that may show the changed area?

Would it be possible to see an example of the plans you produce using the combo of Sketchup and Autocad? It would be interesting to see if there was any bits that couldn't be done using a live model in AC.

And please, this is not a war! We all want the same thing really!