Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

What do you think should be done to get Archicad a bigger market share ?

Anonymous
Not applicable
I personally find ARCHICAD way more powerful, easy to use, faster and all in all innovative than other solutions like Revit. However since Revit is backed up by Autodesk and long years of Autocad dominance, ARCHICAD isn’t leading in terms of market share, what do you think GRAPHISOFT should do better? Do you think it’s enough for them to just push for a better product ? Or is there something else you would do ?
273 REPLIES 273
Anonymous
Not applicable
Where i live nothing should be done because they have about 90% share, i am in the french part of Switerland and i have been working with archicad since version 11.

I regularly check for available architectural designers jobs and i don't remember when was the last time i saw a company asking for Revit 3D designers, i do not know one single Revit user, Archicad dominates in the french part but probably in the german part Revit 3D has a bigger share.
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Hi guys,

This discussion started going in the direction of Artificial Intelligence, which has another thread dedicated to it. I have moved these posts to that other thread, so please continue discussing AI there:

https://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=72750&start=50
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
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jl_lt
Ace
Thanks Lazlo.

So, after all this techno chatter about AI and automation, i can conclude that, while we shouldnt expect to be substituted by a computer any time soon (too bad, i wanted to be an early retiree), there are definitely many many things that can and should be more automated by now.

I would start with the following, other might have other priorities:

-Dimensioning and anotation processes in Archicad
-Pattern iteration (curtain walls, flooring, etc)
-Organization of ID, and layers of the project
-Layout generation and positioning
-Shedules creations (yes, even more automation)
-More linking beetween geometry, axis and levels so its easier to modify projects and handle bigger projects
-Dedicated detailing tools
Anonymous
Not applicable
Less opaque linkages between Grasshopper and creating Archicad elements. By this I mean:
* Better, more complete tutorials
* Examples of converting parametric curved (ellipsoid for example) "box frame" structures in Grasshopper into actual walls and roofs in Archicad so that doors and window openings can be placed.

Greater flexibility in creating shaped walls (NOT just curtain walls) which are able to be generated in Grasshopper and that follow parametrically created 3D shapes.

The ability to create actual Design Twins of wall construction. For example wall construction which comprises hollow cells either created in Archicad or in Grasshopper and that can be saved in a format applicable to 3D printing.

Way more extensive capabilities in Param-O so that elements (including fully functional walls) of any type, shape, angle, etc. can be created.

The rapid evolution of architecture/design practice bringing together the financing, engineering, manufacture and fabrication of entire structures is already happening. Tools which support and expand this by the routine integration of a wide range of analytic and generative capabilities (structures, HVAC, MEP, Energy, Carbon analysis, geoSpatial systems etc) will enable Archicad to be a key system of choice.
Josh Verran
Expert
A road map of upcoming features and releases.
Rather than waiting for the release of each version to find out what has been added.

GRAPHISOFT CERTIFIED ARCHICAD BIM MANAGER

ARCHICAD 18-27 | BIMcloud Basic | CI Tools | Grasshopper - Rhino | CloudCompare | Bluebeam

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bouhmidage
Advisor
I think, jumping to the pole position in the AEC is a "dream" for archicad, that can't be achieved at least in the 5 coming years, Autodesk is dominating architecture, structure, MEP and now GIS, and graphisoft, or nemestcheck, alone , cant fight this huge wave.
in 2014, render legion created corona renderer, a rendering engine for 3ds max, it was a very basic rendering engine, with some good features, not competitve to Vray, but it do the job,
in 2016, corona render V1 was released, and it was a BOMB in the Archviz market, a LOT of Vray users moved to corona, for one simple reason : no render settings , all works great by default, Vray need too much of settings to deliver a good render,
November 2017, Render legion joined chaos group ( vray ) and they announced a cooperation between the two competitor companies, CG artists thought it was the end of corona, and Vray will kill it's competitor,
now we are in 2021, and since 2017, every release of corona render brings new functionnalities, new technology, and compatibility with Vray, with a stronger development road, and an open roadmap,

if this would be reproduced with Graphisoft and Autodesk, for cooperation and developpment purposes, that would be a Huge gain for the community, Graphisoft remain under nemestcheck, but cooperate with it's rival, revit,

looks impossible, yes, but why not !
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Archicad 25
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furtonb
Advisor
Even the Corona for Archicad project was abandoned due to struggling development. The Vray for Archicad never even happened AFAIK. Now Pollination being on the verge of being released, there were only tangential remarks from development when the AC plugin would be released (the Revit plugin being demoed already) in one of their webinars.

Feels like that most useful technologies are being kept away from Archicad as a "platform". The Rhino+GH connection's (which could bridge a huge gap at least) development feels awkwardly slow. It was a good idea years ago - look what happened with Rhino.Inside.Revit since then.

So yeah, collaboration would be nice...
odv.hu | actively using: AC25-27 INT | Rhino6-8 | macOS @ apple silicon / win10 x64
Podolsky
Ace
For me it looks like Graphisoft needs to reorganise their management structure, relations with distributors, to structure better add-ons and libraries development (maybe by creating discipline pools - when each developer knows he is making tool for landscape, visualisation, physical simulation, structure etc.) and start shipping ArchiCAD with built-in third-part Add-Ons - let say specific Add-on set and libraries for structural engineer, constructor, architect, interior designer...
Maybe launch few open-source projects - for example possibility to use TeamWork with BlenderBIM. Seek cooperation with companies like Google and Apple. Lets not to forget one very important part - ArchiCAD is running on MacOS. Revit not. That means ArchiCAD users are potentially Apple computers buyers. It's always was like that. Even in UK ArchiCAD distribution company called 'Applecore design'. If architects are giving up on ArchiCAD - some part of them automatically switching on Windows with Revit.
For me it looks like Graphisoft management system just not so flexible and possibly old. I understand that s..t happens and exists human factor, but common - when coming regional manager from Hungary with presentation of AC 6.5, looking to the stuff he brought with him - 'oh God, they gave me wrong CD! (ArchiCAD 6.0)' - this is story from 20 years ago. It time when transfer large files via internet was problematic. I think there are a lot of comic and confusing situations happens like that around the world. I heard another story - that came group of architects from India to Budapest on some event and they getting beef for lunch...
Totally commercial presentations of local representatives (with free beer and lunch) with quite primitive content.
Of course it's always possible to blame Autodesk, that they took market with Revit. But.
Today with only slogans like 'I'm loving ArchiCAD' and 'by architects for architects' you will not go far on this market.
Everyone is expecting that ArchiCAD will start to do smart steps in software engineering offering revolutionary ideas in BIM world. But not anyone is asking a question - how many today programmers are sitting and writing and testing new program functionalities? Their surrounding. How many satellite companies are working for Graphisoft? Who is developing standard ArchiCAD library and why it still so awful?
So, guys, who is making most important decisions in Graphisoft and Nemetschek - save your company, because today all that started to look 'komisch'. Or if you cannot - then just open source all ArchiCAD - worldwide communities will make from it the best BIM software in the world very very fast.
Eric Milberger
Advocate
Make it even easier to create work. Where I lose time is in finding elements. Trying to find sinks and faucets like I see in the US is a chore. More More More of the elements already set to go
Eric Milberger, Architect | Master Planner
bouhmidage
Advisor
6 months ago, i teached archicad for a certified revit user (pro certification) who wants to just know archicad
Today i received a message from him, he said :
I'm revit ceetified pro, but, after the corse, and some personal effort, i liked archicad and never go back to revit, i got a job with archicad and i'm enjoying using it.

Graphisoft, look how users like your software, i'm teaching archicad without certification, and users like it and try to give it a chance, even with the dominance of revit, dominance due to marketing strategies.
Imagine how archicad will spread when you open worldwide training centers, approved certification centers, national standards developpers,
Having a good prodict with a "shy" marketing won't stand too long,
Archicad users community is doing a lot of effort to spread the software, cos they just LOVE IT...
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM, RTX 3080 10 GB
Archicad 25
Windows 10 professional
https://www.behance.net/Nuance-Architects