Archicad 2D – A Lightweight Drafting Tool for a Wider Audience?

[nonpertutti]

This is not a formal feature request, because I’m aware that Graphisoft has its own roadmap and strategic goals.
Still, I’d like to share this idea with the community to hear your thoughts.

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I’ve always loved the 2D drafting environment in Archicad. It’s elegant, intuitive, powerful, fast, and beautiful.
For many tasks – including technical drawings, annotations, and even graphic compositions – it feels perfect. It’s one of the most enjoyable 2D drafting environments out there.

But oddly enough, this strength is often forgotten or underestimated. Many professionals I know still believe that "Archicad isn’t for drawing," and that 2D = AutoCAD.

So here’s a thought:

What if Graphisoft created a standalone 2D-only drafting app – stripped down, lightweight, small libraries, compatible with Archicad, and focused entirely on drawing?

Imagine a small tool called ArchiCAD 2D:

• Built on Archicad’s powerful 2D engine,

• With layer management, 2D tools, views and layouts,

• DWG in/out via translators,

• Fully compatible: drawings made in ArchiCAD 2D could be opened and used directly in full Archicad (e.g., imported into Layouts),

• Possibly sold at a very low cost, or boldly distributed free.

And that's it.

Studios (especially small and medium-sized ones) could use it for early drafting, redlines, or even full 2D sets. Junior staff or CAD operators could work in the 2D tool without touching the “supercar” – and the precious full Archicad license would be used for appropriate tasks.

To me, this wouldn’t compete with Archicad – it would widen the funnel, get more people familiar with its logic and interface, and build a larger ecosystem of future users.

There would be an ArchiCAD and an ArchiBIM... it sounds somehow more appropriate: no need to rename a beloved product, though!

What do you think? Would this make sense?
Do others also use Archicad for 2D tasks beyond pure modeling?

[CosminF]

Hi. 

I really like this to be honest. Although I feel like we should try to focus as much as possible on ditching 2D, they are still widely used, especially in MEP engineering. I such I really think this can be a good strategy to reel in many users into the ecosystem as you said. 

One thing I would add would be the teamwork compatibility and ability to use trace. For example someone tasked with developing a 2D detail should be able to explore the layouts so they can get a better understanding on what they should draw and see "the big picture" more clearly. Directly, in real time, with no exporting to dwg, importing just to "xref" in the 2D version of the software. 

I second your idea, I think it has real-world potential. Even to use it as a "dwg viewer" and quick editor and it would serve alot of people well.

[Lingwisyer]

I could see a version of AC which is locked to the Floor Plan, meaning that if you draw a Wall or something, it would still have "height" as per standard AC. Basically AC without Surfaces or any of the 3D Engines. This would mean that you would not be able do Elevations or Sections or anything built from the 3D View. Could possibly do details too since it is not actually 3D.

If you completely removed the 3rd dimension, you would just be making duplicate work for anyone who take takes it 3d...

Ling.

[Laszlo Nagy]

There was actually such a product by Graphisoft a very long time ago. It was called TopCAD. I think it was discontinued in the 1990s.

I found a PDF help file about it on the internet:

https://dn721606.ca.archive.org/0/items/top-cad-syntax-reference/TopCad_UserManualVol3_text.pdf

[mikas]

@Laszlo Nagy  Great find, thanks, I like the history of all of it.

I do have to admit, that I, and us, did (ab)use Graphisoft ArchiCAD in a 2D ways in the last century of it. We did not realize all the 3D of it. And of course later it became BIM and whatever.

ArchiCAD had all the tools to draw 2D. It was quit good at it. For architects it was better than Aldus/Adobe/MacroMedia Freehand, Corel Draw likes, or some other 2D tools of the time. The scale, the publishingish  aids, PMK. The Plotmaker of it.

Still I don't get the idea of differentiating the tools and monetizing them apart of each other. Especially I don't like the repertuare of Autodesk. You need to buy every other and them some more piece of software and aspect of AEC-software from them.

It hope Graphisoft wants to move as a one time platform to all displiclines. At one cost, and for all the same. Architect, MEP, HVAC, Constructionists. Elecricity maybe too. I don't know.

As I don't know, but if that was the goal, it would the first in industry. Buy one software, do it all. I know I'm in disagree to lot of people here. It's just that Revit does that allready. Probably you need to compete with it or die.

But then again, it's a stockholders decision after all.

I get the hate after GS subscription move. I am a hater of that move too, I admit. Still, I am holding in here and paying. Please let us see why you are the one to be with, to be with later on too.