Dear Graphisoft Community members,
As we move forward in 2025, we are excited to share some important updates regarding our community and moderation team. Change is a natural part of any thriving community, and we want to take this opportunity to introduce new faces, express our gratitude to those who have contributed immensely, and acknowledge a well-earned retirement.
Welcome, Fritz Schüpferling – Our new German Community Manager
We are delighted to announce that @Fritz Schupferling is now the designated Community Manager for our German-speaking community. After a long career as a master carpenter, Fritz has been with Graphisoft for nearly 13 years. He has gained extensive experience in support, customer success, and product marketing, making him an ideal fit to support and guide our community. With his deep knowledge of Archicad and dedication to customer needs, we are confident that Fritz will continue to nurture and strengthen the German-speaking forums.
Thank you, Claudius!
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Claudius Henrichs (@Claudius), who has made significant contributions to our German-speaking forums. Although he will no longer be our Community Manager, Claudius remains an integral part of our team, focusing on community platform developments. We deeply appreciate his past efforts and look forward to seeing what new enhancements he will bring to our platform.
Introducing our new German moderation team
A community thrives on engagement, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. With that in mind, we are excited to introduce a group of outstanding Archicad experts who will now serve as moderators. Many of you already know them—they have been highly active in the English and German forum and our Developer Hub, sharing their expertise and insights. Here is a brief introduction to each of them:
- Frank Beister (@Frank Beister) : Frank has been accompanying Archicad since version 4.5 and has been a beta tester since version 7. As a long-time participant in the Archicad forum and author of numerous GDL objects, Frank is a well-known figure in the community. With 25 years of experience as an architect and GDL programmer, he has now worked as a BIM manager at a regional real estate company for 6 years. He was elected into the Skewer Archicad User Hall of Fame in 2023.
- Heimo Mooslechner (@Hmooslechner) : Heimo is a true Archicad veteran, actively involved since version 5.5. His numerous GDL objects can be found on bimcomponents.com and his own YouTube channel. Since 2003, Heimo has been teaching at HTL-Salzburg, sharing his extensive experience with the next generation of AEC professionals. Heimo has been very active in community challenges as well. He was also elected into the Skewer Archicad User Hall of Fame in 2023.
- Peter Hiller (@snow) : Peter's passion for Archicad started during his studies in 2004, and he has been an active community member ever since. With a background in craftsmanship, he provides invaluable insights into construction and geometry.
- Jochen Sühlo (@Jochen Suehlo) : A freelance architect and an Archicad enthusiast since version 6.0, Jochen has supported the development of the software as a beta tester since version 10. He has been programming GDL objects since 2001, creating objects for architects and building product manufacturers, many of which are included in the German service contract library.
We are thrilled to have these experienced and dedicated moderators on board. Their knowledge and passion will undoubtedly strengthen our community!
A heartfelt farewell to Karl Ottenstein
Finally, we want to take a heartfelt moment to express our deepest gratitude to @Karl Ottenstein , who is stepping down from his role as a moderator. Karl has been a pillar of our community for decades —his vast knowledge, patience, and unwavering willingness to help others have left a lasting impact that words alone cannot fully capture.
For many years, Karl was renowned for his detailed and thoughtful responses. He always took the time to explain features, workflows, and the intricacies of Archicad, ensuring that users not only solved their problems but truly understood the software. His generosity in sharing his expertise has guided countless community members, making their learning journeys smoother and more rewarding.
Many stories circulate about how Karl first started using Archicad: some say that with his engineering background, he was helping a friend on a project back in version 6.5, while others believe he was searching for software to help him build his barn. Whatever first sparked his interest, one thing is certain—his passion for the software, dedication to the community of users, and relentless drive to improve architecture have been a motivating force for years.
With a background in computer science, combined with a natural curiosity and a passion for problem-solving, Karl quickly became one of the most respected figures in our community. Over the years, he has provided thousands of users with guidance—offering tips, moderating discussions, refining language, and ensuring that user feedback reached the right channels.
We have countless fond memories of Karl’s contributions, including his visit to Budapest for the 2016 Key Client Conference, where he met with Archicad users from all over the world and the Graphisoft headquarters team. His dedication is priceless—25 years of supporting Archicad, spanning 24 versions, and assisting thousands of users.
While Karl is now embracing retirement and new adventures, we are pleased to know that he will still be around in the community, engaging with reactions and sharing insights when he can. His legacy within the Graphisoft Community is unparalleled, and we cannot thank him enough for his years of assistance and friendship. As a token of our deepest appreciation, we are honored to name Karl as Moderator Emeritus—a title that reflects not only his contributions but the admiration and gratitude of the entire community.
Honoring Djordje Grujic’s legacy
We also want to take this opportunity to extend our sincere gratitude with the Moderator Emeritus title to @Djordje, who set the foundations for all moderators and served as lead moderator from the earliest days until 2009. Djordje's immense contributions and skilled moderation remain unforgettable from the early days of the Archicad community, which started forming through Yahoo groups.
As much as Djordje's contributions to spreading Archicad knowledge and strengthening the Graphisoft community internationally, it's less known that Djordje was one of the BIM pioneers in the Balkan region, where he grew up and received his architectural education. Thanks to his selfless education efforts and his numerous texts in the most popular computer magazine in the region, PC Press, originating back from 1995 (check out some of his texts), he made an enormous impact on educating young architects about BIM technologies and their advantages.
As a practicing architect and BIM leader in the UAE nowadays, he continues to be an invaluable part of our community, frequently posting interesting questions and sharing his expertise and passion for Archicad.
Thank you both from all Archicad users whom you have helped improve their work and those whom your legacy will continue to inspire!
Looking forward
With these changes, we are excited about the future of the Graphisoft Community. Our new moderators bring fresh energy and expertise, and we look forward to seeing the continued growth and collaboration within our forums.
Thank you, @Karl Ottenstein and @Djordje, for everything you have done. Thank you, @Claudius, for your continued contributions. And welcome, @Fritz Schupferling and the new moderators @Frank Beister @Hmooslechner @snow @Jochen Suehlo —we are thrilled to have you on board!
Thank you to all our community members for your your presence, participation and contributions.. Let’s continue building this incredible community together 🎉
Gordana Radonic,
Manager, Global Community
