Hello ! It is the first time i write here not to post a problem but just to share some thoughts about Archicad, especially the modelling part.
I am now working on my diploma project and for now am making lots of volumetric studies and variants and while doing this i just realised how good archicad is in conceptual modelling, when working with the Solid Element Operations tool
I know there have been lots of critiques about this issue, and i have posted some of them in the past.
I know you can`t make Rhino-like organic shapes yet, like Zaha Hadid does or you can`t get true plan views of the generated SEO shapes (now you can do it only when working with the SHELL tool, but here are some wonderfull facts:
-SEO is actually a parametric modelling technique because you can always change the dimensions of the shapes involved. Lets say you are sculpting some shapes with the Substractive method, and you put the Operator on a hidden layer. You are now seeing the desired volume. And if you wanna change something, you can just unhide the layer and change the operator, wich will instantaneus affect the target shape. In Sketchup you would need to push pull all the separated face again wich can be tedious. (the SEO from SKP 8 is not parametric at all).
Now revit has the VOID and MASS tools, but they are not as fast and intuitive as Archicad. And yes, this is the strongest side of Archicad - It alows you to work directly with the model, "feel" what you are doing and not get stuck options and complicated interfaces.
I am using SEO alot in Archicad, mostly i use the simple roofs as planes to cut, model and section my volumes. And no matter how complicated the shape become, i can always change it instantaneus by changing the operators involved.
So after using it alot, i have some suggestions about the improvements of the SEO tool. The fact that in AC 15 you have a list of Operators involved, and you can select it or activate it its a nice step forward.
But how about activating an operator again after its been dezactivated? It could be kept on the list but with an OFF indicator next to it. Its just like when using Layer Settiings , but instead of layers you have operators and targets.
Adding more tools for a better management of Operators - Targets, like some sort of hierarchy, and dimensional constraints would be wonderfull.
And i have just a small question: When i use the Shell tool, can i make a solid shape not just a shell? I mean just like when you use slabs for modeling cubes or boxes. Would be very helpfull because i could use a BOX shell as a start for a shape, then sculpting it and still have story-sensitive views. I hope in the future, every element of Archicad will be story sensitive, not just the Shell tool.
Because of this issue, i will probably have to export the plan view of the building and continue the documentation in Autocad. I also have some friends wich only uses AC for the modelling part and this is a good and a bad sign . Is good because it tells how good AC is in modelling and bad because you can`t get plan-views out of SEO operations.
I think if Graphisoft concentrate on SEO improvements is gonna be very
helpfull, especially for students and maybe for every architect wich makes alot of mass studies at the begining of a project. After all, we all know how many solutions we need to work untill we *(and the clients) are happy with it.
