Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

[Anonymous]

I've been doing a bit of soul searching lately regarding how to utilize these two outstanding applications. A little feedback would be much appreciated.

First a little about me, because my practice is not built like SOM J… I collaborate with other professions, even Joint-Venture with other architects on projects. However, I have no employees, just me to do all design and production work. So being able to use multiple applications and have them interface fluidly between each other is a must!

My problem right now is that I am using SketchUp more and more as a design tool than ArchiCAD. The reasons are not that important, except to say that if you have ever tried SU, you’ll know what I am talking about. The interface is simple and very narrowly aimed at making the Design phase exciting and intuitive… hat’s off to @Last for that.

Then reality sets in once the client is on board with the design. Now we have even less time to get out the Construction Documents. This is where ArchiCAD takes over. Unfortunately for me, most (if not all) effort spent during the design phase entering 3D data into SketchUp is repeated for the first couple weeks!

Does anybody else go through this? I know there is a plug-in, tried it, didn’t work for me. Ideally, I would like to use ArchiCAD like I use SketchUp, then I know I could save myself some valuable time. Am I dreaming?

+pablo

[Eduardo Rolon]

Ferenc wrote:
I just felt that retracing because you didn't get the expected result first time is little awkward as opposed to use some layers, groups or components to remove the clutter, but have your walls, floors, roofs, windows in place, components converted into library parts....
From surface model to solid building elements...

I have been able to use the SU plugin with no problems using your method. It is just that sometimes when working on an idea for a client I work on SU and when I switch to AC I just use the SU model as a reference, so exporting only the 2d info is enough. But that is the way I work the design developement phase of projects because it forces me to re-evaluate the decisions made in the schematic phase.
Usually when I am doing 3D work for other clients I will work some parts of the model in SU others in AC and get everything together in Artlantis or C4D.

Ferenc wrote:
I wouldn't recommend drawing hatched areas and lines for representing walls in ArchiCAD, but anybody is free to do so and post about it.

I'm in total agreement on this point

[Thomas Holm]

I have to agree with Eduardo. Re-tracing is an important step in development and quality assurance of a project. If I was to skip that step, my creativity in Sketchup would be severely hampered - I would have to think of dimensions in detail all the time. Doing that, I could just as well skip Sketchup altoghether.

Sketchup is all about free-hand creativity. Archicad is primarily something else - it's all about realistic building modeling, to detail, and getting it documented. I would normally not use an early free-hand pencil study as a construction document.

Thomas