Rob wrote:
I still don't know why everyone is so interested in producing blobitecture...
I agree that reasons for having this implemented in AC are hard to justify. I mean when I looked at Revit's curved things I went how many times I am going to use this.
However AC needs a simple set of geometrical operations in 3D (not necessarily nurbs-based stuff). just simple SketchUp-like modelling capabilities and ofcause improvement in facetted geometry as mentioned before.
AC is a productivity tool so it follows the concept of Model&Document approach that (I reckon) is the culprit of a slow development in the free-form geometry area.
I do not agree that AC should be something like Rhino either as its purpose is way off the architectural needs especially in regards to architectural documentation. A parallel example could be a big battle fought some years ago on this forum in regards to Lightworks (or any professional level renderer) in AC. All of us were really excited to have full-fledged renderer inside of AC. Right. I will not comment on the final implementation that is so typical for GS (aka 80% features). My point here is that rendering of pretty pictures has turned itself into a monster industry that AC can't compete with and gradually the market reality has shown us that viz outsourcing is actually the fastest, cheapest and after all more professional way to do it... and I could go further with examples like Plotmaker fancying to be Illustrator etc.
Aside from what we are seeing in the schools and a very few built works, I would agree that most of us will never need (or want?) to do blobitecture.
I see so many people in this forum do very creative forms within AC, using accessible, but not very apparent work-a-rounds. There was a rumor that GS has not given up entirely on something like Virtual GDL. Anyone remember that one? I had a copy many years ago that I never really used (it was pretty clunky) but, as I recall it worked sort of like Sketchup.
While AC
may
need more modeling tools, I'm wondering if it is more of an interface issue for us mere mortal architects. Sure there are a lot of things I can do in AC, but it often times seems so laborious and requiring very different ways of thinking. I admit to being lazy, and anything that takes away from my limited creative time and takes me into a cad problem solving mode is a huge (for me) negative. Can't the tools just be made easier to use? Wouldn't that alone be a huge improvement?
As far as rendering, it appears that Lightworks can do more than good enough renderings for what I need. But again, it requires more effort than I am willing or able to expend for a typical job. I use renderings primarily to get client approval and I have never had a client (residential) ask for a finished rendering.
Don Lee
