Graphisoft SE , a Nemetschek-based company, develops architectural software based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology . Graphisoft is headquartered in Budapest , Hungary . GRAPHISOFT has subsidiaries in Germany, the USA, Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Singapore, China, Mexico and Italy. In Russia and the CIS countries, a separate representative office operates. The flagship product is the ARCHICAD application [1] , released since 1984 for Windows and Mac platforms.
Products
Graphisoft ARCHICAD
ARCHICAD is an application for integrated architectural design, which includes tools for creating a 3D model, 2D documentation, visualization and calculations. ARCHICAD is based on the Virtual Building Technology developed by GRAPHISOFT in 1984 and also known as Building Information Modeling ( BIM ). [2] [3]
Graphisoft BIM Server
Graphisoft BIM Server (TeamWork 2.0) is a client-server solution designed to organize collaboration on projects in the ARCHICAD environment. DeltaServer technology, which is the basis of the second generation of TeamWork, allows you to transfer only changed data, thereby reducing the load on computer networks. Starting with ARCHICAD 13 Graphisoft BIM Server is included in the standard package of the application. [four]
Graphisoft MEP Modeler
Graphisoft MEP Modeler is an extension for ARCHICAD, released by Graphisoft and designed to work with utility networks. The abbreviation MEP stands for Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing (Ventilation / Electrics / Water and Sewerage). MEP Modeler allows you to create, edit or import engineering network elements and perform Collision Detection of these elements with the structural elements of the ARCHICAD Building Information Model.
Graphisoft EcoDesigner
Graphisoft EcoDesigner is an extension created by Graphisoft and released for ARCHICAD versions 14-16. Starting with ARCHICAD 17, some of the EcoDesigner functions were implemented directly in ARCHICAD as an Energy Efficiency Assessment function. At the same time, the EcoDesigner STAR extension was released, which has additional features compared to EcoDesigner. [five]
Graphisoft BIMx
The BIMx application, originally called Virtual Building Explorer, is an interactive demonstration application for projects created in ARCHICAD. Model navigation resembles video game controls. There are versions for desktop computers and for mobile devices based on iOS and Android . [6]
History
Graphisoft was founded in 1982 by Gábor Bojár. After some time, the co-owners of the company were Gabor István Tari (Gábor István Tari) and Peter Hamor (Péter Hámor). Six months after the founding of the company, it was possible to conclude a contract for the development of a three-dimensional model of cooling systems for a nuclear power plant located in the Hungarian city of Paks.
In the process of modeling pipelines (based on hand-made 2D drawings), two technologies were created that subsequently formed the basis of ARCHICAD. The first technology came about because of the need to import data from 2D plans and was called the GDL language.
The appearance of the second technology was due to the need to remove invisible contour lines in the model. At that time, most of the applications that existed at that time used one of two solutions. The first solution, as a rule, used for low-resolution monitors, did not provide the necessary accuracy of display and detailing of pipelines. The second solution, implemented in traditional three-dimensional CAD systems, required the use of high-performance computers, and the company did not have a single computer at all.
Gabor Boyar was able to create his own program code that determined the visible and invisible elements of the model and had relatively small performance requirements.
Most of the money received for the Paks project, the young company invested in marketing, issuing brochures advertising the developed software.
In Hungarian, the program is called AGOTA (abbreviation for Általános Geometriai Objectum-rendszerek Térbeli Ábrázolása / 3D Representation of Universal Geometric Systems). In English, the program was called PUGOS (3D Presentation of Universal Geometric Object Systems). A year later, the German name RADAR (Raumliche Darstellung) appeared.
The first public software demonstration, held in the fall of 1983 at the Munich exhibition, allowed Graphisoft to establish contacts with various computer manufacturers ( Apple , Sony , Mitsubishi , Commodore ). Initially, the founders of the company wanted to conclude agreements only on the adaptation and installation of their application on inexpensive personal computers with hourly pay (about 100 DM per hour), giving the right to distribute their program to computer manufacturers. However, Apple, with which it was eventually possible to conclude an agreement, refused to acquire ownership of RADAR, limiting itself to support and assistance in adapting the program for Apple computers.
In mid-February 1984, Apple donated four of the latest Apple Lisa computers and 30,000 Deutsche Marks ($ 10,500) cash for marketing purposes to GRAPHISOFT. The total amount of material support amounted to more than 100,000 marks (35,000 dollars).
Graphisoft, in turn, has committed itself to adapting RADAR for Lisa computers to the exhibition in Hanover, which was due to take place on April 4, 1984, that is, six weeks later.
The received computers fell under the CoCom embargo, therefore Gabor Boyar did not dare to immediately transport them to Hungary, even signing a document prohibiting the transfer of these computers to any citizen of any country affected by the embargo. All RADAR adaptations were carried out in Munich in a rented apartment. At this point, GRAPHISOFT had a fourth partner, Lóránt Szabó.
At an exhibition in Hanover, Graphisoft demonstrated the capabilities of RADAR using examples of Paks piping models, urban planning solutions, buildings, kitchen design, and even shoes. In the process of demonstrating the model of engineering systems, a model of a part of pipelines made of wood, plastic and wires was put on the monitor, which allowed to appreciate the advantages of 3D-design.
Since 1984, Graphisoft has gradually begun to create a global network of distributors to promote its products in almost all European countries and in America.
ArchiCAD 2.0, released in 1986 for Macintosh computers , was a major breakthrough for Graphisoft. This was the first "integrated" version of the program in which editing of 2D plans and creating a 3D model took place in one environment (in ArchiCAD 1.0, these two processes were performed in different applications).
The big drawback of the first two versions of ArchiCAD was the lack of 2D drawing tools and documentation. For this reason, a separate topCAD application (first called BIGRAPH) was released that was not widely used since the 2D CAD market was already occupied by a large number of different applications.
Selling for a nominal fee the source code of the RAPID application, which was profitable but required large resources, in 1986 allowed the company to focus all its attention on developing only ARCHICAD.
The version of ArchiCAD 3.1, released in 1988, received a new user interface developed under the direction of Gyuri Juhász, the first professional architect to start working at GRAPHISOFT.
The change in the political system that took place in 1989 led to the lifting of the CoK embargo on Hungary. This allowed Graphisoft to become a distributor of Apple products in Eastern Europe for several years.
In autumn 1993, the first version (ArchiCAD 4.16) for the Windows platform was released. This version was more like earlier versions of the Macintosh, inferior to the Mac versions in speed and stability. In the process of developing this version, the program code was almost completely rewritten. In addition, support for two operating systems at once led to the abandonment of some functions that could not be implemented on both platforms. Over the next few years, the difference in performance between Mac and Windows versions narrowed until they became almost identical to each other.
In 1994, the company's revenue increased by 70 percent. Such a significant increase in profits was made possible not only thanks to the support of both platforms, but also due to the implementation of Virtual Reality (VR) technology created by Apple in ARCHICAD.
The 1995 version of ArchiCAD 4.55 and the subsequent group design version (ArchiCAD for TeamWork 1997) brought Graphisoft a large number of awards (Eddy Prize, Codie, Computer Graphics World Award, CADENCE and CADALYST Magazine Editorial Choice Awards) .
In February 1996, GRAPHISOFT managed to enter into agreements with Japanese firms that invested $ 7,500,000 in the company. Part of this money was spent on acquiring a piece of land on the banks of the Danube in northern Budapest and building the Graphisoft Park office complex, which housed the new GRAPHISOFT headquarters.
In August 1996, Graphisoft joined the IAI (International Alliance for Interoperability), later renamed buildingSMART and developing the IFC cross-platform data interchange format, support for which began with ArchiCAD 7.0 (2001).
In 1998, Graphisoft began trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and in 2002 on the Budapest Stock Exchange.
In 2007, Graphisoft was acquired by Nemetcschek AG (Germany). [7]
Companies Tekla, Graphisoft and other software developers have organized the Open BIM movement, aimed at open cross-platform interaction in the exchange of data at the level of Building Information Modeling.
In 2015-2016, the company was rebranded, as a result of which the Graphisoft logo and the case of letters in the name ARCHICAD (formerly ArchiCAD) changed.
Notes
- ↑ Árvay, Alica Perspectives in Goulash Valley: the Graphisoft Story (link not available) . Diplomacy & Trade. Date of treatment February 25, 2014. Archived February 11, 2015.
- ↑ Lopez], Bob Martens; Herbert Peter [Transl. from German: Pedro M. ArchiCAD: best practice: The Virtual Building revealed. - Wien: Springer, 2004 .-- ISBN 3211407553 .
- ↑ Germany, Mohd Fairuz Shiratuddin, Tulio Sulbaran, Shane. Introduction to ArchiCAD: a BIM application. - 1. - Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Learning, 2010 .-- ISBN 1428356649 .
- ↑ Eastman, Chuck. Bim handbook a guide to building information modeling for owners, managers, designers, engineers and contractors . - Unabridged. - Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2013 .-- ISBN 111802169X .
- ↑ Levy, Francois. Bim in small-scale sustainable design. - Unabridged. - Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2013. - P. 2-6. - ISBN 1118106822 .
- ↑ Boeykens, Stefan. Unity for Architectural Visualization . - Packt Publishing, 2013 .-- ISBN 1783559071 .
- ↑ Nemetschek acquires majority in Graphisoft shares . Nemetschek AG. (inaccessible link)