DAH Architecture
www.daharchitecture.
com.au
David has found that even builders who are used to seeing plans
everyday can sometimes find it hard to visualise exactly what the
finished product will look like. Being able to see and go through the
model means that clients are able to pick out quickly and easily exactly
what they do and do not like. With ArchiCAD and BIMx the ability to
make changes in perspective view is enormously beneficial. We can
make changes on the fly and the client can instantly see the impact
this will have on the finished product.
I had a project which I took over at Building Approval stage. I
modelled the DA plan drawings as they currently were into ArchiCAD
and imported this into BIMx to show the client, who was also the
builder and owner, what the finished product would look like. When
he saw the design in BIMx he was very unhappy, and asked me to
redo the design. The easy and intutitive design capability of ArchiCAD
and the added functionality of BIMx in the end saved him a lot of
disappointment, time and money.
Recently David has also had a project where he had to design
a new house to be added to a 2500 sqm site at the Church of
Transfiguration in Norman Park, QLD. The design included a tennis
court, swimming pool, 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a home office and
multiple lounge areas. Because the site itself was heritage listed,
both church and the planned new house had to be modelled up for
Development Approval.
ArchiCAD was a massive help in modelling the church with the
complex profiling tool, which was very useful given that elements
such as spires, columns and fretwork are not standardised in
Queensland.
With the current version of ArchiCAD this tool made it simple to
create a 3D model of a site which was very large and complex.
I dont even want to think about if I had tried to do this project in 2D.
It would have been a lot more work and time, thus a much higher
cost for the client.
Since completing this project so efficiently David has also had a
number of referrals and new jobs such as a house and apartment
block in the pipeline for this year.
Working with the structural engineers and other contractors for this
project, it couldnt have been done without 3D modelling and for me
this couldnt be done any easier in any other program.
For David, saving time is not only through the complex profiling tool,
but also through the ability to look through models for faults and
issues before the construction stage.
In ArchiCAD it is easier to see issues and pick up faults in things
like clearances and modelling beams. Walking around in fly-through
mode, or even just browsing through the model, I find that I pick up
on clashes or issues very quickly.
With the inclusion of CineRender in the latest ArchiCAD, rendering
is also something that David can see becoming a big part of his
practice, something, that he never had to worry about before.
Before its inclusion in ArchiCAD, I would use cartoon-like 3D
images, but now I am able to produce decent renders with relative
ease and client response has been very positive, he says.
The improvements to Archicad over the last 6 years has definitely
simplified the complex task of documenting a building and increased
the scope for sole practitioners like myself. Most importantly, the
inclusion of many time saving elements and increased capabilities
has made for better quality documentation meaning more accurate
tenders and less RFIs on site.
Davids Practice, DAH Architecture is located in Toowong, QLD, for
more information about his business visit his site at: http://www.
daharchitecture.com.au/index.html