AEC Tech News: Focus on Productivity (#3)

Multipurpose Monuments: Miami professor uses VectorWorks to create landmarks that could save lives

Multipurpose Monuments

Miami professor uses VectorWorks to create landmarks that could save lives

If you ever need to evacuate Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty can’t help you. The Golden Gate Bridge might facilitate departure from San Francisco, but if you’re looking for a good time on a Friday night, don’t count on that piece of red metal to tell you if the Rolling Stones are playing in SBC Park.

Roberto Rovira, assistant professor of landscape architecture at Florida International University’s School of Architecture, has an idea for a Miami landmark that can do what Lady Liberty and the Golden Gate can’t.

Rovira’s award-winning proposal to the Miami Monument Committee is to build three towering, solar-powered structures, dubbed Miami Sunspars. Inspired by the shape of leaves on a palm frond, they’ll be planted at various intervals along a canal, locally known as the Government Cut. Read more >>

Cadalyst Labs Review: Autodesk Building Systems 2006 — MEP for Big Projects

by Steven S. Ross

Autodesk Building Systems, like Architectural Desktop, is built on the AutoCAD engine. It's perfect for mechanical, electrical and plumbing designs, as well as for working on fire-protection issues. Although it comes with plenty of symbols that can be used in brick-and-stick construction, it's meant for big projects. The files are, of course, compatible with Architectural Desktop; one project can be designed at multiple seats using both products at the same time. VIZ Render is included for truly magnificent rendered output.

Now that Autodesk Revit Building supports ACIS solid models, Building Systems users can share projects with Revit Building seats as well. Of course, Building Systems exports to unadorned AutoCAD DWG for consultants and others using different AutoCAD versions. Users can also export data (in gbXML, usually) to third-party analysis programs. Read more >>

Mark Your Calendar: AEC Events

50th Annual CSI Show & Convention
March 28-April 1, 2006 
Las Vegas, Nevada
Event addresses the entire facility lifecycle and is intended for designers, engineers, specifiers, contractors, suppliers, facility managers, owners and people who work with them. Architect Frank Gehry, FAIA, will discuss BIM (building information modeling) during the opening general session.

For Cadalyst's full calendar of events, click here>>

Cadalyst Daily Update: For all the latest news and new products, subscribe to Cadalyst Daily e-newsletter. Plus, every issue includes a feature you won’t find anywhere else -- hardware and CAD software reviews, success stories, AutoCAD tips and much more! Here’s a sample of what you missed in the past week:

• ATI Launches 1GB Graphics Card : FireGL V7350 for workstations is said to be an industry first.

• Design Tools of Tomorrow: Sculpt on Screen: Touch-and-feel haptic devices now in the works could revolutionize how we shape products.

AEC from the Ground Up (Column) — Digital Options for Structural Analysis: The combination of structural and architectural software can improve a team's productivity.