10:30 to 12:00 - "From ideas to Real-Time Presentations: Tips and Tricks for Autodesk Showcase 2103"
Showcase is software that can be used to visualize your model in real time. You can also create a story board of your model. Free anyone wanting to view your showcase file, a free AutoCAD Showcase Viewer is available. Here's a link to a youtube clip showing what it can do:
Discussion points:
- 2013 now doesn't need files to be exported from Revit to go into showcase. It's now seemless
- FBX files are still being used, but it's done in the background
- Revit camera views now come across to showcase as do the visibility settings (hidden objects in Revit appear hidden in showcase).
- All AutoDesk materials are being standardised, however showcase has "extra" materials available
- When rendering, use "shading only" when in schematic design, not presentation type rendering.
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1:00pm to 1:30 - "Enhance AutoCAD Designs with Audodesk Sketchbook Designer"
This was a "hands on" lab session. Unfortunately the computer I ended up on wasn't loading the menu's correctly. There were some others in the same boat. Luckly my knowledge of menu unloading / loading kicked in and I was up and running.
Given this was a hand's on session, I didn't take any pictures - it was too busy / quick for that.
First we went into Sketchbook Designer (SBD) and drew some lines, arcs, circles and did some hatching - both flat and gradient. It was dead simple to do. The sketching was great too - very easy on a stylus to sketch and change the sketch - and it smoothen's our lines too. Opposite is not my drawing but one from the net just as an illustration.
AutoCAD:
We were also able to draw a 2D drawing in AutoCAD, pick the tab for SBD which opens the 2D drawing in this software. Then colour away. The drawing can either be imported as vectors or as a raster image.
During the session, I got a little bored as this was "too easy", so I made a quick sketch of my car. It only took me about 5 minute. I only drew it 2 tone so as to keep it real. What? You don't believe this is my drawing? Of course it is (isn't). Just an example off the net of typical drawings created in this software.
PS. With the "streching" of shading, this type of drawing is easier than it you think.
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3:30 to 5:00pm - "BIM Collaboration" (by Siva Koppula)
Ok, this is a bit of a dry one for some, but notes below (no pretty pictures):
- BIM implementation areas include governance, model-centric workflow, collaboration and data management, and integrated analysis
- This session was about collaboration and data management
- "BIM collaboration is the process of identification of different phases for a given project and defining the process of data and information sharing between these different phases"
- Here we need to consider the data creation, the information sharing, the data interoperability and communication and interaction.
- The question of who created the data, is it valid and up to date needs to be considered
- For "communication" the software called "dashboard" is becoming widely adopted in industry as the communication tool
- 1192 standard is the code of practice for collaborative production of architectural, engineering and construction information. It defines the process for file sharing of both 2D and 3D models. It is used for quality control and is applicable to all parties using the information.
- The standard includes: 1. Common data environment (for validation, checking, distributing, etc), 2. Standards, methods and annotation, 3. Roles and responsibilities
The method for developing and implementing BIM collaboration is:
- Assess
- Plan
- Implement
- Evaluate
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5:00 to 7:00pm - International Design Innovation Awards 2025
OK, now this was a bit of a weird one. Whilst at this session, I didn't really look at the date "2025". I assumed these were awards for current designers.
I suppose I should have thought something was a little "fishy" when I saw the presenter's jacket covered in what looked like bird #*&@ (see below).
But the awards were quite interesting never-the-less:
First award Brian David Johnson for his award winning computing chip. His design was based on chips now been constructed on quantum physics and based on the concept that evolution favours randomness, hence the chip can come up with "unpredicable" results as happens in nature.
These were the short list for built environment, with the winner being Alvise Simondetti for the "Universal Pop-up Hotel". The basis of his design was using a "node" design, where a building is created from pre-fabricated units (housing) in order to keep down costs and minimize construction times.
Next category was transportation design. The winning entrant was Javier Verdura. This was a "Telsa" electric vehicle powered with free energy received from the sun via towers. These towers are strategically located around the globe. These then "beam" power directly to the card. This was based on "Form follows Technology". Interesting.
Ok, this is what let the cat out of the bag. The winner was Rex Grignon from "Cifi Studios". So he showed us a clip where he directed a film. Hmm. Now this guy seemed to have a screw missing - either that or I missed the whole point.
So what was the reason for these awards? They showed people pushing the boundaries in relation to design, concepts and delivery.
So now for dinner. That was a long day. But no rest for the wicked - still have to go over our presentation tomorrow (which is first thing in the morning)...
