Archicad 9 wins unanimous acclaim!

Following a meticulously thorough and highly interactive testing process, Archicad 9 beta testers globally back Graphisoft’s Virtual Building solution

Budapest, October 18, 2004 – The launch of Graphisoft’s most powerful Virtual Building™ solution to date, Archicad 9, has drawn acclaim from architect practices across the globe who were involved in its testing process. Archicad is the world’s leading 3D building design solution that allows architects to be more competitive and productive.

With customers having completed more than 1 million buildings with Archicad® , including the world’s tallest residential tower in Melbourne, Australia under construction, only the most thorough Quality Assurance and customer validation program would suffice.
Over a 4-month period, Graphisoft offered the beta version of the pioneering modeling solution to various practices, to be placed under the most rigorous scrutiny and pushed to its limits on live design projects. “We reengineered our entire in-house testing infrastructure to ensure that we could give maximum user exposure to the beta Archicad 9, backed by our full engineering and support teams,” says Graphisoft’s Bence Kovacs, VP of Product Management. “Our goal was to earn the confidence of our testers to use their beta versions on real projects.”
Architects were at the front end of this wholly user-focused drive to ensure the solution would meet essential workflow demands. Often stretched to meet deadlines, the architects pushed the limits of their beta versions to satisfy regular clients. One project was wholly completed using the beta version, and directly led to a subsequent contract win. The testers’ words speak volumes.
“We threw Archicad 9 at a major client project and it helped us achieve goals we didn’t think possible. Archicad 9’s position as a mature, highly advanced building modeling solution – without promising pie-in-the-sky features that don’t yet exist or ‘…are coming in the next version’ – is really without parallel,” explains James Kotronis of Davis Brody Bond, in New York. ” It allowed our designers to study building design issues in ways they simply weren’t able to before.”
Andy Harle of Bernard Engle Architects in London, U.K., goes further, and views the benchmark set by Archicad 9 as a defining moment in 3D modeling: “This is a design advancement from which architects will never look back. Archicad 9 will re-define industry expectations of quality and accuracy.”
The resoundingly positive feedback has focused on huge productivity gains, the logical and totally practical work environment and, ultimately, an architectural design solution that is a joy to use in any size of project. “Our impressions of AC 9 have been wholly positive. With the dedication of the Graphisoft team we are convinced that the solution sets the standard for 3D modeling on large-scale projects,” says Stephen Langella, Group CAD Manager, Woods Bagot in Australia. “Archicad 9 has proved an invaluable tool in terms of creativity and DWG file delivery for our largest ever project, in Qatar.”
ArchiLink’s Lincoln Ellis, in Idaho, U.S. goes on: “Having been an active user since version 4.55, and having tested the pre-release of Archicad 9, I can easily say that this is the most solid version ever built – on either platform. It’s a perfect mix of upgrading existing functions and adding powerful new features. There is no better time to be an Archicad user.” Joseph Trott of Van Meter Williams Pollack, California, U.S. agrees: ” It’s as close to real-time working with a building as I have ever experienced.”
Heiner Sendelbach, Principal of Germany’s Schneider + Sendelbach Architekten BDA confirms that the testing process itself has reinforced confidence and loyalty among users. “We were excited to be involved in the testing process, and our experience of the software has been absolutely positive,” he says. “In fact, since we started working with Archicad 10 years ago, we have been very satisfied with the solution as it works the way architects think.”
Sean Williams of 2dCubed, Utah, U.S. sums up his experience with Archicad 9: “Graphisoft has taken a smooth running car, Archicad 8.1 v2, and with some fine tuning produced a powerful, luxury vehicle.”
This Archicad vehicle of architectural change has been driving innovation for 20 years. Inspiring confidence among a close-knit global community of architects, Archicad 9 looks set to continue as the modeling solution of choice for large and small buildings alike.