BUDAPEST, September 15, 2015 – GRAPHISOFT®, the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software developer for architects and designers, has announced the public beta version of its Rhino–Grasshopper–Archicad connection. Industry-first bidirectional “real-time” connection allows architects and designers to use their favorite algorithmic design tool (Grasshopper) in combination with professional BIM software (Archicad) through a best-in-class iterative design workflow.
The Rhino-Grasshopper-Archicad connection offers a unique design workflow, helping to explore a large number of design variations, and create and fine-tune building details and structures using algorithms without exchanging files. It complements Graphisoft’s native file format support for Rhinoceros that enables designers to open and save Rhino project files of any size or complexity with Archicad. By extending the existing natural link between Rhino and Grasshopper, the new tool empowers architects to start and modify their designs in any of the three design environments — Rhino, Grasshopper or Archicad.
“In addition to a standard BIM design approach that is based on assembling building elements, the Rhino–Grasshopper–Archicad connection will bring the benefits of using BIM at the early design phase, when buildings elements are still undifferentiated,” said Tomohiko Yamanashi, Executive Officer and Deputy Head of Architectural Design Department at Nikken Sekkei. ”This connection will also help align the traditional design process with the computational design approach. I am looking forward to seeing BIM become a friendlier design tool for architects.”
For more information, to sign-up for our public beta (beginning on September 28) or to register for our free, online webinar on October 6, please visit https://www.graphisoft.com/rhino-grasshopper/.
About Nikken Sekkei
One of the world’s largest architectural design firms with over 2,400 professional staff, Nikken Sekkei and its eight Group companies offer comprehensive design, engineering, management, consulting and R&D services. Established in 1900, the company’s portfolio consists of over 20,000 projects in 40 countries. Its activities cover a wide spectrum of sustainable public and private endeavors including: new city design, high-density/mixed-use transit-oriented developments, super high-rise buildings, business parks, offices and facilities for commercial, cultural, educational and healthcare use. Nikken Sekkei is headquartered in Tokyo and maintains branch offices in Singapore, China, Korea, Vietnam and the UAE. In growing to its present position, the company has constantly focused on development of new methods and technologies that redefine design for current needs and priorities.
About Rhinoceros and Grasshopper
Rhinoceros® 5.0, developed by Robert McNeel & Associates, is the market leader in industrial design modeling software. Highly complicated shapes can be directly modeled or acquired through 3D digitizers. With its powerful NURBS based engine Rhinoceros® 5.0 can create, edit, analyze, and translate curves, surfaces, and solids. There are no limits on complexity, degree, or size. For designers who are exploring new shapes using generative algorithms, Grasshopper® is a graphical algorithm editor tightly integrated with Rhino’s 3D modeling tools. Grasshopper requires no knowledge of programming or scripting, but still allows designers to build form generators from the simple to the awe-inspiring.