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The summer is rapidly coming to an end, and we're gearing up for a busy fourth quarter.
For starters, we're expanding our training to give you a range of options, so you can choose the type of training that best suits your needs. As you may already know, we recently added several new product-specific courses to our Professional Learning Series. We're also offering several new training guides. And our latest addition is the “Home Design with VectorWorks ARCHITECT" tutorial. These and other upcoming training options are a testament to the commitment we've made to helping you expand your knowledge and refine your use of the many capabilities of VectorWorks.
On a related note, I'd like to bring to your attention another key commitment of ours: the academic community. We were especially pleased to announce last month that Boston's Wentworth Institute of Technology added another 580 seats to its laptop program for the coming semester. The 100-year-old institution is nationally ranked and provides career-focused education through 16 bachelor's degree programs in disciplines that include architecture, design and engineering. With an increased focus on educational institutions, we're looking forward to bringing other prestigious learning institutions into the VectorWorks fold and introducing future generations of designers to VectorWorks solutions.
Stay tuned for other big announcements this fall.
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Sincerely,
Sean Flaherty
CEO, Nemetschek North America
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Astelier Architectural Workshop
Livingston, Montana
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VectorWorks ARCHITECT image fill and sketch rendering mode help Montana architect get the green light for new construction in an exclusive club in Big Sky Montana. |
Architect Delmer Cox, principal of Astelier Architectural Workshop, took a chance when he designed a home with contemporary elements, at his clients' request, to fit among the more rustic existing residences within The Yellowstone Club, an exclusive members-only ski and golf club in Big Sky, Montana. When the very conservative Architectural Review Committee (ARC) for the private community asked him to go back to the drawing board, Cox extensively redesigned the house—going through eight revisions in less than two weeks— to avoid extended debates on what should and should not be allowed. And the new sketch rendering mode in VectorWorks ARCHITECT came to his rescue.
He designed the 5,000 square-foot residence to incorporate mining and agrarian influences indigenous to the area, combining rustic, industrial elements with clean, contemporary lines. Cox came up with a compromise that responded to his client's wishes yet also met ARC's strict requirements.
Quick turnaround secures approvals
“The committee's initial feedback was that the skewed axis of the original design produced roof forms that were too different from existing residences," explains Cox. “So, working with one committee member, I went through a number of fairly radical changes until both client and committee were happy. The ease of adaptation with VectorWorks ARCHITECT was a key factor in satisfying the committee's regulations and parameters, as well as my client's wishes."
Sketch steals the show
Modeling in 3D and using the image fill function in combination with the new sketch mode were vital in convincing the review committee to approve Cox's design.
“Using the sketch capacity and image fill in VectorWorks ARCHITECT went a long, long way in convincing the ARC that the structure had enough rustic appeal to fit in with the neighboring buildings," says Cox. “For the final submission, I portrayed traditional reclaimed materials using digitally captured rustic images. It gave everything a rough, warm-and-fuzzy feel that was further enhanced by the new sketch mode. The resulting presentation drawings caused one review member to ask if the level of detail shown was within the project budget. With these new presentation features, final renderings were able to perfectly complement the materials pallet and the building style the committee was looking for."
Benefit to the bottom line
“With the intuitive nature of VectorWorks ARCHITECT, I am able to crank out original design ideas—not modifications of old designs—very quickly. This means I'm not so reliant on previous projects and can explore options without immediately worrying about the allotted budget. Firms often spend so much time developing, revising and drafting that they use up allocations without getting into new territory and, therefore, limit their options."
This, in turn, goes hand in hand with creativity, according to Cox. “If you're really bogged down and have to get a set of drawings out, you put your nose to the grindstone and do it. But VectorWorks ARCHITECT gives me so many time-saving tools and capabilities that I can explore alternatives for the client and achieve exactly what they're looking for. At the same time, it allows me to practice my craft instead of getting bogged down in the mechanics. So it's a good fit for everyone involved."
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How can I attach a specific record to multiple symbols at one time? |
VectorWorks has a utility called Attach Record that attaches a specific record format to all symbol definitions within a specific symbol folder.
First, create a symbol folder using the Resource Browser. Click on the arrow to the right of Resources in the Resource Browser and select “New Resource In…" Select “Symbol Folder." Enter the desired name and click OK. To move the symbols to this folder, select the symbols. Right click “PC" or Control+click “MAC" the highlighted symbols and select “Move." Double click the newly created folder in the “Move" dialog box.
To attach a record to all symbols in this symbol folder, go to Tool>Utilities>Attach Record. In the Symbol Folder drop down box, select the desired symbol folder. Select the appropriate record format in the Record Format dialog box. Click OK when done. A message will appear stating the record has been attached to the symbols.
Please note: This process does not attach the record to symbol instances already in the drawing. To attach the record to symbol instances placed in the drawing, either attach the record in the Object Info Palette>Data Tab or delete the symbol instance in the drawing and place the symbol again.
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How can I change the default properties for the Door tool in VectorWorks ARCHITECT? |
The Door Plug-in tool has a set of predefined properties. While these properties may appeal to some people, other people may want the default properties to have different values. These values can easily be changed using the VectorScript Plug-in Editor.
To access VectorScript Plug-in Editor, go to Organize>Scripts>VectorScript Plug-in Editor. In the list of VectorScript Plug-ins, select Door. (Key the D key on the keyboard to jump to beginning of the alphabetical list of plug-ins starting with D.) See image 2-1.
Click on the Parameters button. See image 2-2. Select the first parameter to be changed and click on the Edit button. For example, to change the default width from 3' to 5,' select DoorWidth and click Edit. In the Default Value field, change 3' to 5' and click OK. Continue to change any additional parameters. Not only can the parameter values be changed, but the order they are listed as can also be changed with the Move Up and Move Down buttons. Click OK when all changes have been made to exit out of the VectorScript Plug-in Editor. When the Door tool is accessed, the new default properties will not be used.
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Home Design Tutorial for VectorWorks ARCHITECT Now Available
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Nemetschek North America is pleased to offer the Home Design with VectorWorks ARCHITECT tutorial written by Steve Hader. The tutorial guides the user step by step through the entire home-design process through a comprehensive set of 23 fully-illustrated exercises.
Home Design with VectorWorks ARCHITECT starts with a blank file and uses ARCHITECT's homebuilding tools to complete a two-level vacation home project. These pragmatic exercises will help new and experienced VectorWorks users learn an ideal workflow to take full advantage of ARCHITECT's extended capabilities and automation.
The eBook tutorial is provided as a PDF, which allows any or all of the pages to be printed for reference. Users can also view pages on screen for enhanced electronic benefits, including navigation links, search features, and links to related VectorWorks help topics. To learn more about Home Design with VectorWorks ARCHITECT, visit www.nemetschek.net/training/guides.html |
Wentworth Institute of Technology Adds 580 VectorWorks Licenses to its Laptop Program |
Wentworth Institute of Technology has added 580 copies of VectorWorks to its laptop program for the fall of 2005.
Wentworth Institute of Technology chose VectorWorks as the CAD software for its laptop program in August 2004.
"We selected VectorWorks because of its gentle learning curve, combined with power and versatility, including 3D," explains Wentworth Institute of Technology's Department Head and Professor of Architecture Glenn Wiggins, Ph.D., AIA. "We also wanted to standardize on a single platform and version of the software to address issues of compatibility."
Wiggins continues, "In its first year, our laptop program and revised curriculum have been an unqualified success. Not only has the quality of student work improved, but student satisfaction is very high. As one student put it, 'When I first started and was told that I was going to have to use a Macintosh, VectorWorks, and several other packages, I was really upset-I did not want to do it. Now, I would never use anything else.'"
Wentworth's laptop program outfits students with laptops that have the necessary software already installed. The program recognizes the need to align students with contemporary office practices, provide a standard hardware platform for instruction, provide a standard software suite that is meaningfully integrated with curriculum needs, and facilitate mobility into the working environment.
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DATES
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EVENT
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LOCATION
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August 18 |
APLD |
Salt Lake City, UT |
August 19-21 |
Nursery/Landscape Expo |
Dallas, TX (Booth #428) |
August 26 |
AIA Western Mountain Region |
Phoenix, AZ (Tabletop #56) |
Sep 08 |
Trends in Architectural Design Software |
Philadelphia, PA |
Sep 13 |
Trends in Architectural Design Software |
Chicago, IL |
Sep 15 - Sep 16 |
JLC Live MidWest |
Chicago, IL
(Booth #6076) |
Sep 16 |
AIA New York State Convention Product Showcase |
Syracuse, NY
(Booth #65) |
Sep 16 - Sep 17 |
TSA Annual Convention & Expo |
San Antonio, TX
(Booth #900) |
Sep 16 - Sep 17 |
Chesapeake Section USITT |
Washington, DC |
Sep 23 - Sep 25 |
The Monterey Design Conference |
Pacific Grove, CA
(Tabletop A) |
Oct 05- Oct 08 |
AIA Georgia Design Conference & Expo
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Savannah, GA
(Booth #109) |
Oct 07 - Oct 11 |
ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo
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Fort Lauderdale, FL
(Booth #2329) |
Oct 13 - Oct 15 |
The Remodeling Show
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Baltimore, MD
(Booth #2552) |
Nov 03 - Nov 05 |
GIE
Green Industry Expo |
Orlando, FL
(Booth #1238) |
Nov 11 - Nov 13 |
ETS/LDI Conference & Expo |
Orlando, FL |
Nov 15 - Nov 17 |
21st Annual Build Boston |
Boston, MA
(Booth #250) |
Nov 15 - Nov 17 |
AIA Minnesota |
Minneapolis, MN |
Dec 01 - Dec 02 |
JLC Live Pacific Northwest |
Portland, OR |
Dec 08 - Dec 10 |
ACTE |
New Orleans, LA (Booth #1119) |
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TRAINING DATES
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LOCATION
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CLASS
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August 15-18 |
Columbia, MD |
• Intro to VectorWorks
• ARCHITECT Fundamentals
• RenderWorks Fundamentals |
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August 23-25 |
Seattle, WA |
• Intro to VectorWorks
• VectorWorks Fundamentals |
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Sept 7-9 |
Boston, MA |
• Intro to VectorWorks
• ARCHITECT Fundamentals |
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Sept 13-16 |
New York, NY |
• Intro to VectorWorks
• VectorWorks Fundamentals
• RenderWorks Fundamentals |
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Sept 19-21 |
Columbia, MD |
• Intro to VectorWorks
• VectorWorks Fundamentals |
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AIA Accreditation
NNA is pleased to offer AIA Continuing Education credit for our
seminars. The VectorWorks and VectorWorks ARCHITECT classes are AIA CES certified, so attendees can earn up to 32 CES learning units. For additional information, contact training@nemetschek.net.
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