Leading design companies worldwide use Autodesk’s architectural products. These include Autodesk 3ds Max for modelling, animation and rendering, and Revit Architecture for building information modelling. Companies combine 3ds Max with Revit Architecture to create detailed 3D visualisations, identify problems early in design development and accelerate client approval cycles.
Marc Petit, Senior Vice President of Autodesk Media & Entertainment, said: “We are proud to support VisMasters 2007 because the conference promotes the development and wider adoption of visualisation technology in architecture. With 3D imagery in Autodesk 3ds Max, architects can experiment with the form, function and content of their design concepts before the objects are actually built. The combined capabilities of Revit Architecture and 3ds Max allow architects to see and refine the appearance and behaviour of their designs early at different stages of the design process.”
Doug Eberhard, Chief Technology Officer at Parsons Brinckerhoff, delivered the keynote at the VisMasters 2007 conference. His presentation covered the traditional and transformative role of visualisation technology in architecture, engineering and construction projects worldwide. Parsons Brinckerhoff uses a range of Autodesk products, including 3ds Max and Revit Architecture.
Eberhard said: “Autodesk is an important partner for Parsons Brinckerhoff. We use numerous Autodesk products in our projects. Tools ranging from AutoCAD Architecture and Revit Architecture to AutoCAD Civil 3D and Autodesk 3ds Max allow us to bring our designs together in a seamless visual environment. Interoperability is key to our projects. Because we can combine different information, in different formats and from different disciplines, in a single model, we can see and experience projects in entirely new ways.”
Other users of Autodesk products include Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc. (HOK) and Ayers/Saint/Gross, Architects + Planners.
Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc.
David Anderson, CAD manager at HOK in San Francisco, also gave a presentation at VisMasters 2007. He discussed trends in the use of 3D imagery and visualisation techniques in the design process.
HOK uses Revit Architecture as its main building information modelling tool. The company has standardised its 3D visualisation software on 3ds Max across the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. HOK manages planning, design and construction processes for international clients. Recent projects completed with Revit Architecture and 3ds Max include a bank in London, an international airport in the Middle East and a school in Kazakhstan.
Miles Walker, HOK Vice President and CAD manager in London, said: “Interoperability between Autodesk Revit Architecture and 3ds Max is very important to us. It allows us to visualise our models quickly without having to make corrections afterwards. Reusing 3D data saves time and money and also improves our design process.”
Ayers/Saint/Gross, Architects + Planners (ASG)
US company Ayers/Saint/Gross, Architects + Planners specialises in the architecture and planning of college and university buildings. ASG recently used Revit Architecture and 3ds Max to complete work for the Wharf Office Building of the Duke School of Nursing on Thames Street in Durham, North Carolina; the Monticello visitor centre in Albemarle County, Virginia; and the Nemours Mansion and Gardens visitor centre in Wilmington, Delaware. The Autodesk products helped the company improve its workflows and efficiency.
Corey Rubadue, Director of Visualization at ASG, said: “Instead of creating two-dimensional drawings, our architects create 3D models with Autodesk Revit Architecture that can then be read by 3ds Max. This eliminates the unnecessary work of rebuilding the architects’ models in 3ds Max before converting them into 3D imagery. The Revit Architecture and 3ds Max workflow lets artists focus exclusively on visualisation. The result is high-quality imagery and animation that makes it easier to secure client approvals.”
