I am currently testing out a new program I am devloping for my MSc in Computer Science. Its a 3D architectural sketching package designed for rapid prototyping called KSketch. I would really like some opinions on the usability and usefulness of this program from people who are involved in architectural design (even from thos who are not). The program is availible for free at
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If you are interested then have a play and fill in the survey form at
its a different approach than sketchup and other cad tools. its supposed to allow the user to create building layouts faster and easier by providing an interface similar to drawing on paper. try it and tell me what you think. its a pretty basic system but is just a proof of concept application. if people like it then great. if people dont then thats also good. all opinions help my report, good or bad.
I believe that's what programs like Revit (and before that Architectural Desktop) were trying to do. A database driven program. I would really like to give Revit a go sometime. I hear it basically does everything you describe. Of course you can take a huge expense and learning curve jump and do like Gehry did and adjust CATIA for use in the architectural field. It's what has allowed him to design those organic shapes he does. All of these options have a huge learning curve so if time is money, then lines and circles serve you better until you have the time to learn the new program. That's the biggest wall to overcome when dealing with these programs. The way I see it these types of programs put all the work up front so it gets easier later on, where as the 2D AutoCAD way puts all the hard work at then end with all the basic easy stuff right from the get go. With the database driven program you have to know all the variables from the get-go so you input the correct stuff. Mind you this is from the perspective of never having used either of those programs so I could be way off.
Personally, when I have more time, I want to set up some parts in Sketchup that I can use to make a model of my house. You can draw components and use them repeatedly. I can draw a 2x4 to actual dimensions and use it in the 3D model. Of course if it was database driven, I could calculate materials and costs, but for now I just want a 3D version of my house.
Well as far as I know, even the contractor probably wouldn't accept plans in any other form than the standard, unless he was a good buddy of yours. But the thing about this type of drafting is that even though you are designing in 3D, the 2D output is entirely a piece of cake if you drew everything correctly from the start (which is why I say this database driven drawing takes more work up front). It's just a matter of taking slices of the building and putting that into a layout. Being in 3D this makes it very easy, and you could have as many sections as you deem necessary without too much work, because you've done all the work up front. If you mess around with Sketchup and then take a look at section slices you'll see what I mean. I can draw a 3D Sketchup model and export a 2D slice of it into AutoCAD to draw in it like it were a 2D drawing. In Revit, I think you just take a horizontal slice 3 feet off the ground for your floor plan, reverse it for your reflected ceiling plan, then turn vertical and take shots from outside the model for elevations (interior or exterior) and then slice it for sections. Align all these in a layout sheet and you've got a set of drawings to which you can add dimensions notes etc. Change one thing on the
3D model, and it changes on every sheet that is affected by that change. And of course you got your 3D presentation model right there ready to be presented. That's the way I see this type of drawing being used.
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