GRAPHISOFT, the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software developer for architects and designers, announced the latest version of its industry-leading BIM software solution. ARCHICAD 20 features a number of important functional improvements that put the emphasis on the “I” in BIM, increasing the value for both ARCHICAD users and external stakeholders alike. Its brand new, “flat-design” graphical UI sets the new version apart from run-of-the-mill BIM tools.

What’s new in ARCHICAD 20:

Enhanced Information Management

Store the Information: Information is the most valuable part of BIM and ARCHICAD 20 helps architects and designers get the most of it! ARCHICAD 20 allows users to utilize their Building Information Model as the central storage place for all related information. They can even easily store and maintain design information that was not created using CAD or BIM tools, like Excel spreadsheets.
Display the Information: ARCHICAD 20 leverages well-structured information resulting in informative design visualization, which ensures enormous efficiencies throughout design and construction. With the help of smart filters and brand new graphical override, designers can freely change the representation of any 2D and 3D views of elements with similar properties. This feature allows a number of workflows that make communication, coordination and model checking much more efficient.
Share the Information: ARCHICAD 20 is among the first BIM applications to fully support the IFC 4 open-source standard. IFC 4 supports new coordination workflows (Design Transfer View and Reference View) and provides great help when coordinating with other disciplines. Information sharing via purpose-made tools such as BIMx or generic tools such as Excel enables a much wider target group to get involved and use the wealth of information stored in BIM.

Graphical Favorites

Brand new Graphical Favorites provide excellent visual feedback about saved element settings with automatically-generated, colored 2D or 3D thumbnail previews – available instantly for every Tool. This not only helps BIM managers in setting up and enforcing office project templates, but also speeds up everyday design development work.

Renewed Graphical User Interface

ARCHICAD 20 features a completely revamped graphical user interface, making it the most modern-looking BIM application available on the market today. The design language used on the renewed GUI gives ARCHICAD a look and feel much closer to mobile apps than to traditional desktop software, making it especially appealing to the younger generation.