Overview
ArchiCAD is the architectural modeller that a lot of practices run in preference to the alternatives, largely because the documentation output is closer to what a drawing office actually wants. The model is built from real building elements, walls, slabs, roofs, columns, beams, openings and stairs, and every plan, section, elevation and schedule is a live view of that same model.
The parametric object library is where a lot of the daily speed comes from. Doors, windows, furniture, fittings and stairs are configurable objects rather than fixed blocks, so a change to a window type updates every instance and every schedule that counts it. Custom objects can be authored with the built in scripting language when the library does not have what the project needs.
Collaboration runs through a shared project model with element level reservation, so several people work on the same building at once without splitting it into separate files. Changes are exchanged incrementally rather than by sending whole models, which is what makes remote working on a large project practical. IFC import and export handles the exchange with consultants running other packages.
What it does well
One model, all drawings
Plans, sections, elevations, details and schedules are live views, so a model change propagates through the whole document set.
Parametric object library
Configurable doors, windows, stairs, furniture and fittings, with a scripting language for authoring custom objects.
Team collaboration
A shared model with element level reservation and incremental change exchange, which keeps a large project workable across a team.
Documentation output
Layout books with automatic drawing placement, revision management, and publisher sets that batch out the whole issue.
Open exchange
IFC import and export with mapping control, plus DWG round trip for consultants who are not on the same package.
Changes in this build
- Faster model regeneration on large projects with many linked views.
- Stair and railing tools extended with more configuration and rule handling.
- IFC mapping panel reworked with clearer property set control.
- Layout publishing improved for very large issue sets.
- Graphic override rules now apply across more view types.
What is in the package
- ArchiCAD offline installer, 64-bit
- Parametric object library
- Documentation and layout template set
- IFC and DWG translators
- Multilingual interface packs, 9 languages
System requirements
| Processor | Intel or AMD 64-bit, 4 cores or more recommended |
| Memory | 16 GB minimum, 32 GB for large projects |
| Graphics | GPU with 4 GB VRAM and full OpenGL support |
| Storage | 20 GB free plus project space |
| Display | 1920 x 1080 minimum, second monitor recommended |
| System | Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit only |
Installation
- Extract the archive to a local drive with plenty of free space.
- Run setup and select the interface language and the regional library.
- Let the object library install fully, it is the bulk of the size.
- Launch once and set the template you intend to use as the default.
- Configure the working folder for shared projects if a team is involved.
Before you start
The regional library affects default element construction, choose the one matching your practice.
Shared project working needs a server component, single user work does not.
Turn off the update check so the build stays where the project needs it.
Questions about this title
Does it import IFC?
Yes, with mapping control over property sets in both directions.
Can several people work on one model?
Yes, through the shared project mechanism with element level reservation.
Is the object library included?
Yes, the parametric library installs with the application.
Do older project files open?
Yes, they are converted on open and cannot be saved back to an earlier cycle.
About this listing
This entry was checked on a clean install of Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) before it was published, and it is rechecked whenever the package is rebuilt. The figures on this page come from the site index rather than from the publisher, so the download count is what people here have actually pulled.
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