Archicad

Archicad is building information modelling (BIM) software for architects, developed by Graphisoft in Budapest, Hungary. Graphisoft was founded in 1982, Archicad has been in development since 1984 and is considered the first BIM system for desktop computers. Since 2007 Graphisoft has belonged to the German Nemetschek Group, which is headquartered in Munich and listed on the stock exchange.

Features

• Design in 3D with a building model from which plans, sections, elevations and schedules are generated.
• Open BIM workflows with IFC support for collaboration with engineers and contractors.
• Tools for visualisation, energy evaluation and documentation in the same model.
• Teamwork functions for several architects on one project and a cloud collaboration service.
• Versions for Windows and macOS.

Model and limits

Archicad is commercial software, offered as subscription with free versions for students and educators. It is focused on architectural design and documentation. Structural engineering and detailed fabrication are covered by other tools, for instance Allplan.