The Constructor that was not meant to be...

When VICO picked up Constructor about 5 years ago, it elected to upscale the reasonably capable but also architect biased modelling software into a complicated construction suite.

Should have gone the other way...

Get rid of the architectural baggage Archicad was weighed down with, and make Constructor a stand alone, construction focused, modelling package. Sell it as a box.

Had it gone down that road (and who knows if the possibility existed at all?) – by now we’d probably have a decent modeller that offered sensible tools for the digitally minded construction coordinators, managers, planners and programmers.

Stairs that aren’t handicapped by silly 2D illustration principles.

Beams that blend or unblend with slabs depending on their types and materials;
Doors and windows that can exist without walls... and much more.

We’d probably have good 4 and 5D integration as well, clever logistics, nifty virtual cranes.

I discussed the need for a no-frills, robust construction modeller ages ago with a software developer/vendor. He was highly sceptical, citing two reasons for not agreeing with me, one that ALL construction based data is ultimately originated by architects and engineers and construction people are always the last to innovate, anyway.

I disagreed with both points but the fact that we still have no robust construction-modellers available proves the guy knew something about the industry.

Or, maybe not? Time will tell.