Archie*, the construction bácsi**

Archie is the cheap version of Archicad, customised for Contractors. It comes with an easy to use work environment and an intuitive interface.

Bearing mild resemblance to ‘Bob The Builder’, the dynamic-help-figurine Archie is ever-so-supportive by popping up whenever hesitance from the user is detected.

Archie’s workspace is partitioned into 4 panels, each colour coded for easy navigation:

Modelling and Coordination: the panel is white with the original-orange coloured grid of ArchiCAD (note spell!) where contractors model their buildings.

Contractors have to do their modelling. Unfortunate but true. (get used to it for now);

Sequencing: The panel is light green to disassociate itself from the old green of the “Construction Simulation” add-on and provide users with a calming, hospital-like experience.

They need to stay calm as sequencing is still a tedious process and will be until the concept of true multidimensional planning is more widely understood.

Logistics: Is yellow, for fun. Contractors’ favourite workspace, real sites can be built-up quickly with moving trucks, rolling rollers, digging diggers and swinging cranes.

Shopdrawings: Is the dark gray panel with faintly visible outputs allowing to preview but not change. Discourages 2D dress ups, editing etc. Makes eyes hurt.

There is no separate panel provided for quantities as these are obtainable by ‘filtering and selecting’ (Ctrl+Shift+F), then right-clicking to pop-up the BOQ Archie and his scroll of customised schedules.

*  Archie is a figment of my imagination.

** pronounced ‘barchie’