SolidWorks live buildings

The Abu Dhabi Educational Council (Adec) plans to construct new buildings for public schools or renovation of existing ones in four years. Renovation will transform 20 schools into modern institutions meeting international standards.

At SolidWorks World 2011 in San Antonio Texas, a new AEC product was announced. It's called SolidWorks Live Buildings. It is a 3D conceptual design tool focused on integrated planning and early cost estimation for building design. Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (DS SolidWorks) hopes that this new tool will improve collaboration between architects, engineers and builders.

SolidWorks Live Buildings is based on the ENOVIA V6 online platform. The interface should look familiar to current V6 users. The product will enable any team member to access models from anywhere and anytime. There is no need to transfer large data files via email or FTP sites. Since everyone has access to the same model, there is no chance of working on the wrong version of a project.

The presentation of SolidWorks Live Building was impressive. Its ease of use was demonstrated on DS SolidWorks future headquarters. Stairs, walls, cubical clusters, doors, and stair tools were all added quickly. They also showed off a sundial feature, which tracks the sun''''s position and time of day (or night) to change shades and analyse lighting.

"Perhaps a new tool like SolidWorks Live Building will give builders in the Middle East a reason to look at new 3D technologies, both digital and physical prototyping."

Jordan tallest building

Abu Dhabi contractor Arabian Construction Company (ACC) is building Jordan's biggest building, the Rotana Hotel Tower in Amman. Work on the 188m, 50-story hotel has already begun, and is scheduled to be completed in 2013. Based in the Abdali district of downtown Amman, the tower will form part of the $5 billion Abdali Urban Regeneration project, a mixed use business, leisure and housing master development. As general contractor, ACC will oversee construction, civil and MEP works and structural and facade cladding.

ACC has worked on some of the UAE most recognised buildings, including Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Emirates Palace. It is one of 12 companies bidding for the Abu Dhabi Louvre project.

Easy tool

Fielder Hiss, DS SolidWorks Vice President of Product Management said that SolidWorks Live Building is an easy to use tool for the conceptual process and planning and early cost estimation in the construction industry. It is going to allow people to collaborate with team members online and early in the process. It is a true 3D tool for this industry with the benefits that you enjoy applied to the construction space and it is going to compliment many of the existing tools that exist in the industry today. SolidWorks Live Building is a new application built for online. It is built to support owners and their decisions about their property, both long term and short term around cost. Whether they should rent, renovate or build a new building and things around site selection as well.

 He also went on to say the focus is for buildings and planners and it is going to allow them to communicate better than ever with their clients and their teams and most importantly win business.

3D technology

The more that architects and designers work in 3D, the better it is for the 3D printing industry. As somebody who has been promoting 3D design since the early 1980s, it has been, and continues to be a long transition march from 2D to 3D. Perhaps a new tool like SolidWorks Live Building will give builders in the Middle East a reason to look at new 3D technologies, both digital and physical prototyping.

Through customer consultatioAdidas Performance