Custom Residential Architects Network

Recently Chris Rose posted the following request:

"One of our National CRAN sponsors has posed a question to our group.   Firerock who manufactures prefabricated masonry fireplaces currently offers their products in dwg and dxf formats.   They are considering adding Revit and or Sketchup files to their website.  Since there is considerable cost involved they asked us which format do you feel will serve a wider audience. "

I've been following the discussions that resulted from this question.  As a manufacturer, we also offer DWG's and DXF formats.  I've been told by architects that those file types are fine, they can be converted and imported into most software in an architect's office.  Is this true?  If it's not true, which format do you feel will serve a wider audience?

By the way, does anyone use Draftsight? It's free and is an alternative to the Google product.

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Sue Weiland
Oceanside CA
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If all you are trying to convey is the 2D 'dumb' lines/circles/hatches, then .dwg or .dxf can be used by most professional software. If you are trying to convey INFORMATION, (BIG BIM), then those formats are mostly worthless.

The data needs to be 'live' so when it gets passed from one program to another and from one consultant to another, the information as well as the picture/geometry of the item is accurately transferred and still editable.

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is the most robust way to do that and it is software 'agnostic'. That is, ArchiCAD, Bentley, Revit can pass it around and maintain the integrity of the data. There may be other lighter weight formats like Green Building XML or even Excel that are appropriate for some situations.

Hope this helps.

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Paul Adams AIA
Principal
Earth And Sky Architecture
Denver CO
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