Graphisoft Archicad

Archicad from Graphisoft is BIM software built for architects, sitting at the centre of a lineup that also includes MEP Designer, DDScad, BIMcloud, BIMx and an AI Assistant currently in beta.

Keeping mechanical, electrical and plumbing design inside the same product family matters because building services clashes are where coordination actually fails. A duct routed through a beam is discovered either in the model or on site, and the cost difference between those two moments is the whole argument for BIM.

Graphisoft is unusually explicit about direction. Its Design Intelligence Strategy sets out a concept for architectural technology, and the Design Intelligence Platform is a next generation cloud native platform for data informed design that firms can join a waitlist for. Publishing a product roadmap is uncommon in this category and useful to a practice committing to a decade of drawings in one file format.

Education is supported properly, with educational licences for students, educators and institutions, a Young Professional Program, Graphisoft Learn covering training, certification and events, and a knowledge base. That matters commercially as much as socially, since architects learn one BIM tool at university and rarely change. BIMcloud handles collaboration and BIMx presents models to clients. Subscription pricing is published, from around 47 dollars monthly up to 2,840 dollars annually depending on the product and term.