RobiNZ CAD Blog

Autodesk rebranding

I put a post on the work CAD Support chat about Autodesk rebranding today. It was just to advise the web asset colours and logos will probably change at some stage and not to think it is a ‘hack’. The new logo is bolder, simpler, than the previous and with a, rather Kiwi looking it must be said, black & white scheme. A colleague, upon seeing the merchandise section, replied “Oh my, you could get a whole Autodesk outfit!” My response: “Their Merchandise is pretty durable”. Read more →

Some design lessons to amuse the kids (of all ages) | COVID-19 Lock In

Shaan shared this resource from Disney & Kahn Academy for children of all ages: One-of-a-Kind Learning Experience from Disney Imagineers | By Shaan Hurley on Between the Lines Read more →

The origins of the Revit 2014+ Sample House

Sam shares the story behind his creation, surely seen by every Revit user at some stage, the Revit sample house: Samuel Macalister - Architect and BIM Specialist and the Revit 2014 Sample House | labs.blogs.com Read more →

The art of Gifford Jackson

I was browsing the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) site, saw a poster for a Boeing Above and Beyond Exhibition while cycling today, and stumbled upon an exhibition of one of my mid-1980s UNITEC (was then Carrington Technical Institute) Product Design Diploma Tutor’s work. Gifford Jackson taught us design drawing (a mixture of illustration, rendering and drafting) sharing his decades of experience working in the US (New York in the 1950s – 60s) and his own New Zealand practice. He was old school, everything by eye and hand, and used his incredible portfolio of maritime and industrial design drawings... Read more →

For me BIM probably began with LEGO

I haven’t modelled with, or thought much about, LEGO for decades—the photo below is my collection in the mid-1970s, my first building models—but recently created a logon for the LEGO IDEAS site. The motivation was to support an awesome Kākāpō bird project. The real Kākāpō is endangered, once considered extinct, and this LEGO tribute was promoted on Twitter by astronomer turned conservation biologist Dr Andrew Digby @takapodigs; Kākāpō and Takahē Scientist for the New Zealand Department of Conservation. I’ve followed him since seeing his presentation at the NZ Skeptics Conference (2016) about a career/life change that went from creating/using telescope... Read more →

New Zealand Building permit 1976

Compliance is one reason it is difficult (and expensive) to build a house in New Zealand these days. And it probably didn’t leak… “1976 Building Permit, 3pages, $217” ..well that got harder pic.twitter.com/HEhFECaYYJ— Ra Dejardine (@radejardine) June 15, 2018 Read more →

Siemens Catchbook, now in New Zealand

Siemens Catchbook is a sketch application for iOS, Android and Windows 10. I first saw it a year or so ago and was intrigued by the way it interpreted sketch input (pen or mouse on Windows) and captured sketched relationships. Unfortunately Catchbook was not available in New Zealand at the time—something to do with aligning store arrangements across the platforms—but I recently got an email with some good news: Oh, and one more thing: Catchbook is now available in Norway and New Zealand. This should make quite a few people on the boards and emails happy. https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com And I was... Read more →

The Art of Architecture

This tweet caught my eye, it had the look. Remember when architectural design was an art not a mouse click? While we were in Melbourne - the old man drew some brilliant aerial views from our 17th floor apartment #perspective pic.twitter.com/pM4j1YShn4— Jenny Eclair (@jennyeclair) April 20, 2017 @jennyeclair Was he an architect/designer? Lovely drawings that have the style often taught back when drawing was a thing...— Robin Capper (@robincapper) April 20, 2017 @robincapper Art school in the 60s - sculpture and graphics - before building design— Jenny Eclair (@jennyeclair) April 20, 2017 @jennyeclair That explains it, lovely style.— Robin Capper... Read more →

Vale Dame Zaha Hadid – BBC Desert Island Discs

I first heard this when it was uploaded in February 2016 but it’s timely to share given the recent news of her death. I was familiar with Dame Zaha Hadid’s work but Desert Island Discs gives some insight into Zaha Hadid, the person. Due to copyright restrictions her chosen eight music tracks are trimmed to 10 second clips but that just leaves a fascinating interview. Vale Dame Zaha Hadid, who leaves a remarkable legacy. BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Dame Zaha Hadid - 2016-02 Kirsty Young's castaway is the architect, Dame Zaha Hadid. The first woman to be... Read more →

Autodesk Pier 9 | The ultimate Workshop and more?

Imagine the ultimate workshop… A place to think, dream, tinker and play with ideas that could change the world. Imagine it packed with all the design and manufacturing technology you could desire. Imagine the ultimate location for your ‘shop’: harbour side in centre of a beautiful city, a short walk from a bustling commuter hub and market with restaurants, cafés and gourmet fresh food & produce. You just imagined Pier 9 Part of the AutoCAD Blogger Day was a tour of Pier 9. A short walk from Autodesk’s 1 Market Street office, past the Ferry Building Marketplace, you find a... Read more →