ArchiCAD Summer School 2009 : (8-9)-10-11-12 Sept : It happened!

Collaboration and Sustainability : and see the first public showing of ArchiCAD 13!

ArchiCAD Summer School is coming again in 2009, an international event - a long weekend celebrating the whole culture of ArchiCAD use in architectural design, practice, construction, education and commerce. For those who want more in-depth learning, it includes two days of courses before the weekend.

Graphisoft have timed the launch of ArchiCAD 13 just right for us, in that the launch is September 12th, during our weekend. You will be the first to see! I can only apologise that we were not permitted to mention this on the website during August for reasons of confidentiality.

Sustainability is a theme that is destined to be ever present with 2016 rushing towards us, and increasingly tough standards required of our buildings, and of our design process and ability to predict and prove performance. Sustainability is bound to be an unavoidable topic in every Summer School from now. We shall also be focusing on making your pleasure and productivity more effective with powerful features in the latest version of ArchiCAD - using addons and companion software, taking advantage of a new generation of processors, and also making use of almost universal broadband for Teamworking and Networking - Collaboration.

ArchiCAD Summer School brings together Graphisoft, architects, interior designers, builders, resellers, consultants, teachers and students for what is regularly the largest annual festival of ArchiCAD on the planet, a memorable occasion, socially, educationally and professionally. Delegates come from France, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, USA, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Australia.... and more, too many to mention.

Remember, the event is independent, it is not commercial: Graphisoft support us with ideas, some publicity and with experts, and we are getting help from Océ and Apple and other 'solution providers': but it is a fully user based non-profit making event. After paying costs and expenses, all profits are recycled to pay deposits etc for the next event.

Participants will be spending the weekend with leading experts and teachers in the use of ArchiCAD, and have the chance to network wonderfully with other users. We usually manage to assemble a fantastic array of international talent, and as the event gets closer, we sharpen up the details of lectures, tutorials and personalities.

We have been lucky enough to re-book Nightingale Hall in University of Nottingham, an ideal venue for a gathering like ours - we enjoy good food, a welcoming bar, ample space for our delegates, sporting facilities next door, easy car parking, and internet access throughout.

Much of the pleasure of the event is the unplanned interaction that occurs in the bar and lobbies, and leads to lasting friendships and collaborations

September is always an ideal time to hear more about the features of the latest version of ArchiCAD, so Summer School is the best chance to see ArchiCAD 13 for the first time and see its best features demonstrated, and erase your fears about using ArchiCAD's more powerful capabilities. For sure, we shall be featuring EcoDesigner, MEP (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing) Modeler and Virtual Building Explorer. There are other significant announcements scheduled for 2009, which we are sure will give the Summer School some extra Zing!

As usual, we shall have a keynote speaker on the Thursday, and a learningful plenary on the Friday evening, a Graphisoft morning plenary, and plenty of tutorials. Old hands of ArchiCAD Summer School know that we have a mixture of familiar surroundings and faces, but always something challenging to discover anew. We shall have two presentations of advanced BIM construction involving hospital design.

For feedback etc, LINK to Last year's event, ArchiCAD Summer School Sept 2008

Please see the Programme, Travel, Costs and Application form, for more detailed info. We also have two Training Days prior to the main event, Beginners in ArchiCAD and beginner-expert in Artlantis on Tues 8th and intermediate-expert ArchiCAD training on Weds 9th September.

The weekend event will be the usual mixture of plenary presentations, and group tutorials, with some key presentations by specially invited speakers from all over the world. There will be more balanced mix of group tutorials and plenaries than in recent events. We also plan to have our continuous Learning Lounge running on the Friday with many workstations set up and tutors+vendors to help delegates with questions.

• Not a sales event : real users of ArchiCAD and the other applications show ways to get the most out of it.
  
• Not just a training event : it's to Arouse your Awareness of the possible and make probable what you thought was impossible. (Training is available on the Tues and Weds one-day workshops).
  
• Meet Graphisoft corporate leadership, support staff & programmers and discuss visions of the future.
  
• Not just about ArchiCAD! : Discover 3rd party Tools & software that can expand your working method.
  
• International : share ideas and form lasting friendships with ArchiCAD users from around the world.
  
• Innovation : every ACUE brings with it some premieres of new ideas or products!
  
• Retreat style atmosphere intensifies your learning experience - but there is Internet.
  
• Keep fit : Share exercise machines, swim, in the nearby fitness centre or jog round the campus!
• Outstanding architecture to visit just a short bus ride away! e.g. Wollaton Hall, Jubilee Campus, Inland Revenue.
  
• Prizes! for longest distance traveller, youngest & oldest attendee, scariest hair, best newcomer tutor, and other excuses for giving prizes - goodies for all, we hope.

We can organise overnight accommodation for Wednesday arrivals, and Saturday night stayover for those who like to stay on and go into the city for a party.

ACUSS Regulars meet up for a dinner in London, prior to the Summer School weekend

The site provides detailed travel instructions on getting to Nottingham's University Park campus. The cost of attendance is still slightly cheaper than in 2007, along with the usual generous scheme of discounts for repeaters, over-60, unemployed, overseas, group bookings, students, etc.

ArchiCAD Summer School is organised by David Nicholson-Cole of University of Nottingham, with the help of many very loyal and treasured friends, whose names are all to be found in the list of tutors for the Summer School event.

ArchiCAD University Europe is a conference/activity series, including the Summer School in Nottingham, the Winter School in Innsbruck, and occasional other activities, such as Sailing weekends, and Summer/ spring schools in other places. Contact Details for ArchiCAD University are on each page. Graphic image on the front 'splashscreen' is an Exoskeletal Highrise Mixed use Tower competition entry for Missisauga, by Michel Rojkind, superstar modernist architect from Mexico. Organisation of the ArchiCAD Summer School is by David Nicholson-Cole generously and ably supported by Adrian and Gemma of Bite Design bite.co.uk.