BIMx : ArchiCAD on iPad?

Remember my article back in Feb 2010 where I talked about the possibility and how great it would be if Graphisoft created something similar to its Virtual Building Explorer for iPad?

Well, in the not so far future, we may see something very interesting from the company, who has been secretly hard at work in developing something, and the multiple rumours and signs are rapidly converging into only one possible outcome : the legendary and anticipated ….BIM Explorer (BIMX) for iOS !

The desktop version of BIM Explorer for ArchiCAD 15 (previously known as Virtual Building Explorer) has already been released, allowing you to show off your designs through Virtual Building projects in an interactive game-like environment - think of something like Half-life @ "Falling Water". Real-time 3D navigation in an architectural design – enhanced with gravity, layer control, fly-mode, egress recognition and pre-saved walkthroughs for the ultimate design exploration. The environment allows you even to filter elements by switching layers on and off, make accurate measurements in the model and query detailed information of building elements with just a single click.

In his AECbytes article - Debunking the Myths About BIM in the “Cloud” - Viktor Várkonyi, CEO of Graphisoft, described in length the concept and evolution of cloud computing in the AEC industry, but also throws us a little bone in the "Purpose-built Light-weight Access to the BIM Project" section :

"…Obviously a specifically written mobile client app with direct access to the BIM project through an active BIM server in the cloud can offer the best user experience and the highest project intelligence."

Put that together with Graphisoft's less than subtle call for beta testers in June for anyone owning ArchiCAD 14/15 and an iPad / iPhone 4 / iPod Touch 4, for a new product they're working on….and you can kind of get the picture as it slaps you in the face!

Hopefully sometime this fall we'll finally get to see what's been boiling in Graphisoft's App pot.