SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jun 18, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, announced today the immediate availability in North America of Autodesk Architectural Studio 2, a conceptual design creation and multimedia communication tool for architects and other building industry professionals. The second release of this ground-breaking digital design environment offers designers an expanded range of commonly used architectural tools, like the PANTONE color-matching system, to enhance their ability to sketch and model design concepts on a pen tablet or computer, as they would in a traditional design studio. Overall performance, including application launch speed, is significantly improved, and support for metric units enables use of Architectural Studio on international projects.

"At last there's a technology solution that works the way architects work," said Dick Quinn, AIA, principal of Richard W. Quinn, FAIA, Architect, who specializes in historic renovations, custom residential, and university projects. "Architectural Studio has exceeded my expectations to be able to draw as freely as I'm accustomed to doing by hand, and the new release significantly improves the program's performance. I'll be using it on all of my projects in the future."

    Refined Sketching and Modeling Capabilities

Architectural Studio recreates simple, intuitive architectural methods -- like the use of pencils and pens on tracing paper -- in digital form. This second release amplifies the program's original palette with a number of new 2D and 3D tools that provide greater control over hardline drawing and modeling. Designers can create smooth surface arcs in 2D or 3D, using the new circular arc, and curvilinear forms, such as a French or bendable curve, using the new spline tool, which also comes with spline wall and spline solid 3D options. Support for material transparency on 3D forms gives designers the flexibility to create glass or other effects on surfaces and ground planes, and to work more extensively with overlay and collage in the design environment. In addition to benefiting from these and other sketching and modeling refinements, architects can now reliably select customized colors -- just as they do in a traditional design studio -- by using PANTONE libraries, the industry standard for color selection. The use of PANTONE color-matching in Architectural Studio 2 results in sketches and models that have consistent color tonality for both printing and presentation.

Architectural Studio 2 works nicely with a wide range of other Autodesk design solutions, so designers can export their work into Autodesk Architectural Desktop, AutoCAD, Autodesk VIZ, or Autodesk Revit software for further development. The "Publish to Architectural Studio" command also enables users to easily import drawings into Architectural Studio workspaces for markup or iterative conceptual design problem solving.

    Improved Overall Performance

The overall performance of Architectural Studio has been substantially enhanced with this second release. The application launches much more quickly, and display and rendering times for all types of drawing are improved. In addition, designers can now swiftly open workspaces with DWF files and insert large image files into their workspaces. These improvements make Architectural Studio 2 even easier to use for all building professionals -- whether they are novice computer users or skilled CAD drafters -- while increasing their overall productivity.

    Expanded Global Reach

With this release, Architectural Studio becomes a viable tool for use on international projects since both metric and imperial dimensional units are now available throughout the Architectural Studio design environment.

"Since Architectural Studio was released earlier this year, we've had tremendously positive feedback from many firms who work on international projects and want to collaborate with their clients or sketch out design changes for their colleagues," said Phil Bernstein, FAIA, vice president of Autodesk's Building Industry Division. "We anticipate that this second release will help further to make global design teamwork a success."

    Purchasing Options and Product Availability

Architectural Studio 2 is available immediately in International English in North America. Current Architectural Studio subscribers will receive notification from Autodesk to download their copy of this software release from the Web free of charge. The following purchase options are offered to new subscribers:

    --  Architectural Studio Design Software -- Customers can purchase
        a perpetual license for the design creation software, which is
        used for conceptual design, sketching, modeling, and
        presentation. When purchased and downloaded from the Web, the
        software is installed on the desktop and runs locally. A
        one-year subscription contract is required with the initial
        purchase of Architectural Studio software.
    --  Architectural Studio Design Site Service -- This
        Internet-based service enables Architectural Studio customers
        to collaborate and share design ideas online in real time with
        colleagues through a private and secure website. No additional
        download is necessary; however, participants in a Design Site
        collaboration session must all be using the same release of
        Architectural Studio. Customers pay for the Design Site
        service on a yearly basis and are advised to purchase the
        service for multiple users to best take advantage of its
        collaboration capabilities.

For more information on purchasing Architectural Studio and the Autodesk Subscription Program, contact an Autodesk Authorized Reseller, call Autodesk at 800/964-6432, or visit www.autodesk.com.

    About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain use digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, and Revit are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT:          Autodesk, Inc.
                  Carol Lettieri, 415/507-6908
                  carol.lettieri@autodesk.com

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