Autodesk Software Helps Turn Ideas Into Real TV Dream Homes

Autodesk Software Helps Turn Ideas Into Real TV Dream Homes

Architects, Builders, Students, Even Dilbert Fans Use Autodesk Software to Bring Concepts to Life

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dream homes are some of today's hottest TV stars, and like other celebrities, they've got an entourage -- sometimes, hundreds of workers, who team to construct these showcase homes in record-breaking times. How do these projects get built to the highest-quality under exceptionally tight production deadlines? The answer is software solutions from Autodesk Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK). Autodesk helps architects and builders create designs and manage fast, precise project execution -- from a new home on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to comic strip hero Dilbert's ideal house featured on HGTV, to a high-school shop classroom on Discovery Channel's "Monster House." The company's software is pivotal when it comes to bringing innovative, yet tangible, customer ideas to life.

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Since the first episode of "This Old House" aired in 1979, consumer interest in home design and construction has skyrocketed, spawning dozens of programs -- from reality television to the Home & Garden Television network that reaches 87 million households in 27 countries. Architects and builders, like the ones appearing on these programs, depend on Autodesk to provide software solutions that bring plans and concepts to life in a realistic and timely way. Autodesk's AutoCAD, the world's leading customizable and extendable software for drafting, detailing, and design, combined with the Autodesk Buzzsaw collaborative project management software used by more than 100,000 customers and Autodesk DWF, an open, standards-based specification for securely sharing rich, digital data design files, provides a comprehensive offering for those in the homebuilding industry as well as other verticals.

"Autodesk's Buzzsaw and DWF software were vital to managing designers and architects for 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,'" said Kevin Scott, vice president of architecture and design at Centex Homes. "Whether or not it's featured on television, residential and commercial construction presents architects and builders with the huge challenge of making sure they use accurate plans and manage work that's done concurrently. Autodesk software helped us share drawings and orchestrate tasks to ensure that the crew was using the right designs and documents to complete work on time and on budget."

From Ideas to Reality

Some life-changing dreams have been turned into reality with Autodesk technology. A recent episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" featured a Centex Homes crew building a seven-bedroom house in less than a week. The home was built for a family whose residence had been destroyed by fire, forcing them to camp out in a tent for months. To help complete the project on time and within budget, Centex Homes relied on technology such as Autodesk Buzzsaw to coordinate the design and construction aspects of the project.

Wild dreams have come to life with Autodesk technology, as well. For the comic strip character Dilbert, who spends most of his time in an office cube, creator Scott Adams called on fans to develop "Dilbert's Ultimate House" (www.hwd3d.com/testing/dilbert/index.html ). Based on ideas ranging from a Christmas tree storage closet to a soundproof glass "quiet" room that doubles as a "scream" room, Dilbert's house was created entirely using AutoCAD software by Heartwood Studios (http://www.hwd3d.com/ ), a leading multimedia firm.

"Dilbert may be a fictional character, but his dream house has elements that would and could make any real homeowner very happy," said Raj Raheja, creative director of Heartwood Studios. "Scott Adams and his fans have ground-breaking home improvement ideas. Drawing on our staff's training in architecture and using AutoCAD software, we've turned their ideas into realistic, workable plans for a home that can be built within the constraints of real-world structural performance and requirements for energy efficiency certification."

Students' hopes for a state-of-the-art shop classroom came to life with the help of AutoCAD software donated by Autodesk. In a recent episode of Discovery Channel's "Monster House," teams of builders transformed the dilapidated workshop at North Hollywood High in Southern California into the Construction Technology Shop, part of the school's Home Engineering Academy. Autodesk contributed AutoCAD software for use in the high school's new facility, where hundreds of students are able to envision and make real their every idea through technology. Autodesk software is used in more than 50,000 educational institutions worldwide, and more than two million students are trained on Autodesk products each year.

In addition to professional tools, Autodesk also offers a product version for hobbyists and do-it-yourselfers, AutoSketch 9 design software. According to a 2004 home improvement survey by marketing firm NOP WorldConsumer Trends, half of respondents plan to complete a home improvement project in the next year or two; 60 percent anticipate making changes to their homes -- even four in 10 renters have home improvement plans. For consumers who want to embark on their own remodeling and construction projects, AutoSketch 9 features great design and drafting capabilities in an easy drag-and-drop environment to make drafting more efficient.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is wholly focused on ensuring that great ideas are turned into reality. With six million users, Autodesk is the world's leading software and services company for the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media and wireless data services fields. Autodesk's solutions help customers create, manage and share their data and digital assets more effectively. As a result, customers turn ideas into competitive advantage by becoming more productive, streamlining project efficiency and maximizing profits.

Founded in 1982, Autodesk is headquartered in San Rafael, California. For additional information about Autodesk, please visit www.autodesk.com.

NOTE: Autodesk, AutoCAD, AutoSketch, Buzzsaw and DWF are either registered trademarks or 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: Juan de Leon, +1-415-318-4163, or deleonju@fleishman.com, for Autodesk.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050415/SFF034LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Autodesk, Inc.

CONTACT: Juan de Leon, +1-415-318-4163, or deleonju@fleishman.com, for
Autodesk

Web site: http://www.autodesk.com/

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