RobiNZ CAD Blog

Kiwi affordable housing design, build, operation innovator

I posted this on my personal blog, but it has a lot of design and construction innovation. Simplicity Living is a non-profit retirement/investment fund that is building high quality affordable rental (they'll own and operate) and rent to own (they'll fund) housing. It's simple, when you know how | simplicity living . kiwi - RobiNZ Personal Blog (typepad.com) Read more →

Revit User Group Auckland awarded for most RSVPs in Autodesk Group Network

It was a pleasant surprise to see this award, for the Revit User Group Auckland, presented at Autodesk University last week. It was for the most RSVP's for groups in the Autodesk Group Network, but I suspect New Zealand's COVID status gave us an unfair advantage. Our 2020 kicked off in February, as normal due to summer holidays taking priority in January, but then COVID-19 Intervened as New Zealand locked down. We cancelled the March meeting then met on-line in April and May. Our meetings are hosted in an office (thanks Jasmax) we didn't want to compromise their workspace even... 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 →

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 →

No escaping the BIM, even on holiday

Several years ago I blogged about finding Cadman Rd in Auckland & wondered if there were any place names with BIM (Building Information Model). Google maps showed just one in New Zealand: Bims Rd in a fairly isolated part of the South Island near Nelson Lakes. By chance I had been there and even taken a photo, perhaps not a surprise given the number I shoot on holiday, of the valley while on a cycle tour. Yesterday the cycle tour I’ve just finished passed by there again so I just had to stop and get a real photo. Bims Road... Read more →

NZ Tech Podcast (TechEd Special) & Windows (Hobbits) Weekly

I usually hear Paul Thurrott on Windows Weekly podcast but this week he was in New Zealand for TechEd. This local podcast with Paul, & Aussie Microsoft MVP Alan Burchillis, is worth a listen for Aussie/Kiwis interested in the new wave of products & services from Microsoft. NZ Tech Podcast 87: TechEd Special with Paul Thurrott and Alan Burchill A special NZ Tech Podcast episode recorded following Microsoft’s Tech Ed 2012 event in Auckland, New Zealand. Featuring discussions with keynote speaker Paul Thurrott (USA) and Microsoft MVP Alan Burchill (Australia). A variety of Microsoft related topics were discussed including announcements... Read more →

Australian Architects “Across the Ditch” Conference – Napier, October 2012

I recently learnt of this event which may be of interest to my Au/Kiwi AEC readers. The event is open to both Australian and New Zealand architects and particularly topical given the rebuild work generated by recent natural disasters. I just love the poster obviously inspired by Napier's, post 1931 Earthquake, iconic Art Deco architecture and flight. Australian Architects “Cross Ditch” for Conference The NSW Country Division of the Australian Institute of Architects will hold its annual conference in Napier, New Zealand next month. Running from 1-6 October, Across The Ditch will bring together Australian and New Zealand architects to... Read more →

New Zealand Google Maps (and Earth) get Traffic!

There aren’t many people in New Zealand but we have more cars/head than most (~2.5 million cars/4 million people). Then consider not far off half the population live in one city and it is squeezed onto a narrow isthmus between two harbours*. So we do have traffic and now so do our Google Maps (UPDATE 2012-04-13: and Google Earth): Traffic Conditions for New Zealand on Google Maps Kiwi automobile commuters, we want to reduce your time stuck in traffic. Today we have expanded our live traffic coverage in Google Maps to cities in New Zealand. * My Glen Eden to... Read more →

Register to see Autodesk’s “Lead The Way” Virtual Event, while I’m on my bike!

In late March I’m off to tour Northland — the north of NZ’s North Island — with a bunch of similarly crazy cyclists. Ten days of cycling a mainly coastal circuit around the beautiful Northland scenery. I just hope some summer weather we haven’t had yet arrives really late! The area is very familiar, unlike previous South Island & Vietnam cycle trips, Most of it is within a (long) days drive of my Auckland home and the location for many childhood family holidays. I have cycled most the route before but that was long ago (I was 17!). In those... Read more →

My EQNZ Stuff

I’ve kept family post(s) re the Christchurch Earthquake over on my other blog but have updated the banner here to show the first picture from my first ride with Adventure South back in 2003. It was along the Port Hills overlooking the quake epicentre Diamond Harbour/Lyttleton on a blustery sunny day. As I watched helicopter shots of the area I couldn’t help but remember that day and the friends, AFAIK all those in the region shaken but safe, that made since getting on that bike. Land changes, buildings can be rebuilt, today it’s all about the people. Read more →