TECHNOLOGY : Now Showing in 3-D: A Look at Buildings in the Design Stage

For those who have dreamed about “walking around” in buildings that are being designed, Ridgeline Software in Irvine has developed a software package that allows architects and engineers to do just that.

The company said it has introduced its Star Architecture software for computers that run in the Unix operating system.

The software enables designers to simulate three-dimensional computer models of varying levels of complexity, from computer sketches of isolated buildings to urban design landscapes.

“It reignites the excitement that computer-aided design used to generate,” said Terrence Shilling, president of Ridgeline.

Shilling said the software gives a marketing advantage to architects who, with the click of a few computer keys, can show their clients what their buildings will look like from a variety of angles.

Architects who use three-dimensional computer modeling can often get their designs approved more quickly, and revise their drawings without lengthy time delays, he said.

Shilling said the software offers the designer a set of tools that make it easier to think in three dimensions.