Virginia Tech's Interior Design Program Pushes SketchUp Software's Total Installations in Educational Facilities Beyond 500

Business Wire, March 3, 2005

BOULDER, Colo. -- The 3D Design and Presentation Software is Making a Mark in Leading Architecture Programs around the World

@Last Software has long been dedicated to bringing its design and presentation software, SketchUp, into architectural and interior design educational programs worldwide. Toward this end, the company ensures that students, educators and teaching institutions have ready access to low-cost licenses and resources.

During the past year, @Last has redoubled its efforts in the educational community, dedicating more staff to interact directly with students and educators.

@Last recently sent a team to work hands-on with second and third year students and their teachers at Virginia Tech's Interior Design Program in the School of Architecture + Design, helping them learn and master SketchUp in a two-week charette.

"I think the greatest benefit SketchUp offers is the ability to study a space from every angle in color and with shadows. Hand drawing is still hard to beat as a starting point for idea development, but there is a tendency to focus on one or two views of a space," says Greg Tew, Virginia Tech's chair of interior design. "SketchUp gives us the ability to fully understand the geometry of our designs and refine the design from points of view that might have been ignored in the past."

Students in the program's fourth-year design studio submitted three projects made using SketchUp to the Interior Design Educators Council's (IDEC) regional design competition. Two of the projects won regional awards and have since been forwarded on for review at IDEC's national level.

Diego Matho, director of design computing at the Boston Architectural Center, and among the first to install and use SketchUp in his classroom, agrees.

"SketchUp is accessible in every way -- from its functionality to its pricing for students and schools," he says. "It affords an easy transition between manual drafting and computer-based techniques, which can be more difficult in other computer-aided design programs."

"We think that SketchUp has a place in every classroom, dorm room and student laptop in the world. So far, SketchUp has been accepted in more than 500 teaching institutions around the globe, from Asia to Europe to North America," says @Last CEO Mark Sawyer. "When students spend less time learning software, it means they have more time for learning with software."

About Virginia Tech's Interior Design Program

Virginia Tech's Interior Design Program is unique in that it is created around the belief that the design of interior form within structural environments involves knowledge and understanding of design theory, human development, environmental issues, ergonomics, and visual aesthetics. Students in this program are challenged to think critically in their designs of spaces that enhance the quality of life, health, safety, and welfare of all users. Students engage in design through analysis and active exploration in studio and classroom environments, and in practice.

About Boston Architectural Center

The Boston Architectural Center (BAC) is an independent, professional college located in Boston's Back Bay, offering bachelor's and master's degrees in both architecture and interior design. Founded in the 1880s as a club for architects in the Boston area, the BAC has maintained close ties to the professional design community throughout its history. These ties are evident today in the BAC's faculty of practicing professionals, many of whom volunteer their time at the Center, and in the BAC's commitment to concurrent academic and practice-based curricula as the cornerstone of a design education. The BAC has also remained true to its founding principles of affordability and accessibility, making an education in design available to all those who express an interest.

About SketchUp

SketchUp's simple toolset and intuitive nature give the user the look, feel and freedom of drawing on paper. This patented 3D edge modeling system is sophisticated enough for professional design projects yet easy enough to be used by everyone from engineers to elementary students. SketchUp for Windows(R) and Macintosh(R) OS X is available in 11 languages. A free trial download and more information are available at www.sketchup.com.

About @Last Software, Inc.

Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, @Last Software's mission is to bring 3D modeling to the masses. @Last distributes SketchUp directly and through distributors worldwide.

All products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.