“By supporting our customers with technology to develop their design processes and systems, we enable businesses to innovate and grow,” says Gareth Morgan, Product Manager at Central Innovation.
As the parent company of the Intercad and Graphisoft Australia brands, Central Innovation works with customers across the architecture and manufacturing sectors throughout Australia and New Zealand. “Our main product is Archicad, a building information modelling, computer-aided design software,” Gareth says. “We have customers that use Archicad to design basically any type of building: homes, hospitals, schools, airports, stadiums and high-rise towers. We also have software that helps with coordination in the construction industry, finding errors before something is built or arrives on site.”
Central Innovation has been in operation for 35 years, long enough that many of their earliest customers didn’t yet have computers capable of running their programmes. “We evolved into offering those machines, and then people needed to learn how to use them; that’s where our training and consulting services started,” Gareth says. “We’re always looking at new technology, staying ahead of the trends, and helping our customers adapt to them as well.”
Gareth trained as an architect, and he has since worn many hats during his 10 years at Central Innovation, including technical support, operations, and sales. “That wide context and range of experience helps me to understand both our customer-facing and execution priorities, and it enables me to approach the architecture industry in a more business-orientated way.”
The suite of software, training, and consulting solutions provided by Central Innovation attracts a variety of customers, Gareth says. “We want to understand the challenge you’re experiencing rather than just selling you something off the shelf. We have some customers who are very technologically capable and just want the Archicad license so they can do the work on their own. Others want to better themselves or become the best in their fields. For them, we will provide additional support and training.”
As a busy father of twins, Gareth understands the need for ease of use, and this is something he prioritises in his role as Product Manager. “I don’t have hours of time to spend learning. I need the tools in my toolkit to be easy to learn and implement. Archicad is very intuitive and more flexible than some of the alternatives on the market. Anyone who buys it can get up and going with the New Zealand building standards and methodologies already built in. This translates into our customers being very productive with the software within a few weeks.
“I should also mention that we have an openBIMapproach that allows customers to use whatever product they want, without having to be locked into one software. A great example of this in action is at Auckland Airport, where there are many architects working on the project, some in Archicad, some in other software. By using an IFC (Industry Foundation Class) file format, many different programmes can read and access the 3D data, which helps future-proof the design against any new software innovations and enables the building to remain live with a virtual twin that can be handed over to the owner.”
Central Innovation has also created a range of add-ons called CI tools to enhance the performance of the Archicad product. “Lots of customers like our door and window tool and our covering tool, which shows the 3D model in more detail with features like gutters and downpipes that architects don’t really want to model themselves. The CI tools naturally flow on from Archicad and have a really great hit rate, with 90% of our customers using them.”
The solutions provided by Central Innovation have supported many high-profile projects, both in New Zealand and overseas. “Our software has been used in high-rise buildings and museums in Australia, as well as the iconic Merdeka 118 building in Malaysia. Locally, Archicad was used in the design for the Wellington Convention Centre by Studio Pacific last year, as well as the Nelson airport redevelopment and a number of rebuild projects across Christchurch.”
Gareth is excited to be working with Teulo on some in-person Teulo Talks LIVE events in Auckland and Queenstown this month. “Teulo offers a great opportunity for architects to upskill with CPD points through TED Talk-style events. Historically, these types of offerings have been rare in the industry. Central Innovation was excited to come on board as a sponsor so we could help facilitate knowledge-sharing, including the keynote from Brian Wickersham, who will provide fascinating insights on how Los Angeles is building and rebuilding.”
Also on the horizon are the annual software updates from Graphisoft, which Gareth expects to be particularly inspiring this year. “We already have AI tools that are helping with visualisation, but this next round of Archicad updates will provide AI tools for productivity as well, enabling architects to reduce the time they’re spending doing admin or searching for things. This is something I’ll be talking about in my Teulo Talks intros: how AI can enhance the work that we’re doing and become a partner to businesses, rather than something to fear.”
Central Innovation will be meeting industry professionals to discuss the Archicad updates in a roadshow this October, with events in the North and South Islands and across all of the Australian states as well. This is part of a personal approach that Gareth says is a cornerstone of the business. “We don’t want to be an organisation that sells by phone or email. We love coming and seeing people so we can learn about your business and create a solution that’s tailored to your needs.”
To learn more and connect with Gareth, visit https://centralinnovation.com/, follow Central Innovation on LinkedIn, or come say hello at Teulo Talks LIVE in Auckland (5th of August) or Queenstown (7th of August).
