On Tuesday 14th August 2012 will be the 100th meeting of RUGSyd (Revit User Group Sydney) - we think this is the oldest Revit user group, not just in Australia but in the world. Autodesk have confirmed this, but who knows, there might be another group out there . . .
Initiated by Wesley Benn, the first meeting was held in May 2003 in North Sydney, in the offices of Benn Design & AEC Systems. The second meeting in June 2003 had a formal agenda and a committee was elected:
The proposed agenda was as follows:
1. General Business
- Election of Chairperson and Secretary (3 month temporary posts)
- Format of Meetings
- Next Meeting
2. User Requirements for REVIT Localisation
- Levels to AHD
- Site Co-ordinate Systems (eg AMG)
- Metric Library Components
- Local Annotation Standards (eg Stair Arrows, Door Swings, Window Openings, Brick Sizes, etc)
- Other Issues as suggested by Users
3. Bug List
4. Enhancement Requests
5. Open Question and Answer Session
- Election of Chairperson and Secretary (3 month temporary posts)
- Format of Meetings
- Next Meeting
2. User Requirements for REVIT Localisation
- Levels to AHD
- Site Co-ordinate Systems (eg AMG)
- Metric Library Components
- Local Annotation Standards (eg Stair Arrows, Door Swings, Window Openings, Brick Sizes, etc)
- Other Issues as suggested by Users
3. Bug List
4. Enhancement Requests
5. Open Question and Answer Session
Original Committee:
Wesley Benn – Chairman - Benn Design
Rocco Raso – Secretary - Planahead
Adrian Esdaile – Treasurer - Benn Design
Michael Juda - Australia Wide Drafting
Gyula Toth - Futurespace
Tim Bowland - Clarendon Property Group
Marina Radosevic replaced Gyula soon afterwards.
User Group charter in July 2004
The first RUGs social was Feb 11, 2005 at Fluid, in North Sydney. This has become an annual event, more recently at The Oaks pub in Neutral Bay
RUGS Website was set up in August 2005 - with much ongoing hard work by Bo Zhen of Benn Design.
My first presentation was at meeting #26, August 2005 (Tim Waldock User story - Penrith football stadium refurbishment).
A new committee took over in 2008, and RUGSyd became fully multi-disciplinary:
Toby Maple – Chairman - AEC Consulting; then Hassells
John Hainsworth – Secretary - Arups (Structural)
Tim Waldock – Treasurer - PTW (Architecture)
Wesley Benn - Benn Design (Architecture)
Brendan Upton - Hyder Consulting (MEP)
The venue was then changed to be held alternately at the three Revit reseller's offices in Sydney, until a fixed home was found at the Sydney TAFE, Ultimo (Level 3 Marcus Clarke Building, 827-837 George Street, Broadway) - our present venue, for which we are very grateful. Many thanks to Tom Hoare of Sydney TAFE for allowing us to use the venue.
Current Committee (2012):
Steve Fiorio – Chairman - Hassells
Chris Mawson – Secretary - Arups (Structural)
Tim Waldock – Treasurer - PTW (Architecture)
David Foley - NDY (MEP)