Is Recognized for Research and Development Work on GenerativeComponents and Service to Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture Community

EXTON, Pa. -- Bentley Systems, Incorporated today announced that Bentley Building's director of research, Robert Aish, Ph.D., was presented the 2006 Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) Society Award at the association's recent conference. The award recognizes extraordinary contributions and service to the ACADIA community.

Among Dr. Aish's most notable contributions are research and development that resulted in GenerativeComponents. This important innovation gives designers and engineers new ways to efficiently and quickly explore alternative design options without recreating the design model for each scenario.

Wassim Jabi, Ph.D., president, ACADIA, said, "I wish to extend my congratulations to Dr. Aish for his well-deserved award. The choice of an award recipient was particularly difficult this year because of the depth and quality of the candidates. This distinction testifies to the remarkable depth and quality of his work and his service to our academic and professional communities.

"ACADIA's Society Award was presented to Dr. Aish in recognition of his ground-breaking contribution to advanced parametric software. His work on GenerativeComponents has given our community of researchers, educators, practitioners, and students an unprecedented tool that can help create and modify architectural objects with rigorous geometrical control."

Commenting on Dr. Aish's recent recognition, Brad Workman, vice president, Bentley Building, said, "We continue to be incredibly proud of Robert's impressive accomplishments and growing list of accolades. His leadership role in the development of GenerativeComponents is providing creative architects and engineers with the ability to develop designs that emerge from a combination of intuition and logic."

Said Dr. Aish, "Designers and engineers have a unique opportunity to shape the built environment by challenging conventional assumptions about the form, fabrication, and behavior of buildings. ACADIA represents the educators who must seed this sense of creative opportunity in the next generation of designers and engineers.

"One aspect of this is the use of computational design tools that are not simply encoding current design practice. Rather, they throw down creative and intellectual challenges in key areas of contemporary design: geometry, composition, and algorithm."

Dr. Aish will lead a workshop and conference on GenerativeComponents at the 2007 SmartGeometry Winter Conference and Reception on Jan. 31 in New York City. The event provides an excellent opportunity to learn how his work on computational design tools is being applied in practice and academia, as well as to experience the benefits of these tools through hands-on experimentation. The conference is being hosted by Robert Ivy, FAIA, editor-in-chief, Architectural Record. To register or for more details, go to www.smartgeometry2007.com.

To learn more about GenerativeComponents, visit www.bentley.com/generativecomponents.

About ACADIA

ACADIA was formed in the early 1980s for the purpose of facilitating communication and critical thinking regarding the use of computers in architecture, planning, and building science. A particular focus is education and the software, hardware and pedagogy involved in education.

The organization is also committed to the research and development of computer aides that enhance design creativity, rather than simply production, and that aim at contributing to the construction of humane physical environments. Its activities include an annual national conference, publications, competitions, and exchanges with international sister organizations.

The membership includes approximately 200 educators, professionals, and students. For more information, visit www.acadia.org.

About Bentley

Bentley Systems, Incorporated provides software for the lifecycle of the world's infrastructure. The company's comprehensive portfolio for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial verticals spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and operations. With 2005 revenues of $336 million and more than 2000 colleagues around the world, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms and major owner-operators and was named the world's No. 2 provider of GIS/geospatial software solutions in a recent Daratech research study.

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Bentley, the "B" logo, and GenerativeComponents are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.