EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, today announced that registration is now open for the SmartGeometry 2011 Conference. This highly anticipated conference is the world’s premier event focused on computational and parametric design tools, technologies, and methodologies that allow and encourage new forms of architectural and structural expression. The conference takes place April 1-2, 2011, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and carries the theme “Building the Invisible: Informing Digital Design With Real-World Data.” Among the many preeminent authorities on advanced 3D design presenting this year are Ben van Berkel, UNStudio; Usman Haque, Haque Design + Research; Billie Faircloth, KieranTimberlake; Craig Schwitter and Gijs Libourel, Buro Happold and Adaptive Building Initiative; Lisa Amini, IBM’s Smarter City Lab, Dublin; and Mette Ramsgard Thomsen, Center for Information Technology and Architecture (CITA). For additional information about the conference and to register, visit www.SmartGeometryConference.com/2011.

The SmartGeometry 2011 Conference includes:

• “Talkshop” Day, April 1 – On this interactive first day, tutors and participants in the SmartGeometry 2011 Workshop companion event present and discuss their advanced design work of the previous four days in a series of panel sessions. The hands-on workshop is being held March 28-31, 2011, at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture, and hosted by CITA. It enables architectural and engineering professionals, academics, and students to explore and realize design through the innovative use of data and digital fabrication employing GenerativeComponents – Bentley’s generative design software.
• “Symposium” Day, April 2 – Day two includes insightful presentations by renowned experts on the theory and practice of computational and parametric design approaches. The speakers will showcase major projects around the globe that exemplify the way in which data informs design.
• Reception, April 2 – The conference ends with a social gathering celebrating the innovation, creativity, and leadership of the generative design community. It also provides an opportunity to view the work developed during the four-day workshop.

Commenting on this year’s conference agenda, Shane Burger, head of the Computational Design Unit, Grimshaw Architects, said, “As digital designers, our challenge is to harness and direct the power of computation to inform our design process. Through parametric design, architects and engineers can collect, manage, and analyze a great deal of information about the environment in order to enable an array of design options for exploration. The goal is to use this information as meaningful inputs to help make better-informed design decisions. The SmartGeometry 2011 Conference, along with the workshop event, enables professionals and academics, designers and researchers to work together and explore the best use of technology-enabled methodologies. We are excited to again have Bentley as our premier sponsor and the use of Bentley’s GenerativeComponents as the primary software for the workshop.”

For additional information about the SmartGeometry 2011 Conference and to register, visit www.SmartGeometryConference.com/2011.

About the SmartGeometry Group

SmartGeometry is run entirely by passionate volunteers who balance their professional careers (which often put them in competition with each other) with their investment of time and energy in the wider community. The magic of SmartGeometry lies in its curious mix of community and competition, which conspires to inspire and provoke. The excitement of each SmartGeometry event is the anticipation of the unknown and the creative mix and intensity of ideas. Each year generates heightened expectations that inevitably challenge current design methodologies. The directors of the SmartGeometry Group include Shane Burger, head of Computational Design Unit, Grimshaw Architects; Xavier De Kestelier, associate partner, Foster+Partners; Lars Hesselgren, PLP/Architecture; Hugh Whitehead, Foster + Partners; and J Parrish, ArupSport. For additional information, visit www.SmartGeometry.org.

About GenerativeComponents

GenerativeComponents (GC) enables architects and engineers to pursue designs and achieve results that were virtually unthinkable before. Empowered by computational methods, the designers can direct their creativity to deliver inspired, sustainable, better-performing buildings that are freer in form and use innovative materials and assemblies. GenerativeComponents facilitates this by allowing the quick exploration of a broad range of “what-if” alternatives for design components ranging from conventional building elements such as curtain walls, paneling, and stairs to overall building configurations and form for even the most complex buildings.

Among the leading architects and engineers around the world already taking advantage of this unique generative design software are Arup, BDP, Buro Happold, Foster + Partners, Grimshaw Architects, Henning Larsen Architects, Morphosis, PLP/Architecture, SHoP Architects, Snøhetta, UNStudio, and Zaha Hadid Architects. GenerativeComponents is available for download at no cost at www.bentley.com/gc.

About Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Bentley is the global leader dedicated to providing architects, engineers, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure. Bentley’s mission is to empower its users to leverage information modeling through integrated projects for high-performing intelligent infrastructure. Its solutions encompass the MicroStation platform for infrastructure design and modeling, the ProjectWise platform for infrastructure project team collaboration and work sharing, and the AssetWise platform for infrastructure asset operations – all supporting a broad portfolio of interoperable applications and complemented by worldwide professional services. Founded in 1984, Bentley has grown to nearly 3,000 colleagues in more than 45 countries and $500 million in annual revenues. Since 2001, the company has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions.

Additional information about Bentley is available at www.bentley.com and in Bentley’s annual report. For Bentley news as it happens, subscribe to an RSS feed of Bentley press releases and news alerts. To view a searchable collection of innovative infrastructure projects from the annual Be Inspired Awards, access Bentley’s Year in Infrastructure publications. To access a professional networking site that enables members of the infrastructure community to connect, communicate, and learn from each other, visit Be Communities.

To download the Bentley Infrastructure 500 Top Owners ranking, a unique global compendium of the top public- and private-sector owners of infrastructure based on the value of their cumulative infrastructure investments, visit www.bentley.com/500.

Bentley, the “B” Bentley logo, Be, GenerativeComponents, MicroStation, and ProjectWise are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. All other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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