IT support

Computer locations

PCs with specialist hardware and software are located in the MSD and Baldwin Spencer Buildings. These PCs can only be logged in to by students enrolled in:

  • Bachelor of Environments
  • Bachelor of Design
  • MSD courses
  • Subjects starting with ARCH, BENV or ABPL
Name Room NumberLevel Machine Number
Digital Design Hub 129* MSD 129 1 28
Digital Design Hub 120* MSD 120 1 16
Digital Design Hub 120* MSD 121 1 16
Digital Design Hub 246* MSD 246 2 26
Brian Lewis Atrium MSD Level 1 1 24
Open Areas MSD 248 (SE corner) 2 4
MSD Northern Side 3 4
MSD Northern Side 4 4
Baldwin Spencer Design Hall BS102 1 60

* Digital Design Hubs are timetabled but available for student use when not timetabled.

Rules for lab use

  1. No eating or drinking in the Digital Design hubs or Baldwin Spencer design hall – penalties apply
  2. The lab is available for student use when there are no scheduled classes. Do not set up render and run on machine unattended.
  3. Save your work on portable hard disk or USB sticks. Avoid saving files on local C drive or desktop. This will only cause you more time when you next log-in on another machine.
  4. Carry your student ID at all time. University security performs routine checks after hours and on the weekend. You will be asked to leave if you can not present your student ID Card.
  5. Holding computers for rendering or other use while you are not at the computer is prohibited. Any computers held for prolong period of unattended use will be reset so other students can use them.
  6. Do not move or unplug any cables, keyboards, mice, computers or screens.

Software

  • Available on MSD computers
    TypeNameVersion
    Software Adobe Creative Cloud 14
    ArciCAD 18
    AutoDesk AutoCAD 2015
    AutoDesk Backburner 2015
    Autodesk Design Review 2015
    Autodesk Ecotect 2011
    Autodesk Revit 2015
    Autodesk Maya 2015
    Autodesk 3D Max Design 2015
    Autodesk 123D Catch N/A
    Autodesk Meshmixer N/A
    Blender 2.73
    CostX 3.2
    CmapTools 5.04.01
    Digital Project V1R4 15
    EnergyPlus 6
    Estate Master 5
    Freemind 0.8.1
    First Rate 5
    IES 2015
    Irfan Viewer 4.38
    ImageJ 1.48
    Google SketchUp 8.3.0.4811
    Microstations V8i 08.11.07.443
    OpenStudio 1.0.6.382
    Pepakura Designer 3
    Primavera 7
    Rhinocerso 5
    TrnSys 16.00.0037
    The Kmplayer 3.0.0.1441R2
    Vico Office 7
    West Point Bridge Designer 2015
    Xmind 3.2.1
    UP! 2
    Plug-ins iToo 4.3
    Vray  
    Grasshopper  
    Weaverbird 0.8
    Octane Render for 3D Max 2.23
  • Available for your personal computer

    The Faculty does not sell any software. The following software can be obtained for free under the student program:

Additional software is also available from Student IT & eLearning Support.

Other specialist software may be required for some subjects. Refer to LMS for more information.

Learning how to use software

The Faculty subscribes to Lynda.com – a leading online learning company with an extensive video library of courses enable anyone to learn software, technology and creative skills.

Lynda.com access is available for all students enrolled in:

  • The Bachelor of Design
  • The Bachelor of Environments
  • MSD courses
  • Subjects starting with BENV or ABPL (for the duration of the subject only)

Accessing Lynda.com

To log in to Lynda.com:

  1. Go the sign in page
  2. Type abp.unimelb.edu.au as the organisation URL and click continue
  3. Type in your student username and password and click login.

Reducing render time

Rendering can be a time-intensive process, but it does not have to be. Octane and V-Ray (for Rhino and 3D Max Design) can significantly reducing rendering time with no noticeable reduction in output. Refer to Octane Render Tutorials and V-Ray Render Tutorials for instructions on how to use them.

The following specifications are recommended for students studying Bachelor of Design or MSD courses:

Operating System

The majority of software used in the Faculty runs on Window platform. We strongly recommend that all students use Windows.

You may use Boot Camp for Mac. This is not recommended as it can slow down your machine and will require you to be tech savvy.

Screen Resolution and Size
  • Full HD 1920x1080 screen with IPS
  • 14" minimum screen size (unless you have a separate monitor at home)

Whilst higher resolution screens are available on some smaller screens, this can cause scaling issues (e.g. icons being too small to read).

Processor

Intel i7 (Haswell or Broadwell)

Graphics card

Nvidia GTX 930MX 2GB (prefer GTX 1060 6GB graphics for Bachelor of Design)

Rhino 3D and most graphics software utilised Open GL; refer to guide here.

RAM
  • 16GB (Minimum)
  • 32GB (High End)
Hard Disk

1 TB or 500GB mSATA SSD

Note: SSD is faster but more expensive. Some laptops allow you to have both SSD and HDD which means you can put your operating system and programs on the SSD, and store images, music, CAD files on your HDD.

Weight

Consider weight against screen size and power.  Think about how often you'll be carrying the machine with you, as heavy laptops can be cumbersome.

Rhino, 3DS Max, Maya, AutoCAD, Revit, and even Sketchup would benefit from these specs. In addition to familiar brands, it is worth considering ‘gaming’ laptops as their specs are well suited to BIM/CAD/rendering and offer good specs for the money. An excellent site to use for comparison of models is Affordable Laptops.

The Printroom is located in Room 127 (Level 1) in the Melbourne School of Design building. For more information about printroom services and access, see the Printroom website.

Loaning equipment

The Loans Desk loan out high-quality cameras, photo studio equipment and 3D scanners. Laptops, computers, mice or keyboards are not available for loan.

Getting help