Autodesk Teams With the American Institute of Architects' Philadelphia Chapter to Expand Technology Learning for Design Professionals.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2002

Financial Sponsorship and Building Industry Software Donation

Support New Informal Learning Center Activities

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, announced today its support for the new Learning Center at the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) through an annual learning sponsorship of $1,500 and the donation of two annual subscription contracts each for Autodesk Architectural Desktop, Autodesk Architectural Studio, and Autodesk VIZ software. Through this contribution, architects will have access to Autodesk's latest building industry design software on two computers in a newly furnished, fully functional educational area in the recently opened Learning Center, which serves 1,500 member architects and related design professionals within a four-county area in Pennsylvania. This support augments founding sponsor Synergis Technologies, Inc.'s (www.synergis.com) three-year funding of the Learning Center facility and computer hardware. By making the building design software available on an informal basis in this new area within the Learning Center, the AIA Philadelphia is expanding the types of technology learning environments that it provides.

"Autodesk has been instrumental in their support of the AIA Learning Center," said John Claypool, executive director of AIA Philadelphia. "Through Autodesk's financial sponsorship and technical leadership, the AIA Learning Center can now provide a center for advanced learning, collegial exchange, and education for children in the built environment."

In addition to this new computer experimentation area, the Learning Center also provides a technology training and seminar facility where Synergis, a premier Autodesk Solutions Provider in the Mid-Atlantic region, conducts formal training courses and conferences on a wide range of Autodesk software products, including Autodesk Architectural Desktop, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, and the Autodesk Civil Series (comprising Autodesk Land Desktop, Autodesk Civil Design, Autodesk Survey, and Autodesk Raster Design). Synergis has an exclusive three-year agreement with AIA Philadelphia to provide training on Autodesk products at the Learning Center.

"Autodesk is committed to working with the AIA to promote new opportunities for architects and other design professionals to explore how to integrate the use of new technologies in their practices," said Phil Bernstein, FAIA, vice president of Autodesk's Building Industry Division. "We believe the new Learning Center at the AIA Philadelphia is a great forum for this process of intellectual exchange."

About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain leverage digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, and AutoCAD LT are registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.