Bentley Co-sponsors National Building Museum Exhibition Tools of the Imagination.

EXTON, Pa. -- Bentley Systems, Incorporated, today announced it will co-sponsor the National Building Museum's exhibition Tools of the Imagination. Opening in the spring of 2005, this unprecedented exhibition will examine the tools of design and how they have revolutionized the ways in which the world envisions architecture.

The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., is America's premier cultural institution dedicated to examining and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning. Tools of the Imagination will explore the relationships between what humans imagine, what we draw, and what we ultimately build. The exhibition will focus on a set of seminal buildings, the design and construction of which reflect changing technologies and conceptions of architecture.

"The National Building Museum is very pleased that Bentley is a co-sponsor for the exhibition Tools of the Imagination," said Chase W. Rynd, executive director of the Museum. "Today's technically advanced design tools have revolutionized the way in which architects and designers imagine and create architecture. The transformation from capturing those ideas on tracing paper to using computer based building design and simulation tools such as those offered by Bentley is truly amazing."

"Bentley is proud to sponsor this exhibition, providing a better understanding of the impact design tools have on advances in architecture around the world," said Brad Workman, vice president of Bentley Building. "The tools of architects and designers are the means by which we translate our imagination into physical reality. The development of more sophisticated tools has and can influence the products of design just as surely as the imagination itself."

The exhibition will investigate 200 years of design tools and technologies - from historic pencils, ink, and drafting equipment to the latest and most sophisticated software and hardware, simulations, models, and lasers - as well as a wide array of drawings, renderings, and sketches from well-known architects. The exhibition will also look into the future - exploring smart tools, smart drawings, and smart buildings, all of which will ultimately affect the division of labor in the design process, and, indeed, how we experience buildings. Interactive stations will allow the visitor to try his or her hand at computer simulations and drawings that illustrate exhibition themes.

Architects and engineers have produced construction drawings, images, and models that are themselves works of art. Designers continue these creative traditions while exploiting the opportunities afforded by the advent of computer technologies for design and drafting, most recently with building information modeling (BIM). These tools offer unlimited potential for expressing the architectural imagination, dramatically changing the look of architecture worldwide.

About BIM

A superset of CAD, BIM captures essential building concepts and information beyond drawings and provides a managed environment for building projects and operations. Bentley's BIM solution encompasses 20 enabling BIM technologies, is based on the proven and scalable MicroStation platform, and offers a unique ramp to BIM so users can run mixed projects and realize BIM via evolution versus revolution. For more about BIM, visit www.bentley.com/bim.

About the National Building Museum

The National Building Museum is America's premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning. The Museum has become a vital forum for exchanging ideas and information about such topical issues as managing suburban growth, preserving landmarks, and revitalizing urban centers. The Museum is located at 401 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.nbm.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 vertical markets spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and operations. With 2003 revenues reaching $260 million, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the Engineering News-Record Design 500 and major owner-operators.

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