In recent years, Graphisoft has poured energy into building out its ecosystem, anchored by two key extensions: its award-winning BIMx mobile, web, and desktop viewing collaboration and viewing application, and its industry-leading BIMcloud technologies, which arrived with great fanfare in 2014. (see: Architosh, “Special Event from Japan: GRAPHISOFT announces new ‘BIMcloud’ for global architectural industry,” 25 Mar 2014)

To be sure, BIMcloud, in particular, was the technology ready for the global pandemic in 2020, and while thousands of Archicad-based architects smoothly adjusted to remote work because their projects were already in the cloud within BIMcloud, many colleagues using other solutions (notably Revit) had a much more difficult transition. Fast-forward from the pandemic years to the present, Graphisoft has further expanded its ecosystem, especially in the MEP space. Its latest addition to this arena is MEP Designer, a purpose-built MEP BIM solution built on the same Archicad core platform.

But what about Archicad itself? This is largely the subject of this feature product review article. So let’s dig into it.

A full-screen view of Archicad 29 with its new Learning Center shown and the AI Assistant (beta) icon in the lower right-hand corner of the main viewport window. The Learning Center gives the user quick access to Product Tours, Quick Tutorials, and Help.

With Archicad 29, Graphisoft delivers a pivotal new AI Assistant (Beta) technology, offering intelligence built into model queries and expert guidance on all things Archicad. One important note: the Hungarian BIM provider says that “Archicad 29 is the centerpiece” of their “Design Intelligence Strategy” and a type of “backbone” for next-generation AI-enabled workflows.

Why AI is Key

If this is the future backbone of the next-generation design-centric experience, then it stands to reason that the AI Assistant (Beta) is a critical technology to understand, and that it is our first step in this review.

To get started, the user can find the new AI Assistant in the lower right corner of the main interface window. Clicking it opens the AI Assistant main window. When you first use it, you must agree to the terms and conditions, and there is an explanation of the terms of use. In short, Graphisoft is the Data Processor (or Processor), and the user is the Data Controller (or Controller). Personal data is used solely to the extent necessary for the query and in accordance with Article 29 of the GDPR. The “processor” (Graphisoft) shall not use the personal data for any purpose other than the one addressed in the AI query.

The AI Assistant window is full-height along the left side of the Navigator palette on the right. The assistant guides you with the types of questions you can ask (see text below). The globe icon in the text prompt box enables queries to access information on the Internet.

Once agreed to, an Archicad 29 user can engage with the AI Assistant (Beta) features, which include things like learning about Archicad, asking about best practices and regulations, filtering your BIM model elements, and creating AI visualizations.

Asking about Archicad

I tested the first type of query, which is about knowing about Archicad, and I was quite satisfied with the initial results. I asked, for example, to help me understand the Navigator in Archicad, a key aspect of the program’s functionality that can initially challenge new users. Because we know Archicad, we could evaluate the results against experience. We were pleased to see it make the key distinction between Viewpoints and Views, for instance.

Asking about Best Practices and Regulations

I tested the AI Assistant and its knowledge of best practices by asking a series of planning questions, first about metal flashing under windows and doors (a question the AI Assistant couldn’t provide any answer to) and next about how far a toilet should be placed relative to a side wall (which it was able to answer correctly refering to ADA regulations). I then asked about the minimum ceiling height above a toilet in the United States, but the AI did not know the answer because the regulations Archicad 29 is using are strictly UK-based. So why are they just UK-based at this beta release stage?

An example of the AI Assistant helping with questions about learning the Navigator.

The answer, says Graphisoft, is to help the LLM better understand the domain and context, and adding more codes and regulations would (or could) increase the risk of hallucinations. If you have ever done code research in early versions of ChatGPT, you may have experienced some hallucinations. Graphisoft is committed to emphasizing safe and reliable AI solutions; hence, the limited use of UK standards today. In the future, the company says, users should be able to upload the most relevant building codes for themselves.

Filtering BIM Model Elements

Perhaps the most exciting and useful AI feature beyond having a learning buddy (over-the-shoulder AI) is what AI can tell you about your BIM model. I ran a quick testing telling the Assistant to highlight all the load-bearing columns. It selected them properly and told me how many of them I had. That immediately suggested to me that perhaps the assistant could do quantification work. However, at this time, it cannot.

I asked, for example, to give me the average height of all the load-bearing columns or the shortest and tallest load-bearing columns. But Archicad’s AI Assistant at this time is only optimized to find BIM model elements and not to provide numerical analysis. Our understanding from feedback from Graphisoft is that LLM’s scan struggle with this kind of numerical analysis, but the company absolutely sees this as a logical next step, and the support of MCP (Anthropic’s model context protocol) will enable the AI Assistant to use tools that humans can use today in Archicad and unlock such possibilities to answer numerical analysis questions.

An example of filtering with the AI Assistant querying the model. Notice how the filtered elements get selected (highlighted in green). Once selected, the user can navigate from 3D views to 2D views to see the filtered elements or orbit around the 3D model to gain different vantage points.

Meanwhile, in my review, I used the AI Assistant to filter for “all doors less than 36 inches wide,” and it found them all and highlighted them in the BIM. I was able to see them in both 3D and 2D plan views, and they remained highlighted as I navigated between them. However, I encountered something unexpected when orbiting after a filter selection in the Assistant.

If I filter for elements and then want to orbit the model, the selected (filtered) elements stop being highlighted upon orbital rotation. To get them highlighted again, I need to click the orbit button in the lower-left corner of the main window. This will deselect the orbit tool and bring back the filtered highlight. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that, but at least I solved it and could orbit the model to view my AI-filtered elements from different perspectives.

How Good for Beta?

For a beta status technology, Archicad 29’s AI Assistant is valuable, especially if you are new to learning Archicad. I feel this feature set will greatly aid your ability to master learning the program, and even if you have some prior experience or are an infrequent user (like we are, in general, for many of the applications we review), the AI Assistant provides excellent support.

As for filtering, we think this is a good start, but look forward to more advanced capabilities, especially the ability to automate workflows once Graphisoft implements MCP (model context protocol), an open-source standard created by Anthropic that sister company Bluebeam showed off last fall at its user conference in Washington, D.C. (see: Architosh, “Bluebeam Rebounds: The Comeback of Construction’s Original Digital Rebel,” 20 Oct 2025)

AI Visualizer 2.0

So version 29 introduces the 2.0 release of AI Visualizer, an AI visualization technology that originated at Graphisoft and is shared AI technology across other Nemetschek brands. This technology is now potentially co-developed by the Nemetschek Group’s Germany-based AI hub, which has at least one staff member assigned to it from multiple daughter companies, including Graphisoft’s sibling rivals. We are speculating here.

We didn’t test this feature set directly, but let’s summarize what AI Visualizer 2.0 does, then move on to the items we looked at in detail. The big new update to this AI technology is an interface with more detailed settings. All of this is designed to give the architect greater control, which is the difficult nature of using generative AI technology.

The interface for AI Visualizer 2.0. New capabilities and controls enable the architect or designer to direct the generative AI technology closer to intentions.

The user can upload images, such as photo boards of actual materials, to use in the visualization, along with composition imagery, such as a hand-drawn perspective sketch of the view they like. The “creativity” slider is there to give the architect less or more control. If you want more restrictions on the AI’s creativity, you lower the slider. If the AI Visualizer creates items in your image you don’t want, a paintbrush tool gives you the ability to delete them. Or, alternatively, use the paintbrush tool to highlight and enhance areas of the image.

AI Visualizer 2.0 can also generate textures and objects for your scene, in addition to rendering image compositions. You can create seamless textures from text prompts or upload pictures. These updates to AI Visualizer streamline image creation and automate the generation of useful objects and textures, saving architects and interior designers a ton of time.

Productivity Improvements

New Rotation Tools

While the new rotation functionalities seem trivial, they have more value than they first appear to have. For example, they also use section elements, so you have a faster and easier way to change a building section’s direction than previous methods. That will please existing users. And you can also rotate elements in the same way in 3D views, like a car in a driveway. While there has always been a good rotation tool, the new rotation shortcuts are simply faster and easier to implement for basic rotations.

The new rotation tool is a simple new feature, but sure to please existing users.

Finally, note that the rotation tools work on layouts, so you can quickly change elements placed directly on them. This may be more rarely used, but it is valuable.

Direct Input Opening in Section and Elevation

The new ability to input openings in section and elevation views is another feature that long-time Archicad users will find quite useful and an expanded improvement on cutting openings in target elements compared to previous methods, including the method of using an “operator” object like a morph or slab and then performing a subtraction to cut the target element.

A complex shape drawn in elevation will form the opening.

The complex-shaped opening is now shown in a 3D view.

The new ability allows the user to use a rectangular or circular shape or a polygon for just about any shape (see images below). In the 3D view, users can also further manipulate these opening shapes by sliding them along surfaces like the garden wall in this example, including with numerical accuracy via the pet palette. The depth of an opening is also numerically controlled with the new tools. And you can edit dimensions of openings when they are selected, like making these round holes fit for step lighting bigger or smaller. (see image below).

This round opening for a step light can be easily adjusted in size or position using the features of the Pet Palette.

Moreover, when you migrate older Archicad files to version 29, openings made via previous methods will gain new editing powers. In other words, it changes how you can interact with them.

Filter and Select Unused Views

So anyone who has used Archicad for any length of time knows the beauty and power of the Navigator. However, they also know its pain points, and there have always been a few. One of those prior to Archicad 29 is the ability to determine whether a view has never been used in a layout or publisher set. For those unfamiliar with Archicad, layouts are where you construct your drawing sheets. You place views on layouts to construct sheets, so if you have views that have not been placed onto sheets, you may want to now delete them if they serve no other purpose.

Finding unused views or views not placed on layouts is the first step in helping to lighten the Navigator’s content lists and streamline workflows. This image shows the setup process for the filtering process.

However, you must first find these unused views. That is where the filtering features come into play. Now, in the Project Map at the bottom, you can find Project Indexes > View List. Click on that get a view similar to the image above. From there, the user can add criteria for filtering via criteria like “Placed on Layout” and such, and generate results. Once the view list is filtered, selecting any row (view) and then clicking on another button (upper left) takes you either to that view or to its location in the saved views in the navigator. Then you can delete it.

So far, these items, which at first seem minor, are actually significant and much appreciated useful feature improvements or feature additions to Archicad.

Library and Content Improvements

New additions and improvements to the Library now happen as they develop, which means this content comes to users far more frequently (in theory) than with major software releases. Users must go to the Download section of the Graphisoft website to see these more frequent Library content updates. A better and faster way is to use the Help menu > Check for Updates, and you end up with the screen below. (see image below).

Checking for library updates via the Archicad 29 Help menu interface is faster than the website method.

Notice that it not only tells me there is an Archicad 29.0.2 hotfix available, but below that, Library Updates are also available. Click the download link shown.

The updates to the Library in Archicad 29 are quite extensive, including hundreds of new 2D tree graphics and the plants and outdoor accessories package. There are also new door objects with special door types.

Other Productivity Improvements

Parametric kitchen cabinet features have advanced further, offering greater control for architects and designers. Cabinets can now have up to five drawers.

Archicad 29 also offers new “show contours” in PBR rendering mode. Physically-based rendering was introduced a few versions back, but this new feature with contour support adds visual rendering options for the edges of objects. A bigger number in the settings corresponds to a thicker line at the edges of objects. (see next image)

This setting combines the qualities of physically-based rendering (PBR) with the edge-like qualities of modeling tools like SketchUp.

This image shows the new dark mode UI option and the new show contours option under physically-based rendering mode.

Another new feature for macOS users is Dark Mode. This feature is a bit late to the “dark interface” party that began quite a long time ago now, but certain users will surely enjoy it if eye strain is an issue. For Mac users, they can make Dark mode always on, or off, or match their device (computer) so it turns on in the per-dark interface settings for the Mac itself.

Finally, in addition to the AI Assistant’s ability to answer questions and provide user guidance about Archicad, there is a new dedicated Learning Center palette that provides guided product tours and quick tutorials, plus Archicad tips.

Documentation Updates

Archicad 29 features several new features and updates to improve the documentation process. Schedule formatting and renovation status are the two bigger updates in this area, while new arrow types are a minor new feature that experienced users will appreciate.

Schedule Formatting Improvements

The new updates to schedules include customization options for background cell colors, how they are handled based on simple rules such as matching a header cell, plus a range of other customization options for how units, numbers, and custom text are entered into schedules.

Archicad 29 added substantial new features for schedule formatting.

Additionally, you can control whether color customizations carry over to views within layouts.

Archicad 29 now offers new tools for arrowhead styles, including size and pen. This includes the start and endpoints of lines, arcs, and related shapes, each with its own unique arrowhead. Plus, you can save unique combinations of arrowheads, complete with line thickness and sizes, and save them to your Favorites. These new capabilities will help architects create diagrams, timelines, different types of flow diagrams, charts, and more.

Renovation status for elements in BIM models already exists, but it can now be assigned to markers such as sections, elevations, interior elevations, details, and worksheets. So how would you use this?
So essentially, what this does is enable architects to change the status of markers in previous Archicad projects to “renovation” status. This helps them essentially disappear without having to delete them. You don’t want to delete them as they may still be in existing views.

The new arrowhead options are useful for more than one drawing, such as this 3D view. They can also help in chart-making.

A particularly handy new update is the Replace PDF Pages feature. If you have a multi-page PDF document that is incorporated in your layouts, you can easily leverage a single link to that PDF and access any of the multiple pages in the PDF to appear in a view on a layout. This means you can also update a single page and save time by not having to reinsert the file.

Finally, several new features are designed to improve documentation, including more formatting customization for keynotes. You can also place keynotes on the master layout, and if no keynotes appear on a given layout sheet, the keynotes legend does not appear on that sheet.

Collaboration Updates

There are many new updates and features that add to Archicad’s already robust collaboration capabilities. These include IFC 4.3 and OBJ support, BIMx 2025 improvements, and much more. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Archicad has several new or updated “Archicad connections.” BIMPLUS connection is one of them. This is the Nemetschek Group’s cloud-based platform for model-based coordination and collaboration. You can now log in to BIMPLUS directly from Archicad.

There is also a newly updated Bluebeam connection. This brings in an integrated documentation review workflow. There was already a Bluebeam integration with Archicad prior, but that connection technology has been discontinued and replaced by this new connection. The new Bluebeam Connection is entirely recoded.

Archicad previously had a connection to sister company Bluebeam, but this version is entirely rewritten and superior.

The new setup integrates with Bluebeam Cloud and supports Bluebeam desktop workflows. Importantly, Bluebeam markup can be imported into Archicad as native Archicad issues. To generate such markup, users can start a Bluebeam Session directly in Archicad 29. Users participating in the Session do not need a license of Bluebeam software, just a user account. Multiple parties can produce markup in the Session, and that data can be piped into Archicad as native Archicad issues, which can then be assigned to team members to resolve.

The adoption of IFC 4.3, the latest industry standard, positions Archicad for a stronger market presence in infrastructure projects, which is partly what IFC 4.3 addresses. This version is not yet widely supported, but it helps future-proof projects and workflows with its integration in version 29.

New “Archicad Project Compare”

This is a new tool that works between versions 25 and newer, making it easier to identify hard-to-notice differences between two project states.

This is a new application that you download and run to prepare migration audits. The package you download contains both the Archicad plugins and the stand-alone Archicad Project Compare application. You need both.

The add-on produces output files that serve as the basis for comparison. This runs on each version of Archicad you use, providing a comparison. Say you were migrating from version 28 to version 29. You install the add-on to both versions of Archicad and run the process to generate output (.pmx) files needed for the comparison. Once the comparison is run, it will be visually apparent whether the content has changed, is faulty, or is missing elements.

Importantly, Graphisoft tells Architosh that while the tool can be used within the same version of Archicad, that is only a bonus workflow. The tool supports migration workflows and is essentially a BIM management tool, not an Archicad utility.

BIMx 2025

BIMx is a critical layer to the Archicad ecosystem, and it is always shocking to learn that some Archicad firms don’t use it.

The new BIMx has several new features, including parallel projection for axonometric views like this one.

New this year is the unification of the features of BIMx across all platforms. There are now customizable cut planes, new parallel projection, and animation toggles. This means you can toggle on or off the animation transitions between the BIM model and 2D documents.

MEP Designer

A huge component of Graphisoft’s annual updates is now outside of Archicad itself in the form of various Archicad ecosystem applications. This could be BIMcloud, BIMx, or the new MEP Designer, which is built on the same fundamental engine as Archicad. But again, we really want to just focus this review on Archicad itself. Typically, that is how we review Archicad, even if we cover these ecosystem tools lightly. We have written about MEP Designer before (see: Architosh, “Graphisoft releases Archicad 29 with game-changing tools,” 7 Oct 2025), but the chief take-away is that MEP Designer is a new solution that simplifies BIM adoption for MEP engineers, breaking them away from the limits of 2D CAD workflows and driving deeper integration with architects working in BIM workflows using Archicad.

Being that MEP Designer is built essentially on the Archicad platform, it ships both natively for Mac and Windows, making it the first Mac-based BIM solution for MEP engineers to design and document MEP systems in 3D format with complete IFC 4.3 support to work with other engineering BIM solutions. Chief among its key features is its simplified MEP modeling and built-in collision detection and model checks.

Closing Thoughts

While Archicad 29’s release late last year was a bit lighter update than Graphisoft’s typical annual release, one must factor in a few unusual or background factors. One of those is the programming effort put into MEP Designer. Another aspect that the company has discussed publicly in the “data plumbing” reworking going on behind the scenes to get the data or “I” in BIM set up correctly to service new artificial intelligence (AI) workflows. This is the same kind of foundational programming affecting all legacy (desktop-era) BIM developers, and even newer BIM 2.0 tools that began before the emergence of LLMs and ChatGPT.

We see in version 29 the beta version of the new AI Assistant. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what is coming to AI functionality in Archicad. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) will likely bring major new capabilities to the AI Assistant, not to mention an emphasis on open protocols to avoid fragmented connections to multiple new AI models and instead provide seamless, integrated, diverse data sources securely. All of this is critical to Archicad’s agentic AI foundation, where multi-agent support and task decomposition set up AI workflows that enable complex user requests and break them down into manageable steps by the AI Assistant.

Having shared our thoughts on the AI Assistant above, our other favorite features in the new version 29 update that have nothing to do with AI include key productivity updates such as direct openings in section and elevation views, and filtering for unused views. While neither of these is sexy or massive, they are impactful. The same can be said of the new schedule formatting capabilities and arrowhead types that open up new possibilities.

So should Archicad firms rush to upgrade to this version? Well, that depends. If you are new to Archicad or at an intermediate skill level, the AI Assistant is a powerful tool to help you deepen your understanding and capabilities in Archicad. For all other users, the mix of very practical updates offers workflow streamlining, and it will just depend on their particular present needs.

To learn more, visit Graphisoft’s website and read our summaries below.

Pros — Archicad 29 intros new beta level AI Assistant that delivers solid and practical assistance for using and learning the popular BIM authoring tool; new rotate and opening tools for elevation, and section views will be highly adopted by veteran users; new productivity enhancements and abilities to sort for unused views benefit project management and keep projects streamlined. New dark mode UI for Mac is a bonus for that platform, new updates to BIMx and MEP Designer are excellent updates to the Graphisoft ecosystem, as well as new connections like the BIMPLUS and Bluebeam Connection. The new line contour feature for PBR rendering is especially nice to see in Archicad. AI Visualizer can create seamless textures and objects, offering big time savings. 

Cons — None of the new features are poorly implemented, but Archicad 29 is on the smaller size for an annual update, and the coolest new feature (AI Assistant) is technically a beta. Having only UK regulations for the data source felt limiting for market use outside the UK, but future updates will include many more connections. 

Advice — The new AI Assistant delivers helpful direction for newcomers to Archicad as well as useful filtering of BIM elements, making version 29 a smart upgrade for less-experienced Archicad users or those just learning the program. Veteran users will appreciate updates that improve the Navigator, enable the creation of openings in elevations and sections, and the new schedule formatting. While a bit lighter than average annual releases, a lot of foundational work for the future has been implemented behind the scenes. New IFC 4×3, BIMPLUS, and a rewritten Bluebeam Connection mostly seal the deal for upgrading to this version on the next new project. 

Price — Archicad 29 is available exclusively through a subscription model, and pricing depends on the tier and payment frequency. Options include Archicad Collaborate, which includes BIMcloud and MEP Designer, and is USD 2,840 per year with optional monthly pricing. Archicad Studio is USD 2,414 per year with optional monthly licensing, and while it does not include other components, users can optionally add BIMcloud SaaS at USD 47 per month (annual). Pricing can vary per region, so check specific pricing at your Graphisoft Store. (USA store).

Volume of New Content =  4 —   Total list of new features is on the lower side for this annual update compared to historical data, and its major new feature, the AI Assistant, is still in beta.

The post Product Review: Archicad 29 with AI Assistant (beta) appeared first on Architosh.

The 2026 release refines its multi-disciplinary approach by integrating 2D drafting, 3D modeling, rendering, and data management within a single environment. Its hybrid modeling system allows users to move fluidly between conceptual sketches and detailed construction models, while maintaining compatibility with industry standards such as IFC, DWG, and Revit files.

The latest version introduces improved graphics performance, faster section and viewport updates, and enhanced AI-driven drafting aids that automate routine layout and annotation tasks. A reworked resource browser and more consistent UI elements make file management and navigation smoother. 

The integration with Twinmotion and Enscape continues to strengthen real-time visualization workflows, supplementing Maxon Cinema4D native online rendering.

A Vectorworks Architect scene (created by the author) rendered using Enscape Renderer, which can live sync with the BIM solution.

Overall, Vectorworks Designer 2026 is a highly flexible design tool, appealing to users who value versatility and independence from more rigid BIM ecosystems. Its strength lies in combining creative freedom with increasingly capable BIM functionality.

This review focuses mostly on its use in the architects’ office but its capabilities in interior design, landscape design, lighting design, and site design make it especially useful for firms with multiple disciplines in the office framework.

Vectorworks Overview

Vectorworks was originally developed in the 1980s as MiniCAD on the Mac platform. It began its journey as a 3D modeling program and one of the very first high-quality professional CAD and 3D modeling software systems for the burgeoning MacOS platform. By the mid-1990s, MiniCAD had quickly become a favorite CAD tool for architects around the world, from the UK and US to Switzerland and Japan, architects on the Mac loved its famed ease-of-use and conformity to the Apple MacDraw UI way of doing things. The software became famous for how easy it was to use, but also for its graphical capabilities. All of those things remain today.

For architects on Vectorworks, they have long enjoyed the software’s hybrid 2D/3D nature, including its BIM-orientation in the last decade of its development. Architects feel the tool works the way architects want to work. It conforms to a WYSIWYG philosophy. The final product for architects is construction documents in sheet sets, and what you see is what you get in Vectorworks. Using its viewports technology, drawing sheets are composed (or pasted up) onto sheet layers (equal to paper space in AutoCAD lingo). Viewports enable users to zero in on exactly the parts of drawings and 3D BIM models they want to show on composed drawing sheets, setting scale and visualization attributes governing line weights and foreground and background rendering options (more on that later). Users can also copy and paste in image files (jpegs, etc), PDFs, and text to fully compose sheets as they want them to be.

For those who don’t know Vectorworks Architect, let me summarize at a high level its features:

Drafting and Modeling

• Comprehensive 2D drafting and sketching tools.
• Push and Pull 3D Modeling Tools (similar to SketchUp) but using solids modeling.
• Advanced Parasolid-based 3D modeling tools: Solid modeling, NURBS modeling, Direct and Parametric editing features.
• Conceptual and massing modeling workflows for early design.

Vectorworks Architect’s modeling toolset is built on the world’s best 3D geometry kernel (Parasolids) and enables architects’ comprehensive freeform modeling capabilities once they have invested in the training.

A freeform modeling example from a project by the author, using Vectorworks’ native rendering capabilities.

As an example of freeform modeling, the image above of a bell tower shows a simple example of what is possible with the program. Textures can be added to supplement those already included in the program, or they can be created from sources such as photographs of natural materials.

BIM and Data Management

• Comprehensive BIM authoring environment with IFC import/export functionalities.
• Extensive file exchange features, including Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, and AutoCAD.
• Fully parametric intelligent building objects (walls, doors, windows, roofs, etc).
• Automated worksheets and reports from BIM objects.
• Dynamic data assignment and data visualization.
• Materials, accurate quantification, and embodied carbon energy tracking.

While the youngest true BIM solution in the Nemetschek Group’s arsenal of BIM platforms, Vectorworks Architect 2026 has at times led the BIM industry in various leading-edge BIM capabilities, as we will discuss again in this review with its advanced Depth Cue features. But beyond its famed graphics capabilities, Vectorworks today is the only BIM solution on the market that can enable users to export backward to previous Autodesk Revit versions, and it offloads (and automates) those tasks to Vectorworks Cloud servers.

Documentation

• Automatic sections, elevations, and details.
• Sheet layers and the industry’s most advanced viewport technologies.
• Smart title blocks and revision management.
• Advanced dimensioning and annotation tools.
• PDF, DWG and export options.

Vectorworks’ title block technology has been around for awhile, but it shouldn’t be forgotten. Once installed, changes to the title block are automatically applied to all sheets. It is a big time saver and helps eliminate mistakes. Change an issue date, or a name, any change in the title block, and all 200 sheets are updated instantly. No one has to go through each sheet and update it.  

Visualization

• Real-time shaded views and Redshift rendering.
• Renderworks (Cinema 4D engine) for photoreal output.
• Integrated Enscape, Lumion, and Twinmotion via LiveSync rendering.
• 3D perspectives, animations, and presentation boards.
• Real-time walkthroughs in 3D for client presentations.

Real-time shaded views are not so unique to Vectorworks, but the program executes them very well with its many onboard rendering engines and options. Its visualization strengths make designing fun and can make a project come alive for clients. Users can fly around, zoom in, zoom out, and see how all the parts of a design fit together, discover issues and conflicts, and then resolve them.

Collaboration, AI, and Automation

• DWG, RVT, IFC, and SKP import/export.
• Multi-user Project Sharing.
• Vectorworks Cloud Services.
• AI command and tool search.
• Early-stage auto-dimensions and drafting assistant.
• Python scripting and Vectorscript.
• Marionette visual scripting (like Grasshopper) for custom parametric object creation and manipulation.

It should also be said that Vectorworks Cloud has numerous automation features where users can offload time-consuming processes from import and exporting to and from Revit, to stakeholder file sharing with markup capabilities and more.

Vectorworks Architect 2026: What’s New

AI Tools in Version 2026

Vectorworks 2026 introduces new AI (artificial intelligence) features, among them updates to its previous AI technologies. These moves mark the company’s first substantial step toward machine-assisted design within a CAD/BIM environment.

Vectorworks AI Visualizer was previously released back in 2024, but has received enhancements in version 2026. The latest improvements boast faster editing and image quality, particularly sharper image quality, a new dark mode, and a cleaner layout with tooltips. Vectorworks AI Visualizer is an integrated generative tool that produces conceptual imagery directly from project data or text prompts. It enables designers to explore massing, lighting, and material concepts early in the design process without leaving the application or relying on third-party rendering software. This feature bridges the gap between sketching and visualization, accelerating the transition from idea to form.

MORE: Deeper Dimensions—Vectorworks 2026 Redefines BIM Visuals and Data

Complementing that is the Vectorworks AI Assistant (Preview), a context-aware help system built on a proprietary dataset rather than general web content. It interprets user queries in plain language, identifies relevant commands or workflows, and provides direct links or actions inside the software. This is a great tool for new users or anyone not familiar with recent updates.

Overall, Vectorworks 2026’s AI features remain in an early stage but are distinctly purpose-built. They emphasize augmenting design thinking and workflow efficiency rather than replacing manual drafting.

New Depth Cueing

The new Depth Cueing features give elevations, sections, and 3D views a sense of depth. That is one way to look at it; another way is that it allows one to focus on a particular area of the building or space. One can show a rendered elevation that shows the part of the building behind the elevation faded, so the viewer focuses on the important part. At first, it seems mostly for presentations. As always, a picture is worth a thousand words/text. Even in construction drawings, pictures make the project easier to understand.

So rendered elevations, sections, and interior views don’t have to be just for client presentations; they can also be part of the construction documents. Depth cueing adds a new way of looking at the project.  It is fairly easy to use. Of course, the first step is an accurate model. Scrolling around the model in shaded view makes finding the right view easy and fast, or one can just pick a simple front or side view. A viewport is made and placed on a sheet layer. It can be rendered in color/shaded or hidden line. Then, from object info, select background rendering and depth queuing becomes an option. Here, sliders let you adjust the depth of the fully rendered area and the background fade.  The truly interesting feature is that this view is not just a bitmapped image but also includes vector lines.

Depth cueing in action on the author’s residential project showing the atmospheric and depth-producing qualities of the new features.

There are several selections to be made: textures, colors, anti-aliasing, and whether to draw edges on or off.  Selecting draw edges does just that; the lines can be thickened to emphasize the building outline as a viewport, and one can then add notes and dimensions.  While it may seem primarily a presentation feature at first, it can be used to create highly informative elevations and sections.  It also needs to be mentioned that shaded views are very light; they add very little to the file size.  Here is a tool that will be used on projects large and small, though bigger models will require longer processing times.

2D Detailing for Walls, Doors, and Windows

This makes the link between 3D and 2D drawings much tighter. One can now control how doors, windows, and walls display at different levels of detail with far more granular control. This means fewer redlines, fewer inconsistencies, and less time cleaning up.

Door and Window Assemblies Tool 

This new feature is a new way to combine doors, windows, panels, and wall infills into one parametric object. If you’ve ever struggled to model complex openings and then had to patch them together in 2D, this will make life easier.  It is not just a 2D tool; it’s a powerful 3D smart component for your more complex facades and storefronts.

Worksheet Improvements

Worksheets can now be sliced, linked, and spread across pages with better headers and formatting. For big projects with long door or window schedules, or apartment types, this makes documentation cleaner and easier to manage.  It is also worth noting that on many projects, Excel is used to generate large lists of items such as apartment types and features, schedules, and code compliance requirements.

Mixed assemblies are now easy to create, edit, and manage, including with styles. They can also include panel wall segments.

These large Excel worksheets—which can have live-links to the native Vectorworks worksheets and work bi-directionally across both Windows and Mac platforms (a feature no other BIM tools have built in)—can take up pages in length. In the past, users would use the program’s viewport features to manually split them into parts and arrange them on sheets. This is no longer necessary with the new splice feature. And when you splice a worksheet, its fixed header rows can automatically appear at the top.

File Health Checker

Think of this as a diagnostic tool for your project files. It finds hidden geometry and inefficiencies and suggests cleanup. (see image below). Large files will stay lighter and more stable. Note: this feature is only available to subscription users. Probably worth the price of a subscription by itself.  Large files with lots of junk in them can wreak havoc on your workday, causing computer crashes and corrupted files.

Cloud Processing for Revit Imports 

If you work with consultants who send big Revit models, you’ll appreciate this. Instead of tying up your computer while the file imports or exports, you can offload the work to Vectorworks Cloud Services and keep working. And here is something that is unique to Vectorworks.

Vectorworks Cloud can import or export to various past versions of the Revit file format, making it a cloud-based automated pipeline for handling a range of Revit file formats. This is huge because Revit itself is only “forward compatible,” meaning it can generally open older versions, but even then, there can be issues. However, Revit has no “Save As” function to save a file to a previous version. Welcome, Vectorworks Cloud, to the rescue. If a Vectorworks firm receives a Revit 2024 file, they can use Vectorworks Cloud to export backward to an earlier version without issue.

Massing Model Enhancements

There are a small number of meaningful 3D modeling updates that offer more flexibility in early design phases, especially for mixed-use buildings. Floor heights and usage data can now be applied right in the massing model, making feasibility studies more realistic.

Sustainability Dashboard

This is a brand-new tool that tracks embodied carbon, biodiversity net gain, greening factors, and more. It is discussed in length in this Architect feature here. Not every office will use this right away, but it’s a clear step toward meeting regulatory requirements and client expectations on environmental performance. Now, a requirement for large projects in California, for example. Preparing a true sustainability report is time-consuming because all project materials must be documented.

The new File Health Checker palette automatically scans, flags, and resolves common geometry and resource issues, helping maintain clean, high-performing models. Image courtesy of Vectorworks.

This tool will make it easier, but it is likely to be used primarily by consultants or large firms in the more immediate future.

So those are the major new features in Vectorworks Architect 2026. The Sustainability Dashboard is a rather bigger deal than just its application to sustainability and green building. The reason is that the Maryland-based BIM-CAD company created a foundational new software platform for taking any kind of data in a Vectorworks file (specifically object data or data attached to objects) and enabling a new way to visualize it. Today, it is sustainability data, but in the future, Vectorworks users will likely be able to craft their own custom dashboards around data that is exactly meaningful to them.

Vectorworks for Large Firms

One area that needs to be cleared up is the perception of Vectorworks as a “small-firm tool”. In the United States, especially, this is an outdated view. Globally, Vectorworks-based international and design-oriented practices scale successfully to the enterprise level and are a mainstream BIM platform. You can read about some of them in case studies here. One such global enterprise is Starbucks‘ internal design and development division. While not well-known, this publication has been aware of this Fortune 500 enterprise’s use of Vectorworks for years.

In several regions—particularly parts of Europe and Japan—Vectorworks holds a major share of the architectural market. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, and Japan, Vectorworks Architect is widely used as a primary BIM platform by architects. The reasons are largely cultural and technical: these markets favor flexible, design-driven workflows and open BIM interoperability (IFC and BCF standards), which Vectorworks has emphasized for more than a decade. These markets don’t suffer from the negative network effects germane to markets with a near-monopoly solution.

Closing Thoughts and Recommendations

Vectorworks Architect 2026 doesn’t reinvent the program; it refines it in ways that directly benefit its users. There has been a considerable amount of code work in the past year applied to foundational capabilities that will help roll out new abilities in the near future (such as the tech behind the new Sustainability Dashboards).

Vectorworks continues to cede no ground to competitors in the domain of “graphics abilities.” The new Depth Cueing technology is unique and ahead of the industry. Drawings look better, data is cleaner, and files are more stable—especially now, thanks to the new File Health Checker.

In terms of recommendations? For offices already invested in Vectorworks, these are meaningful improvements. Vectorworks remains a flexible, all-in-one tool that balances design freedom with robust BIM and documentation. Part of the appeal of Vectorworks is that users aren’t supposed to start a project in Rhino or SketchUp as they do in Revit-based offices. Vectorworks’s Parasolid-based geometry kernel, paired with built-in Push-Pull modeling, sketch to modeling features, and Python-based Marionette (remember, this is like Grasshopper scripting) algorithmic-aided design (AAD) features, means users have everything they need in one tool.

For many architects around the world, that’s a combination that is hard to beat.

Pros

1. Integrated 2D + 3D workflow. Strong hybrid drawing system. You can sketch, model, and document in one file without leaving the environment.
2. Design-centric modeling. Freer geometry creation than Revit or Archicad. Easier to iterate conceptually or produce presentation models.
3. Depth cueing and new 2D detailing tools make drawings look better with less effort.
4. Door & Window Assemblies simplify complex modeling.
5. File Health Checker (subscription only) and cloud processing keep large projects manageable.
6. Sustainability Dashboard helps prepare for environmental regulations.
7. Worksheets and reporting are easier to manage on big projects.
8. Built-in rendering. Cinema 4D-based Renderworks is included, so photorealistic output needs no external engine. 
9. The integration with Twinmotion and Enscape provide real-time visualization workflows.
10. Cross-disciplinary scope. One package covers architecture, landscape, lighting, and interiors. Attractive to firms that handle multiple project types.
11. Lower cost of entry. Subscription price is below Revit or Archicad, enabling firms to apply those savings to more powerful hardware. 
12. Simpler licensing and independence. Works offline, no enforced cloud tie-in.

Cons

1. Requires decent hardware, which may not be cost-effective for larger firms with many employees doing simple tasks.
2. Some advanced features, like file health checker and AI help, require a subscription, and cloud services available to all are limited without a subscription.
3. In the North American market, there are fewer consultants using open BIM workflows, and this gives Vectorworks users a bigger challenge. 
4. Speed and stability on large BIM models. In the domain of handling extreme geometry and full multidisciplinary BIM at scale, Vectorworks tends to perform slightly behind ArchiCAD (for architecture-centric large models) and behind Revit (for large team/collaboration-heavy BIM). 
5. Full-cycle BIM data management. Vectorworks has strong 3D modeling and documentation, but weaker parameter consistency and object-based data integrity.

Advice: The new Depth Cue features make this a must-have update for existing users who are heavily leveraging Vectorworks’ 3D and BIM capabilities with rendered views. And the same can be said for users leveraging Vectorworks’s worksheet tools. For folks only thinking about using Vectorworks or considering it more for a 2D architectural environment, we have said this before that no other program offers this much in features and capability for the cost. At the value level, Vectorworks leads the industry’s top tier. 

Price:  Depends on licensing type, including monthly, annual subscription, and  Service Select membership. Vectorworks Architect is USD 1,530 per year.  Click here for more info.

Volume of New Content =  4 —   The volume of new features in this Vectorworks Architect release is less than in recent annual updates, likely due to foundational technology development time, such as the tech behind the new Dashboard technologies. 

Quality of Execution =  4.5 —  As usual, most of the new features are beautifully executed, including the new worksheet splitting feature, a favorite of the company’s staff. The author notes that Vectorworks does require robust hardware for the best performance on larger models. Improvements to the Vectorworks Graphics Module (VGM) are ongoing. Architosh does not have a performance test method for Vectorworks. 

Underlying Technologies =  5 —   Vectorworks Architect 2026 supports both Windows and MacOS at advanced levels—meaning it leverages OS-specific technologies to optimize performance across graphics and underlying OS features. The BIM platform is also built on Parasolid, the world’s most advanced industrial-strength modeling kernel (engine). And its mobile tool (Nomad) is built on Unity, which is Apple’s choice behind its Apple VisionPro headset. Vectorworks has the most modern (young) code base in the entire top-tier BIM industry for BIM 1.0 era (desktop era) tools. 

Future Proofing =  4.5 —  Its underlying technologies are particularly advantageous to leveraging future Windows on ARM mobile computers, along with changes to Windows CAD and BIM solutions that are moving away from OpenGL to combinations of DirectX or Vulkan. Vectorworks’s underlying VGM gives the company flexibility to optimize OS-specific graphics APIs on both Mac and Windows.

The post Product Review: Vectorworks Architect 2026 appeared first on Architosh.

Naturally, it is also essential to frame a review of any BIM authoring platform—and by “authoring,” we mean a comprehensive design and documentation BIM platform for architecture professionals—against a set of industry issues in the architectural market. Those issues were highlighted dramatically in 2020 when the first Revit Open Letter was published. 

The mature BIM authoring systems of which Archicad was arguably the first and best innovator needed to meet the demands of continued development velocity, particularly considering foundational technicalities like multi-threading, GPU acceleration, data interoperability (IFC and more), and in general, rise to the values of modern computing including mobile+cloud. There was also the demand for advanced geometry creation for complex designs and licensing models that were fair to architecture firms. 

A view of a tower project with the new Design Options palette shown. Both facade and plan options for this sample project are visible in the new palette. (click on the image to see it bigger)

In the interim period since the Open Letter—which included a global pandemic—rendering tools integration, generative and computational design front-end optionality, capacity for remote work with individuals and teams, and now AI were added. 

Archicad Measured

Looking at all those criteria, Archicad has excelled over the years. The company introduced its bi-directional connections to Rhino-Grasshopper years before McNeel pushed out its Rhino-Inside tools for Revit, Archicad’s chief rival. It also crushed industry rivals rounding the bases by exploiting modern multi-core CPUs. It is easy to go on and demonstrate its leadership across many of the Open Letter complaint categories, as well. Suffice it to say, against this leadership—meaning its competitors were mainly in the rearview mirror—Graphisoft has been confronted with another series of challenges. 

The first was the very disruptive chip architecture change on the Mac platform. Apple introduced the M1 chip—an ARM architecture chip called Apple Silicon— on 10 November 2020. The pandemic year one had many shocks. This would be a good one, but it would come with a heavy lift that chief rival Autodesk Revit could ignore because Revit is pinned to a Windows Intel X86 tech stack and does not run on the Mac. 

Then, Autodesk purchased Spacemaker a week later after Apple introduced its M1 chip. When the company’s CEO said on Architosh for the first time in print, “That a file is a dead thing working,” it signaled the cloud and the rise of the API connection through the cloud as a new and better path forward for interop. 

Measured against this context, which was now shifting, Archicad still looks ahead in the market. Former Graphisoft CEO Huw Roberts stated in an in-person interview at Graphisoft Park that “we believe in the famous Wayne Gretzky quote—skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” 

Archicad 27 

Living by that mantra—often cited by the company’s hero, Steve Jobs—meant that only true innovation is worth pursuing.

Chasing crude steps to improve quarterly financial statements ultimately leads to huge risks in missing major moments of industry change. Both Intel and Microsoft committed that mistake and got locked out of the smartphone explosion. 

So, how is Archicad doing in version 27? What new features truly stand out and showcase its innovative legacy?  

Optioneering—Integrated Design Options 

Archicad 27’s new Integrated Design tools were first hinted at in July 2022 in Budapest when the company invited select industry press for its Graphisoft 40th anniversary event. There, the company unveiled its strategic architecture roadmap for 2022 – 2025. “Choice Consideration” was a significant theme for 2023’s release. What-if scenarios and managing variances in design are all embedded in this release. 

The Design Options tools in version 27 are an exciting take on developing options for architects and designers. Graphisoft provided us with a tower test file. The tower’s design featured multiple design options for us to review. With a dedicated Design Options tool palette, the user can change which option is visible and toggle between them.  

Design options are easy to organize into layout sheets like this one. (click on the image to see it bigger.)

There is also a Design Option Manager palette where the user can manage individual “named” design options and design option combinations. For instance, the test file showed massing options combined with curtain wall options and furniture layout options. 

These design options are also visible in the Views section of the Navigator palette. However, you use the Design Options palette to turn options on or off as you work. The palette lets you colorize and fade elements outside the design option you are working on to help you see what you are working on inside of an option. 

Design Options showing the Design Options palette with the Fade Environment button turned on. The facade is the design option element, and the remainder of the building is visually suppressed. (click on the image)

For example, in this image, the elements being worked on are the façades, and the rest of the elements are highly faded (appear white). (see image above). The two images below show how plan views look. Note that the user must double-click on an option in the Design Options palette for the option to be considered both “worked on” and rendered in original or custom colors. 

An example of a design option in plan. (click on image)

An example of a design option in plan. (click on image)

Earlier, it was noted how important generative and computational design front-end optionality is. As for computational design and Design Options integration, the company reports those capabilities are on their public roadmap with both dedicated nodes and other future capabilities. This may mean both design options working with the Grasshopper connection technologies and, perhaps, different methods internal to Archicad. 

Distance Guides

Archicad 27’s new distance guides are compelling as they greatly speed up modeling and the placement of elements. Moving elements in Archicad has never been truly difficult, but in some cases, precisely moving elements in Archicad might present as more complicated than it needed to be.

With the new Distance Guides features, users will do a lot less hitting the L key to deploy the built-in guides feature. Let’s look at an example inside the Graphisoft Park building—home of the Hungary-based Archicad team. 

An image showing the new Distance Guides. (click on image)

If I want to check that a toilet in a stall is the correct distance from a partition, I can utilize the Distance Guides feature as soon as I select the toilet. The blue guides appear with distances that can be clicked into, typed, and changed. Clicking into, typing into, and changing a distance will immediately move the element in the model. (see image above).

In another example, checking a door’s distance shows that the guides are showing the distances between the doors. If I select the arrow part of the blue distance guide, it turns orange (the line and arrow both), and I can slide the arrow to other elements, and the distances automatically appear updated. This is a distance query function of sorts, enabling me to see the distance from the door to the partition wall. (see image below).

I can manipulate the distance guides and use them as a query tool. I can click on a distance guide, and the dimension turns into an orange-yellow arrow that I can slide to other elements to get live dimension data. (click on image above).

I can see it is 50, but if I want it to be 75, I can add 25 mm and automatically move the door the distance I want it from the partition wall. 

Distance Guides present pop-up blue dimensions between selected elements and surrounding elements. They can be used to edit walls, columns, beams, windows, doors, and openings. 

When selecting an element, distance guides may initially take dimensions to build grid lines. When you zoom into an element closer, the guides move to closer elements like walls. (click on image above).

They also work with plumbing fixtures and furniture. Where the blue distance guides snap to depends on where you hover your mouse. In the tower project, I was able to select the chair. If I zoom in on it, the guides show it to the nearest walls and other nearby items. If I zoom out, they go to the building grid. 

As discussed before, I could move them by clicking on the arrow to query other distances. 

Graphic Override Groups

Graphic Overrides have always been an innovative feature inside Archicad, but their use is a bit complex. Those who use them extensively may generate very long lists of rules. 

Now, when you create a new rule, you can add that rule to a graphic override group via a pop-up. To create a new group, you do this in the Graphic Override Rules palette. At the bottom left is a new icon with a folder and a plus icon on it. Click this to create a new group. My group is named Architosh RULES, as shown in the image below. Note that I have no graphic override rules. 

Graphic Override Groups is a new feature in Archicad 27. You can drag existing rules into your group or create fresh new ones. (click on image above).

I can now add a rule to my group in a familiar way by clicking the plus icon to the right of my named group. I can also drag existing rules into my group folder. While a more minor feature, the Graphic Override Groups feature will benefit users utilizing Graphic Overrides. 

Visualization

Release 27 highlights better graphics and visuals. Physically based rendering in Archicad 3D views is a new (though experimental) feature. 

The coolest new feature for some in this update will be for Mac-based Archicad users waiting for Mac Enscape support. Now that Enscape is available for the Mac version of Archicad, it will be a must-have feature for Mac-based Archicad users who also utilize Enscape. 

Interestingly, these rendering Enscape features are only available for Subscription, Forward, and SSA users. 

Multi-Disciplinary / Open BIM

With the integration of DDScad a few years ago, what we learned at the 40th-anniversary event in Budapest in the summer of 2022 was that eventually, DDS’s technology would be integrated with the foundation BIM technology in Archicad. This has happened in version 27 with Graphisoft saying in “terms of interface, modeling, and technology,” Archicad’s MEP Modeler is essentially new! 

For existing users of the MEP Modeler, the changeover in technology and workflow may have come with some adjustments. However, they are gaining new capabilities. Routing is now simplified, and a new modern API exists for third-party developers to do integrations. The “multilane roadmap” discussed in the summer of 2022 referred to “Integrated Design” and pointed at both Open BIM and DDScad. 

Graphisoft 27’s further integrated DDScad technology has updated the MEP Modeler in the BIM application. (click on the image).

On the Integrated Design front, the SAF technologies that link structural analytical models to the structural components of the BIM model also gain new capabilities from Archicad 27. This enables the faster placement of loads and the manual adjustment of structural analytical models. When you run Model Compare with structural views, the list shows the parameters associated with the two models that were altered. 

Archicad 27 gains IFC4 certification for Architectural Reference Exchange for Import, plus RFA and RVT Geometry Exchange with Revit 2024. While we have not touched on everything in Archicad 27, these are most of the key improvement items in this release. 

BIMcloud and BIMx

As Archicad is a BIM platform, it also supports the biggest innovations in computer technology associated with the last decade: mobile and cloud. 

BIMx is now a BCF-compliant issue management tool. (Image: Graphisoft)

When it comes to the post-pandemic reality of remote work and remote teams, BIMcloud was easily the most superior technology in the BIM market when the world went into crisis mode in early 2020. BIMcloud was introduced at a Graphisoft event in Japan in 2014. Architosh witnessed its stunning Delta server technology and capabilities, which allowed teams on other continents to work together simultaneously. 

Today, users have options with BIMcloud, but the best one is the SaaS option. There is now a superior login method that ensures secure authentication. For architects working on government or similar projects with more stringent security needs, a future update will allow the BIMcloud server to run on a LAN. 

BIMx’s BCF-compliant issue management connects site and office workflows. (Image: Graphisoft)

One of the more prominent highlights for BIMx is the new accurate sun positioning to demonstrate real natural light and how it affects your designs. There is also a new dynamic skybox to improve the look of the sky, and users can easily use the sliders to change the date, time of day, and things like the shadow’s intensity. Setting “project north” is also possible and quite necessary. But BIMx is not just about visualization. There is also a new BCF-compliant issue creation using BIMx that turns the award-winning software into a collaboration technology. Finally, Graphisoft released support in BIMx a few weeks ago for the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Modern Code Indications

New in version 27 is the inability for Archicad to open much older versions. Graphisoft says this is to improve the sustainability of code in Archicad. It’s not entirely clear what is behind this mandate, but the path for users is to open up older files (pre-version 17) in Archicad 17 – 26 and save them in that format. Then, use Archicad 27 to open the file. 

Like “modern code,” Archicad 27 now supports the import and export of FBX. It also now supports system support for a dark interface option. Enable System Appearance will turn the UI dark during evening hours if this is a setting on your Mac computer. Presumably, this is a setting on Windows systems, but if not, then only Mac users gain this option. 

Like its sibling BIM application, Vectorworks, Archicad is also fully native for Apple Silicon (ARM) architecture chips and is fully on Apple Metal versus OpenGL on the Mac. New performance benchmarks for Apple’s latest M3 chip show impressive performance gains. Quick tests on our M1 Mac mini review machine showed excellent file open speeds and general navigation around the skyscraper model project.

The “demo kit stacked tower” project is 418 MB. We opened this project in just 17 seconds, but that did not include a dead start with Archicad; it was already running. It is unclear if the times listed on this page for file opening include starting up Archicad 27.

Analysis and Commentary

Like all technical reviews, we test specific features using, ideally, provided files where the new features are set up for us to explore quickly. The demo tower project was that project file, and we explored the Design Options the most in that file. Other tests were in the Graphisoft Headquarters building file. 

Going back to the criteria listed initially on where BIM needs to go and what it needs to be today, Archicad has long been an industry leader. Its BIMcloud SaaS solution works exceptionally well. The award-winning BIMx, which gains accurate sun and shadows, rounds out Graphisoft’s excellent leveraging of cloud and mobile technologies. It also recently gained markup features, and based on the public roadmap, there appears to be more to come. 

In terms of where BIM platforms need to go—and this goes to some of the Revit Open Letter demands—generative design in the front end is presently dependent on Grasshopper connectivity. Users are asking for more than that built into Archicad directly. There is also no multi-window support in Archicad. 

An example of the results of AI Visualizer in Archicad 27. (Image: Graphisoft).

Looking at the roadmap also reveals capabilities that could be already present, such as Reflected Ceiling Plans as a view type, plus Layers as a Palette, which would really aid users in learning Archicad faster, plus aid in view management. It would also provide “instant visibility” on changes in views instead of the trial-and-error method that users must use today.

Finally, back to where BIM must go, Archicad 27 now features an AI-powered visualizer as part of its Adaptive Hybrid Framework technology that promises to bring other exciting integrations via API connections. In this case, Stable Diffusion is integrated into the new AI Visualizer. 

Conclusions and Recommendations

In typical fashion, Archicad 27 features one landmark new feature, the Design Options. Overall, the latest content in version 27 does feel a tad light compared to previous versions, but that may be because the AI Visualizer didn’t come with the initial release but was meant to. When you add the AI Visualizer into the mix, the latest content in Archicad 27 feels very substantial. 

Also, at first blush, the Distance Guides feel simple. Still, despite whatever difficulty they are or were to pull off, they are a substantial new feature with legs to grow. Graphisoft aims to extend them to even 2D elements, which can aid detailing or regular drafting tasks. 

MORE: Chip Technologies, Geopolitics, and the CAD Industry

As a complete BIM ecosystem, many of Graphisoft’s new features this year in Archicad 27 pertain to the complement of AEC professionals, mainly structural and MEP engineers. The new MEP Modeler update is a significant item with a lot of backend code work by the company. 

For users on other BIM platforms, particularly its archrival, Archicad 27 continues to show its teeth. This is especially so if you are an architect or designer who prefers to tote a laptop for your workstation and are attracted to Apple’s M3-chip-based MacBook computers—the fastest on the planet. Archicad 27 and the M3 are indeed the “new power couple.” 

Version 27 is a solid annual update with two significant features that instantly deliver must-have value (Distance Guides and Design Options). The AI Visualizer adds a third major update for those doing rendering. And multiple other new features may carry equal or greater weight than those just mentioned, including, for Mac users, the new Enscape support. — END

Pros: Design Options and Distance guides add big value to end-users, while BIMx gains significant new capabilities with BCF-compliant issues management and new accurate sun shadows; full native Apple Silicon support means Archicad 27 runs on mobile workstations from Apple that run circles around Windows laptops at both power management and performance metrics. Mac Enscape support in his version is another boon for Mac-based architects. AI rendering and Vision Pro support came recently and added further value and industry leadership. 

Cons: Design Options need to support Archicad’s computational design capabilities vis-a-vis Grasshopper. Multi-window support with live in-sync updating is missing in Archicad. Not so in BIM rivals. An actual Layers palette with instant updates like in other tools is missing; the Group function does not provide “visual isolation” like some other tools either. And in the same comment aimed at its sister BIM tool, fast, easy, conceptual modeling (a la SketchUp) should be table stakes for any BIM platform. 

Advice: Archicad 27 is a very solid update with two main features that existing users will enjoy. Distance guides are actually more useful to everyday workflows than Design Options, but both shine. This is a very mature and feature-complete BIM innovator. Users of rival tools will admire numerous aspects of Archicad 27, making the Hungary-based BIM platform something to always keep on their radar. 

Cost: Depends on the licensing type, including cloud-based SaaS subscription licensing for the Solo version at USD 200 per month (annual billing rate) and Archicad Collaborate, which includes BIMcloud SaaS, plus BIMx Pro, at USD 225 per month (annual billing rate).

Volume of New Content =  4 —   AI Visualizer was not part of the initial release date, and it is a major new feature that is distinguished. But the good news is Archicad 27 users are benefitting from the feature now. 

Quality of Execution =  4.5 —  Most of the new features are beautifully executed, and the Distance Guides have some small surprising benefits. The new search features, Graphic Override Groups, and similar features fit into Archicad’s clear UI/UX logic. The speed of the large projects we used for the review was impressive, even on our M1 Mac mini software test machine. Architosh does not have a performance test method for Archicad. 

Underlying Technologies =  5 —   Archicad 27 supports both Windows and MacOS at advanced levels—meaning it leverages OS-specific technologies to optimize performance across graphics and underlying OS features. Graphisoft claims sizeable performance gains in Apple’s M3 chip and the company is the first BIM application to leverage Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Graphisoft’s BIMcloud, with its Delta Server technology, has led the industry for a decade, yet we wonder if there are ways to speed it up in the future. 

Future Proofing =  4.5 —  Its underlying technologies are particularly advantageous to leveraging future Windows on ARM mobile computers, including Microsoft Surface devices, and the company has leveraged its award-winning BIMx platform smartly across all computing paradigms, including Vision Pro. 

The post Product Review: Archicad 27 with BIMx and BIMcloud appeared first on Architosh.

The Smart Options Display technologies were a big part of our last review in version 2021, but Vectorworks has a history of persistently advancing its user interface and user experience for the betterment of its users, and this release is no exception.

New in Vectorworks Architect 2024

In this review article, we will summarize the critical feature updates, starting with those in the Fundamentals version, which is thus common to all industry vertical versions of Vectorworks 2024.

Fundamental Updates

Version 2024 is a significant release for the company, particularly in an industry where some of its BIM competitors have released smaller annual updates.

As a case in point, core new technology and features in version 2024 include a substantial user interface. However, this new UI doesn’t change the UX so much that older users will feel lost. In fact, the new horizontally located “view bar,” with a similar vibe to Microsoft’s Ribbon UI technology, aids new users coming from rival BIM platforms that feature a similar UI/UX. In the review section below, we’ll comment more on some of the new UI features.

Viewport Styles is another significant new core technology in version 2024. Vectorworks already has some of the best—if not the best—viewport technology in the industry. Why is it so great?

Viewport Styles enable multiple types of drawings from the same viewport. (click on images for a larger view)

The answer partly lies in the program’s flexibility. Vectorworks has both classes and layers, and both can control the visibility and attributes of objects, including a graphical richness with both internal and external (xref) viewports. What Viewport Styles does is enable you to save various combinations of viewport settings.

Other new core features include enhanced rendering technologies. Vectorworks 2024 has entirely left OpenGL behind and now takes advantage of each operating system’s best proprietary graphics APIs.

As such, this release adds shaded rendering shadows and camera effects, including those based on film exposure and film speed settings. Sections through buildings and objects are now rendered faster as well and use up to 75 percent less memory.

We take a deeper look at these features in detail below.

BIM Updates

The sheer amount of BIM updates in version 2024 is impressive. Major new items include brand-new 3D parametric object cabinetry tools. We spent some time testing these out and exploring their various settings.

Using what we believe is the same foundational technology, version 2024 also features completely overhauled parametric handrails and guardrails, which we also explored briefly.

Vectorworks Architect 2024 features improvements to its Wall tool, enabling, in particular, wall component returns that are highly flexible for designers and can be saved into reusable configurations. These closure settings can be named and associated with specific wall types. You can also individually apply them to openings (doors and windows) on a case-by-case basis.

The new Parametric Cabinetry tools are very thorough and flexible. (click on images for a larger view)

An interesting new BIM feature is the new graphical widget for managing door or window handedness. The “handedness” of a door, for example, refers to how the door operates and is meaningful to architects for door hardware specification. This new feature removes the need to visit modal palettes to change these settings—an example of how CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar noted that the future of Vectorworks is one that partly aims to bring more controls for the user out of palettes and under the cursor at objects.

Version 2024 also brings materials for doors and windows and added texture controls. For walls, slabs, and roofs, experienced BIM users can now set texture attributes directly in 3D versus through class settings via pallets.

next page: Testing Vectorworks Architect 2024

The post Product Review: Vectorworks Architect 2024 appeared first on Architosh.

ENSCAPE FOR MAC SKETCHUP IS THE FIRST VERSION of the popular Enscape rendering application that runs natively on Mac computers. The German software interactive rendering tool has been mentioned and written about many times at Architosh, but this is our first product review. 

In our typical style, when we write the first review of an application, we make part of the review instructive and introductory. And we share our experiences learning and getting familiar with the application ourselves as part of our review process. 

Enscape for Mac for SketchUp runs as a plugin for Mac SketchUp users. Enscape is always a plugin—not a standalone render app—and currently, there are versions of Enscape for Archicad, Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and Vectorworks. All of these, except SketchUp, are Windows-only versions at the moment. 

Enscape Basics

Installing the Enscape plugin for SketchUp for Mac is quite straightforward.  Once installed, you will find an Enscape tools palette and an Enscape menu under the Extensions menu in SketchUp. (see images 01 – 2)

UX Topics

The user experience of Enscape for SketchUp is thus: model like normal in SketchUp. To launch Enscape, click on the Start Enscape button at the top of the Enscape toolbar. This action launches the separate Enscape rendering viewport window. Next, move the window to the side of your SketchUp window so you can see both simultaneously. (Image 01)

Image 01 — Enscape for Mac SketchUp. SketchUp on the left and the Enscape window on the right. The Enscape toolbar is floating over the Enscape window. An Enscape menu is under the Extensions menu item in SketchUp. (click on images to make them larger, typical)

The next button on the Enscape toolbar (2nd one down from the top) is the Live Updates button. Click on this button to enable you to model in SketchUp and see those changes instantly in the Enscape window. (Image 02)

Image 02 — The Enscape toolbar is shown in SketchUp for Mac with Enscape renderer. The SketchUp window must be active for the Enscape menu to show. If you click on the Enscape window for any reason, the Enscape toolbar vanishes. Make SketchUp active again by clicking on it, and the Enscape toolbar re-appears. The buttons discussed start at the top and work down.

The third button down is the Synchronize function which means all window navigation and view changes in SketchUp get mirrored (reflected) in the Enscape window. (see image 04 and notice that the model is the same orientation in both windows). Note the shaded buttons. 

Skip the 4th button. The 5th button looks like a black circle with a plus sign and is for Enscape lights (more below). The 6th button looks like a tree, and this brings up the Asset Library (more on this later). The 7th button looks like a materials editor, a common symbol in rendering tools. We get into this in the next section. 

The 8th button is the Uploads Manager, and there you manage panos and web standalone renderings, and we will cover this under the Rendering section below. The final buttons in the toolbar are for app preferences or settings, feedback, and license and version info. (Image 02)

Navigation

Navigating your Enscape rendered model will take some practice, but it is mostly straightforward. The first thing to learn is that synchronization is your friend. In other words, rely on using your developed navigation skills in SketchUp to manipulate the Enscape window’s camera position. Rely on this until you fully master the Enscape navigation tools. 

If your model looks different or far away in the Enscape window or has vanished, click once on the Synchronization button (third button from the top, image 02). This snaps the model into the same camera view as SketchUp. 

Image 03 — How navigation works in Enscape’s window–synchronization off.

Image 04 — How navigation works in Enscape’s window–synchronization on.

Every time you launch Enscape, a How To Get Started window pops up, providing pointers on navigation, most importantly. Use the keyboard keys A, S, D, and W to move left (A), right (D), forward (W), and back (S). This same navigation works with the arrow keys. 

You can speed up these movements in the Settings for Enscape access via the gear icon in the main Enscape window. (See the movie below and image 05.)

Image 05 — Enscape Window Settings.

A left mouse click rotates the object model around the viewport; a right mouse click orbits the viewport camera around the object model. Getting good at using these will quickly position you anywhere in the model in the Enscape window. To change the time of day and hence the sunlight, add the Shift key with a right mouse click and drag right or left to move the time.

In this movie, we can experience Enscape walk-thru / fly-thru animation.

To do a fly-thru or walk-thru experience, you simultaneously use both the navigation keys and the left mouse button. See the movie inline above for an example of the fluidity of navigation possible. 

Enscape Window Icons

From the top left, the icons are Home Mode, Collaborative Annotation, BIM Mode, View Management, Video Editor, Screen Shot, Mono Panorama, and Web Standalone. (image 06 below)

Image 06 — The Enscape upper toolbar in the Enscape window.

Working from the opposite direction on the right, Help Pane, Enscape Window Settings, Visual Settings, VR, Navigation Mode, Project Mode, Safe Frame, and Minimap round out the Enscape window top buttons.  

Image 07 — Enscape’s minimap is shown in the upper left corner of the right Enscape window.

We will touch on a few key tools for now. If you create SketchUp Scenes, these automatically sync with Enscape and appear under the View Management icon (left side). You can toggle between SketchUp scenes. This is a handy feature. 

Every Enscape window has its own settings; you access them from the gear icon (right side buttons). These control the mouse speed, smoothing, and movement speed. They also determine the default camera height reference. 

I will touch on other controls below. This covers the basics, and the SketchUp user is likely anxious to understand how to address materials, lighting, and explore rendering options. 

next page: Lighting, Materials and Objects in Enscape for Mac

The post Product Review: Enscape for Mac SketchUp appeared first on Architosh.

This review will be looking specifically at Vectorworks Architect 2021 and its new and improved capabilities as an architectural CAD/BIM solution. We are particularly interested in evaluating any performance speedups due to the company’s work with Siemens Parasolid and the utilization of multi-threading. Another significant new feature that is important is interoperability with Excel, and the BIM tool now has actual “materials” versus just textures applied to objects. Adding to this, the new Structural Grid feature help maintain structural grids in all types of views.

Fundamental Improvements First

More than just a metaphor in the subheading above, “fundamental” improvements pertain to those new features core to all Vectorworks versions of the software and available in the most basic package offered in Vectorworks Fundamentals. Vectorworks Fundamentals is where some of the most interesting new features will likely excite existing users.

Chief among them is the new Smart Options Display technology. This change brings a “heads-up display” technology to the cursor area, where tool palette options are immediately available. The goal here is to reduce “mouse cursor travel” from the drawing area to the tool palettes rimming the application’s edge. These new features are controlled via a new Vectorworks preferences dialog palette. You can control whether these features are “on” or “off,” presumably so existing users can decide for themselves whether they want this kind of UI/UX adjustment to their workflow. (see image 01 below).

Image 01 – The new Smart Options Display transforms the user-experience at the user-interface level, bringing your tools to where your cursor is. Users can selectively turn these features on or off. Also, the left quadrant choice is set to “off” by default.

The first thing one must do to operationalize these powerful new UI/UX features is to change the timer setting to just 1 second or something close to that. The default setting was 10 seconds, far too long for a speedy workflow, but something longer might be desired if you prefer to trigger the feature with a center mouse button (an option). The end-user can select which types of tools to show in each of the four quadrants of the Smart Options Display feature. By default, Vectorworks doesn’t determine the upper left quadrant but chooses Tool Modes for the upper right, Standard Views for the lower right, and Previous Tools for the lower left. (see images 01 – 02)

Image 02 – Smart Options Display settings include a setting for when to show when the mouse is idle. The lowest setting is 1 second, which isn’t as low as I think some users would prefer it, especially those using Mac mice. Notice also in the view above the drop-down setting for selecting a Tool Set or General Tool options.

We think users will enjoy customizing this new feature and experimenting with it. One thing we noted right off the bat is that predominantly 2D workflow users will want to customize these tools differently than those working mostly in a 3D manner like a typical BIM user. That’s because the default lower right palette choice of Standard Views makes sense to have in the grouping, but it makes much less sense for those doing mostly 2D-based work. We also noticed the timer setting doesn’t allow less than one second. Those using Apple mice, which lacks a dedicated center mouse button, might benefit from a faster pause time. I found myself waiting twice as long as I wanted to at one second. You can also bring up the display options by hitting the space key on the keyboard.

Image 03 – A view of the new Smart Options Display settings in action. They appear as four faint icons. In this image, I selected the third quadrant (lower left), and a menu of tools appear.

Finally, it bears noting that users can also add a custom tools palette to this new feature if they have already created a custom tools palette. In fact, if they want to use nothing but custom palettes for this feature, they can make-up combinations of tools that get around the limitations of the presets mentioned above. So, as usual with Vectorworks, there is lots of flexibility in customizing this new feature. For example, I explored the use of 2D Shapes on the upper left quadrant, Tool Modes at the upper right, the Edit tools lower right, and a custom combination of 3D tools on the lower left. (see image below).

Image 04 – If users create custom tool palettes, they can add those as well to the Smart Display Options. As an example, you can mix predominantly 2D and standards tool combinations with a dedicated and custom set of 3D tools.

Another UI/UX feature in version 2021 is Quick Search. This has some bearing on the new features just explored. Vectorworks, like most mature design solutions, has a vast array of different tools. How does one find them all? Well, in version 2021, you now have a new search tool specifically devoted to finding tools. There is a keyboard shortcut (the F key) and an icon in the workspace’s upper right or through the Tools menu. (see image below).

Image 05 – The new Quick Search features enable a rapid way to find tools and menu items. The F-key acts as a keyboard shortcut to trigger Quick Search. Begin typing what you are looking for, and instantly results begin showing up.

Once the new Quick Search appears, you start typing what you are trying to find, and all matching items appear. Results can be tools or menu items, and you can toggle either or both. Clicking on a choice brings up the tool or even executes the command. This is an excellent feature for those new to the software and can also be used by experienced power users when using the keyboard shortcut to bypass mouse travel to menu items.

New multi-core processor benefits occur via an optimization to the Vectorworks Graphics Module (VGM) graphics pipeline technologies. A new preference (located under Document Preferences) enables this setting. While it will add to the file’s total size, it will speed file loading up to 5x on all actions involving visibilities, 3D Flyover tool use, and changing views. We were quite impressed with the new interaction speeds in our interactive tests using a 269 MB BIM project file.

Image 06 – Notice the Data palette is pulled out from its normal position inside the Object Info palette. Now data and spatial information can be seen at the same time, thanks to the new palette tab flexibilities.

Before we dive into the important new Excel features, we should quickly mention the new detachable palettes as a UI/UX item. The latest updates allow you to reorder the tabs within tool palettes, recombine tabs into other palettes of the same palette families, and create different docking situations, such as pulling the data tab out of the Object Info palette and parking it someplace else. Hence, the data is always visible along with the Shape tab in the same palette. Power users will significantly appreciate this flexibility. (see image 06 above)

The updates to Duplicate Array and Move by Points will be very well-received. A new live preview is provided, which is helpful for duplicate arrays, and users are no longer restrained to Top-Plan view mode to implement either Duplicate Array or Move by Points. (see movie above).

next page: New Excel Feature and BIM Improvements

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The last time Architosh reviewed AutoCAD for Mac was for the 2013 version. So it has been quite some time. Reviews are only a minority segment of our features here at Architosh, so we do them very selectively and we always spend actual time installing and testing the software. That is more of a rarity in the software media industry than folks realize. Let’s jump to it then.

Discussing AutoCAD at Autodesk

Folkers gave me a PowerPoint presentation of where AutoCAD has been from the very beginning. Seeing this and how it led up to the first Mac version essentially a decade ago was interesting, especially after recent comments Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost made about AutoCAD in another article. Folkers made the point that in the past decade alone, Autodesk has sped up by 10x in graphics performance. In other words, while the recent Revit Open Letter movement caused an uproar over the lack of performance gains and utilization of modern multicore processors with Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD itself is making fantastic strides. But the bigger story here is about how modern AutoCAD is now.

An overall view of AutoCAD for Mac 2021 user interface.

Indeed, even the user interface—and I am specifically discussing the macOS version in this case—looks and feels remarkably current and up-to-date with UI/UX state-of-the-art. The Mac version even has Gesture support, leveraging Apple’s macOS technology to add features that users have asked for. Folkers says that the issue of platform parity between the Windows version and the macOS version is “always back of mind” when thinking of features, what really drives all new features is what the end-users are asking for. In this case, what Mac users ask for they get; what Windows users ask for they get; what users ask for about the Web version, and the mobile versions, they get. I’m not saying everyone gets all their wishes met; Folkers emphasized that the AutoCAD development team’s agenda is to simply deliver the features users are most asking for.

AutoCAD Core Engine

Folkers says that once Autodesk had rewritten AutoCAD around the new AutoCAD Core Engine (ACE) which is “platform agnostic” it has been dramatically faster for Autodesk to take new features to all the various platforms. This year, the Mac version came out nearly simultaneously with the Windows version. The diffusion of AutoCAD technology is accelerating due to advancements in their underlying development technologies for targeting a rich constellation of operating systems across device types.

Autodesk’s AutoCAD Core Engine (ACE) technology has greatly modernized application development for this product line.

“We worked with the Chrome team at Google and using new technologies like WebAssembly we were able to port the AutoCAD Core Engine that powers our desktop products and make it available for our downstream web app and mobile apps,” said Folkers, who says that this particular approach to the ongoing development of AutoCAD has cut its development time by a lot. “It allows us to develop a new feature and with the flip of a switch target or not target a specific platform,” he continues. “There are some features that don’t make sense for mobile or Web and then there are others that do.”

Hidden Benefits of Subscription

Michael Folkers wanted to spend some time emphasizing some of the hidden or rarely acknowledged benefits of subscription licenses from Autodesk. For example, subscription gains business users’ admin tools that are useful for managing multiple licenses and usage. “It’s key to emphasize usage management because it helps organizations place their investment properly,” he said. A subscription also comes with comprehensive technical support, access to older versions for jobs that are ongoing for years, for internal testing at customer sites, plus other cloud features.

One such cloud feature is Design Automation. This enables CAD workflow automation where AutoCAD is running headless in the cloud and producing work. Customers also gain high-end visualization through the cloud using ray-tracing technology known as Autodesk Ray Tracer (ART), a path-tracer optimized for CPUs. This isn’t something we tested in our review specifically, but ART now features physically-based materials and better lighting from sunlight to artificial light. ART cloud rendering is supported for not just AutoCAD but also Revit, Fusion, Navisworks, and 3ds Max.

AutoCAD 2021 — General News

While the release of AutoCAD 2021 for Windows and Mac are now timed together and new feature parity is often very close, the Windows versions do tend to get a few more new features that the Mac version gets later. The features that are new first on Mac and then cross-over to Windows—if they were ever to cross over—tend to be Apple-specific technology or UI-based. For example, the dark sexy interface in AutoCAD first started on the Mac. The new Gesture support in 2021 is Apple-specific tech.

Massive files like this one are greatly sped up on the Windows version of AutoCAD 2021 due to new code optimization routines targeted at 2D primitives.

A big new feature this year on Windows but not on the Mac is Drawing History. This feature utilizes APIs from Box, Dropbox, and OneDrive that surfaces the change history. This is a powerful new feature when one sees how this technology puts it into action. Related to cloud integration, this year Autodesk also supports Google Drive. The new Purge features and Xref Compare, which we go over in detail below, now have parity between the Windows and Mac versions. However, the floating Command-Line is unique to the Mac version.

For the Windows version of AutoCAD 2021, there are some dramatic performance gains. Using new code optimizations around primitives, the CAD giant has made big strides in version 2021. On both platforms, the new Quick Measure features gained Areas in this version.

Let’s now dive into the new Mac version’s big new updates. Again, I spent about 25 hours inside AutoCAD playing around directly with these features on new files I created from scratch.

next page: Mac Version Review

The post Product Review: Autodesk AutoCAD for Mac 2021 appeared first on Architosh.

So here we go with some of my favorites not necessarily in any order, but first:

What is Vectorworks?

Vectorworks is a product line of distinct industry and general CAD products. One of them, Vectorworks Architect, is a BIM tool for the architects and designers, while Vectorworks Landmark is a CAD and BIM tool for landscape architects. Vectorworks Spotlight is a leading and growing CAD tool for stage set and lighting designers in the entertainment industry, and Vectorworks Fundamentals is a general CAD tool for anyone. There is another premium product called Vectorworks Designer which bundles all these industry tools into one package and Vision and Braceworks are supplemental software tools for Spotlight customers, largely.

Vectorworks Architect 2019 is a stand-alone program that supports most, if not all, of an architect’s needs. It will take the architect from design concept through client presentations to final construction documents without having the need for any other programs. It is designed to be intuitive and follows the concept of what you see is what you get. It is designed to be a program that the architect himself can use without having to go back to school or hire specialized BIM designers and drafters.

What makes Vectorworks unique?

What I like about Vectorworks is that while it has an extensive array of BIM-dedicated tools for creating detailed Building Information Models (BIM) it does not limit the designer. That is, an architect can use a combination of the basic 3D modeling tools—and they are very capable—or the basic tools like walls, doors and windows and the designer can go off in any direction.

01 – An elaborate ceiling design in 3D using the flexible modeling and object tools in Vectorworks Architect. (image: John Helm / Architosh. All rights reserved)

Look at the ceiling above that I did some time ago for an interior designer. It uses many of the tools that come standard with Vectorworks without having restrictions imposed by dedicated software. This is one of the most uncommon aspects of Vectorworks Architect as a BIM tool—its unique flexibility.

3D Site Model Sculpting

I’ve never been that good at creating site models, even though Vectorworks has some great tools that make it fairly easy. So, I have often wished I could just sort of sculpt the site model rather than have to work with all those messy contour lines. Now they have made that possible.  You can create a model from contour lines or just start with a flat model. Then push and pull the model up and down as you please to shape the site that fits your design.

02 – Push and pull modeling has come to site modeling in Vectorworks 2019.

This ought to make landscape architects go nuts with pleasure and architects can easily create that mound that hides the ugly parking area. Vectorworks already has Push and Pull modeling, as every leading tool should, but now the company has brought that simplicity and engaging modeling play to landforms.

Symbols in Elevation and Sections

In Vectorworks, you can easily create an elevation or section of your model. But in the past, interior elevations were a bit messy as the sinks, toilets, cabinets, etc. would show up in full detail as would “sections” through doors and windows. That made for a cluttered drawing that was not all that legible. The way around the problem was to “explode” the section and then erase the unwanted detail. But, of course, this eliminated the automatic updating when changes were made to the model.

03 – New powerful view options for Symbols in Vectorworks 2019 will help architects immensely in sectional views in particular.

Now by selecting the amount of detail you want on each symbol, the drawing is clear, uncluttered, and best of all updates along with drawing changes. A big drawback to this is that most symbols will have to be edited in order for the various views to be simplified.

Sections and Elevations

Vectorworks uses section lines to create both sections and elevations. So, an elevation is created by making a section through the model without cutting the building as one would do making an actual section. Several improvements have been made which allow one to show or not show various features either in front of or behind the cut plane. This is controlled mostly by turning on or off various classes.

04 – Vectorworks Architects offers full control over elevations through controlling what you see both in front and behind a cut line, controlled by classes and various settings.

You could, for example, show cars parked in front of the elevation but not anything else, or show the landscaping behind the building leaving out other objects. You can also control line weight, color, line type and fill.

next page: Vectorworks Graphics Module, QR Codes, BIM and more…

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What is Vectorworks

Vectorworks is the BIM design tool for all designers, architects, landscape architects, stage lighting designers, or anyone who designs almost anything. It is a stand-alone program that supports all of an architect’s needs. It will take the architect from design concept through client presentations to final construction documents without needing any other programs. Historically, it has been unique in that respect, particularly concerning being an in-depth presentation/drawing package that also happens to be a deep advanced 3D modeler. It is designed to be intuitive and follows the concept of what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG). It is intended to be a program that the architect himself can use without having to go back to school or hire specialized BIM designers and drafters.

3D Modeling

How creative do you want to be? As I said above Vectorworks can take you from the concept to completion. There is no need to model schematically say, using SketchUp because you can do it right in Vectorworks. This video will give you an idea of the possibilities and also show you how the new multiple drawing views feature works:

V1 – In this video, you can see the new modeling features in Vectorworks Architect 2018. 

It is also an excellent tool for just doing block layouts that later turn into buildings or creating a simple design for a curved railing, as in the example below. Or for more sophisticated designs you can get into subdivision modeling which will allow you to create shapes without limits.

01 – Designing your own railings in Vectorworks Architect 2018 with complex modeling shapes.

Multiple Drawing Views

This is the one feature that many people have been asking about for a long time. You can have almost as many views of your project going on at the same time as your eyes and computer can stand. You just click an icon then split up the screen as you choose. Now you can watch your 3D model change as you modify the floor plan. There is no more need to switch back and forth between saved views while updating and making changes. Is your time worth anything? Really, how much time have you lost just sitting there while your computer loads up the model after you made some changes in window sizes and you want to see how it looks? I’m guessing lots.

02 – Vectorworks 2018’s new Multi-Views transforms working with models in this BIM application.

Live Editing of Elevations and Sections

Elevations and sections are fundamental to the work of an architect, and now they can be edited live. This is a great new feature. I understand that it required a considerable amount of work to implement it, and the time spent has made a significant tool much better. It is now possible to edit an elevation while actually looking at the elevation. So if you want to say line up some windows vertically, you can do it live while looking at the elevation, and the floor plan and every other instance of the windows are updated. That is much better than having to go back and forth between the floor plans and the elevation. It is another one of those features that not only save time but makes the work more pleasant. And of course, it helps pay for the upgrade in money/time saved. The only downside here is that refreshing the original viewport can take a bit of time depending on the capability of your computer and the size of your project.

Resource Manager

This is one of those things that makes Vectorworks shine. Why? Well because when working in the digital environment, it’s the things that are already drawn that makes the work go faster. The problem in the past has been keeping track of them and finding when you need them. The Resource Manager was here last year, this year it has been improved. What it does is allow easy access to thousands of pre-drawn items. They could be chairs, appliances, wall types or really anything. You can make up your own or import others. But the best part is the search feature. Search for what you need and bam they pop up. Then just click on the one you want, and you are done.

03 – The redesigned Resource Manager gets even improved in the latest release.

Title Blocks

This year they have improved the title block feature making it more inclusive and automated. But even more important is the concept. What I mean is that going back years as mentioned above, Vectorworks has been the what you see is what you get BIM program. In Vectorworks, you quickly set up your sheets the way you want them, and that is how they will print out. In the end—and for the present—no matter how much we talk about BIM, virtual building, CDE, AR/VR, animation flybys, etc. we still send printed copies of our drawings to the job site. And each one of those drawings typically has a border and a title block that gives dates, names, who is responsible and addresses. So, making that easy to do is to be expected.

05 – New automation features improve title blocks in version 2018.

next page:  Import Revit, Renderworks, OpenGL and more….

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The truth is, it’s just plain hard to measure a building by yourself…there are real limitations. And problems with accuracy.

Within this context, I was deeply intrigued when I first learned about the folks at OrthoGraph, in Hungary, and have been wishing to thoroughly review their self-named iOS app.

Welcome OrthoGraph I with the Leica Disto D2

OrthoGraph I by itself would still require a handheld tape measure but it would forego the need for a pad of paper and a pen. Working this way wouldn’t solve several issues in “analog mode” building measuring but it would lessen the overall workload by enabling a process that helps you go straight to CAD and BIM from the completed survey work. Working this way you simply launch the OrthoGraph I mobile app on your iPad or Android tablet or, if you are so inclined, your smartphone.

01 – OrthoGraph I’s main menu screen looks like this. Here you control app settings, do exports of your work, acces projects/rooms, and connect to LDMs.

The ideal setup for OrthoGraph I is a tablet working with a laser distance meter (LDM) and while the software works with nearly 10 different devices the most affordable device is the Leica Disto D2, which this author purchased for the purposes of this review. Working with the D2 via the application is quite charming and effective but there can be some learning lessons to get everything working properly and I’ll cover those a bit later in the review.

Installing and Setting Up OrthoGraph I

Installing OrthoGraph I is a rather straightforward process once you access the mobile application from, in my case, the Apple App Store. Acquiring the license enables OrthoGraph I to communicate with the cloud-based services associated with this application. With the license installed the “Main menu” screen shows your account, days left in your license activation, a “Buy More / Use Code” and a upload connection button which enables the sign-in process to the OrthoGraph Cloud system. This is where you would go to log back into the system. (see image 01 above)

02 – The export options settings for DXF look like this.

03 – And exporting PDF reports looks like this.

Back to the Main menu screen, one can see options for exporting your work and the app settings. Below this is listings of your actual measuring projects. And below that will be the area where your can set up OrthoGraph I to be Bluetooth connected to a LDM. (image 01)

Clicking on the “Export” setting will lead you to a screen that looks like the image above (image 02) and includes setting options for various file formats OrthoGraph I exports out to. For image files, for example, you can choose from small to medium to extra large setting options for export output. Choosing “DXF” gives you options for exporting with a single layer or separate layer mode. “IFC” export contains no settings. “Excel” file export also does not contain options. The PDF setting (see image 03) is for exporting an OrthoGraph I report and contains the project name, date, address, and survey data and basically sets up for a report export.

04 – Setting up “units” within OrthoGraph I.

The “Settings” button takes you to a new screen that allows the user to select a language for the program. Choices include English, Hungarian, German, French, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish. The next setting option is important for most users and it is the “Used units” selection. A scroll selector offers various units and options within those units. Feet and inches down to 1/4 of an inch (1/4”) was selected for my review work. (see image 04)

Measuring Your First Room

Now that my D2 is correctly synced and connected with the app, I start by drawing my first room. I will add that it took me some time to get really good at drawing rooms with some complexity in them. One should put the focus not on the attempted accuracy in length of each side of a room but rather on the core shape, each turn or step in a room and closing the room by getting the last point in a smart position so it “closes” the room.

05 – The main screen and main Toolbar looks like this. OrthoGraph I smartly has a fan wheel type pop-up tool bar in the far right corner. It’s rather brilliant.

Yes, a common mistake first-time users make is not closing rooms when attempting complex shaped rooms. This happened often when I first started working with the app a few months ago but over time (and perhaps with even some app updates) the closing complex rooms process improved dramatically. I am sure it was probably just me learning the art of this part of the program.

So what happens when a room doesn’t close? Well…you end up with a gap, two vertices (control points) are present rather very close to each other but they are supposed to be the same point. (see image 07) When this happens, I just start over. A successful, closed room looks like the image above. (see image 06)

06 – A successfully closed room looks like this, corner points (vertices) highlighted in “yellow” circle icons for multi-touch engagement.

07 – Sometimes and sadly this happens. You fail to close a complicated shape.

It’s important to note that the room must be “highlighted” before you attempt to measure it. This being the case when you have drawn several rooms in a row. By highlighted I mean yellow vertices controls appear on the corner points.

Drawing a room starts by accessing the Toolbar “fan wheel” (image 05) that displays three levels of tools. These tools are displayed first by if they are 2D tools or 3D tools. The pencil icon is the core tool for the creation of rooms. Once selected, a “help-tip” slider window appears on the lower left side of the screen and then quietly disappears. In the case of the pencil tool it says “Draw the approximate shape of the room you are surveying.”

The actual process of doing this is simply to sketch with your finger the basic shape of the room. If you are using a stylus like the Apple Pencil, just use that. In OrthoGraph I, your freehand lines will magically harden to straight CAD-like lines with a wall-thickness. They will also display yellow concentric circle icons denoting control points (vertices) delimiting the start and end points of objects (eg: walls, doors, etc). (see images 07 and 09) I will touch on these circle icons in a moment.

08 – Measuring is a process whereby you trace with your finger the length of a wall by engaging its two control points. This invokes the numeric keypad for entering the actual dimension you have measured in the field.

The next step in measuring your room after you have sketched it out in OrthoGraph I is to input measurements. If you use a tape measure the procedure is as follows: Select the icon with a measuring ruler and two arrow-headed line above it (always on the center lower section of the screen). Next, touch a yellow circle (vertice) and keeping your finger down push it to the opposite end of the wall and into the terminating yellow circle icon (vertice). When you complete that step new icons will appear around each control point. They will be animated and in the program’s default blue color. (see image 08) The “anchor” icon means that point is fixed within the overall points making up the room. The “non-anchor” point will adjust once you input a value but it is not fixed and may move its position based on further survey data.

09 – Diagonal measurement is very useful for confirming accuracy in the measuring process.

10 – A confirmation “check” appears in a circle at a control point meaning it is confirmed.

The numerical keypad is presented below the wall—awaiting the user’s input. Type in the correct measurement value and hit the “check” button (in yellow). (see image 08) That confirms the value. The plan will automatically adjust and other points and walls may adjust with it maintaining their 90-degree corners. It is possible to measure across a room from corner to corner, which helps confirm angles. (see image 09) Arrows in yellow indicate the direction taken from the anchor point to the second point. When two dimensions to the same point are input into OrthoGraph a check box appears in a circle, confirming its position. (see image 10)

next page: Attaching Rooms and Doors

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As a practicing architect and longtime reviewer of Vectorworks software, this year I’ve had the chance to both use and test the latest version for several months now. Here’s my review.

Virtual Reality

I will start with virtual reality (VR), because my interest in that got the attention of the people at Vectorworks, and so they let me in on the feature as it was being developed.  We have come a long way since the days of pencil sketches and watercolor renderings. As a side note, I would say that the pencil sketch is still often the easiest and fastest way to convey an idea or develop a concept.  (Note to young architects and students, don’t throw away your pencils and think you can do it all with a computer.)

01 – The new web view and VR features in Vectorworks 2017 add great value to AEC professionals and all designers working with environments. In this view (web view mode) a client can fully explore a model environment.

However, with the use of computers we have been able for some time now to design in 3D and make detailed virtual models of our designs.  The question is how do we best show these models to clients and others who have an interest in the project? VR is taking off now, and one can travel the world and immerse oneself virtually in all sorts of environments.  In keeping with the movement, Vectorworks has now included in all their products (2017 versions) a feature they call web view and VR (virtual reality).

MORE: Samsung Gear and HTC Vive Lead VR Survey But Magic Leap?

So what does this thing do—how does it work?  Simplicity is the keyword.  You the designer can take your 3D model, your BIM, of your latest project to the level of detail you want.  Then while online click on the new export feature that sends the model to the Vectorworks Cloud.  Or you can save it locally.

02 – The same URL link that is sent to a web view participant can also be opened on a smartphone. Drop it into Google Cardboard and VR (virtual reality) mode is enabled.

03 – Here is web view on a tablet device, the kind that are very popular on the construction site. It works the same as desktop mode but with added responsiveness utilizing the device’s hardware.

After a bit of a wait, your model will pop up in your internet viewer.  Now you can explore the model in 3D.  You can send the link to a client, and by clicking on the link they can also view the model in 3D.  But here comes the fun part.  Copy the link and open it on a smartphone then click on the Virtual Reality icon. Now the image of the model will change to a stereoscopic view.  Put the phone in your Google goggles, and you are in.  That is, inside the model.  You can walk and look around all you want; you can go up and down stairs.  Of course, there are a few limitations.  It’s not going to be high definition, and there are some limits on the size of the model.  There’s a bit of a learning curve to export the model and get oriented and in the right location when you start viewing.  But really the sense of actually being in the space and being able to walk around is incredible.  I should also mention that this seems to be somewhat of a WIP (work in progress), so there are a few issues that need to be resolved in upcoming revisions.

Renderworks

Renderworks is the rendering add-on that has been an extra feature sold at extra cost until now.  This year they have made it part of the program across the entire set of Vectorworks Design Series product line.  On some level, I am surprised the company did not do this a long time ago; adding Renderworks now brings photorealistic rendering into the core offering just in time as rival 3D CAD and BIM packages are all doing that in their latest releases or already have.

04 – All versions of Vectorworks 2017 now ship with Renderworks included. This means the Cinema 4D engine is behind every version.

05 – A sample rendering by the author of a real project in Vectorworks Architect 2017.

Vectorworks can be used as a 2D only program, but that misses the point; readers at Architosh following executive interviews on this company may recall discussions about why many Vectorworks users have held up in transitioning to 3D BIM workflows. Ideally, when you design in Vectorworks you should be working in 3D.

The model of your design does not come without effort but the tools in the program make it pretty painless. The thing is that once you have the model, not being able to render it—well, it leaves a lot out. Now all users are able to render with Renderworks.

File Sharing

If you don’t know what it is—well, simply put—it is a way for more than one team member to work on the same file at the same time.  The lack of file sharing was mentioned in the past as one of the hang-ups with Vectorworks moving into bigger projects and larger practices. Their way of doing it is intuitive and does not require much of a learning curve.

Team members will just check out a layer to work on and when finished update their work to a master file. Last year I mentioned that objects could not be checked out, well now they can be, along with layers; so much for that complaint. But the really big news with file sharing is that now it can be done in the cloud, using any one of the popular apps like Dropbox for example. There is no need to set up an office VPN; just share the master file in the cloud and work from home while your fellow workers toil away in the office. You can make last minute changes in the coffee shop before your client meeting or expand your office staff in minutes by using off-site staff or joint venturing with other architects that might be in another city or even another country.

next page: BIM, BIMobject and much more

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Taking Design Beyond the Computer Screen

Here is a quote from one of the programmers:  “We are making Virtual Reality available to everyone…we are taking design out from behind the flat computer screen and placing it all around the viewer making the design a very real physical experience. The shape and forms surround the viewer and this is available at any time—for anyone.”

In keeping with their ever expanding list of tools for architects, engineers, set and lighting designers, landscaped architects, and designers of just about anything physical, Vectorworks will add this new feature that enables the viewer of a design to immerse herself in the design. And the ability to do this does not come with the usual heavy price tag.  There is no need to buy anything other than the Google Cardboard type headset which can be had for as little as $15 dollars. One would also need a pretty good smartphone. But most of us already have one.

How It All Works

So what does this thing do…how does it work? Simplicity is the key word. You, the designer, can take your 3D model, your BIM, of your latest project to the level of detail you want.  Next, while being online, click on a new export feature that sends the model to the Vectorworks Cloud. After a bit of a wait your model will pop up in your Internet viewer. Now you can explore the model in 3D. You can send the link to a client and by clicking on it the client can also view the model in 3D.  But here comes the fun part.  Copy the link to and open it on a smart phone then click on the Virtual Reality icon. Now the image of the model will change to a stereoscopic view.  Put the phone in your Google Cardboard headset and you are in.  That is…inside the model. (see image 01)

01 – The upcoming Vectorworks 2017 will feature new virtual reality features, including the ability to tap into the Google VR google trend.

You can walk around and look around all you want.  You can go up and down stairs.  Of course there are a few limitations. It’s not going to be high definition—at least not as high as the quality coming out of the dedicated VR hardware like Oculus Rift—and I suppose there will be some limits on the size of the model. There’s a little bit of a learning curve in order to export the model and get oriented and in the right location when you start viewing.  But really the sense of actually being in the space and being able to walk around in it is amazing.

Imagine the set designer can put herself in the audience and actually see what the spectators will see. The landscape designer can walk through the garden. The interior designer can put his client in the living room with all the new furniture in place and if the client hates it, he can save making a big mistake. The architect can walk through her design and get a real feel for it before letting the client do the same while giving herself a chance to make changes. Or let the client and his partner view the model using two different headsets and both can be exploring the new design at the same time. (see images 02 – 03) 

In my review of Vectorworks 2016 I mentioned the possibilities of virtual reality—“The next step is the use of visualization goggles to let the viewer immerse himself in our architecture before it’s built.” Well, I didn’t think it would be happening so soon.  Vectorworks just introduced this feature at their Design Summit this spring and in a recent press release. This is the tool that will change how we work.

02 – This is a view of the UI in the Web View/Virtual Reality technology in the upcoming Vectorworks 2017.

Never before in Vectorworks have users been able to actually put their clients right in the middle of a design, then let them look around in all directions. They can walk from room to room, even up and down stairs as if they were actually in the completed structure. The people at Vectorworks are not telling you to spend $3,000 on some dedicated VR hardware and upgrade to your computer. Oh, yes, the dedicated VR hardware is GPU intensive, and most folks would indeed need to update their GPU cards at the very least. So this is an advantage the Vectorworks folks can tout.

MORE: Vectorworks Design Summit 2016—What Was Cool This Year

OK, so back to reality. The system I have been trying out still needs a bit of work. But the folks at Vectorworks are like a bunch of mad scientists working on this thing day and night. I’m sure that by the time they come out with the official release version the kinks and wrinkles in the new technology will have been ironed out.

I should also mention that this new feature is not just for Virtual Reality. By putting it in the cloud a link to the model can be sent anywhere and opened with a typical web viewer (Internet browser) and then viewed in normal 3D. One can then orbit around it or walk through on the computer screen. That’s a nice feature by itself.

In Conclusion

Virtual Reality viewing of designs from buildings to gardens is the next big thing.  Computer gaming has made many, if not most of us, familiar with an immersive experience in which we feel as if we are in a place or a world that does not really exist.  Even though games are for the most part just a pastime they have really paved the way for much more important uses of the technology that has developed around them. That technology is rapidly changing the way we view things, from medicine to engineering and to all the fields of design.

Vectorworks is taking a big step in making Virtual Reality available to anyone who has their program. They are making it easy to export a 3D model that, once exported, is very user friendly. Any client can just put on his Google Cardboard headset and go “virtual.”

It may be the one thing that brings many of those reluctant to join the BIM movement into the community of designers already working fully in 3D today.

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The complete review will walk the reader through some history, product introduction, basic orientation and learning, new features in version 2016, and finally comparative information as it relates to Autodesk’s AutoCAD itself.

Astute readers will note that Architosh has a longstanding tradition of deliberately not discussing much if anything about competitor products inside of product reviews. We have done this deliberately to focus reader attention on what a product’s features do, are capable of, and not to enter the nebulous area of making superior/inferior distinctions between rival products. There is enough banter on the internet coming out of product-centric blogs, product fan sites, et cetera, and we need not go there.

Clone Wars

However, the decision has been made to treat products like ARES Commander as members of a unique “group,” along with AutoCAD itself, and thus do make key distinctions and comparisons inside of reviews of these products. At the very least, it is helpful to relate these products to each other because they are remarkably similar. This means too, that in future AutoCAD on Mac reviews we will make comparisons to the DWG competitors or what some others have called clones of AutoCAD.¹ Thus, the reader will find comparative commentary on ARES 2016 at the end of this review.

Some Brief History

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Graebert’s CEO and founder, Wilfried Graebert, when I was at the Graebert Annual Meeting event back in October, (see, Architosh, “Graebert Annual Meeting—ARES Breaks Down Walls in CAD,” 19 Oct 2015.) He gave me a brief run-down on the company’s history. Graebert has been in the business of selling and supporting CAD for over 30 years and was a valuable Autodesk reseller in Germany, helping to spread AutoCAD throughout German industry.

01 – Graebert ARES Commander 2016 shown here on Mac OS X. The user-interface is fully OS X native and there are ways to customize it. Note the Command Line palette below.

In the early 1990’s Graebert developed its own CAD software, called FelixCAD (later rebranded PowerCAD, not to be confused with the Mac-only PowerCADD). FelixCAD was not DWG based, nor was it aimed at being like AutoCAD. In 2010 the company spawned the ARES era with a brand new CAD engine behind it.²  And yes, it is DWG native. In fact, ARES Commander was the first CAD tool utilizing the DWG libraries from the Open Design Alliance (ODA) that used the format (.dwg) as its native file format, without any conversion layer. For those interested in Graebert more densely, we have a feature on the Annual Meeting event from Berlin.

Introduction to ARES Commander

“ARES Commander,” the latest version being 2016, is the name given to Graebert’s own international product offering; however, the company packages this entire CAD application and code base and licenses it to OEM’s (original equipment manufacturers) in the CAD industry. In the later years of the last decade, and prior to Autodesk releasing the Mac version of AutoCAD, Graebert begun discussions with key industry licensees, including Corel Corporation of Canada and Dassault Systèmes of France.

As such, today’s CorelCAD and DraftSight (from Corel and Dassault, respectively) are OEM-based versions of ARES Commander, with minor developer modifications to reflect, and relate to, those two company’s product lines and missions.

User Interface

The ARES Commander 2016 for Mac user-inteface (UI) embodies the older AutoCAD format UI prior to the advent and use of the Microsoft Ribbon-Style UI common now across many Windows-based CAD programs. (image 01 – 02) This means the primary Tool palette is on the left and the Properties palette is on the right, with the Command Line palette on the bottom. This should all feel instantly familiar to both veteran Mac CAD users as well as AutoCAD users.

02 – Individual toolbars can be free arranged in the ARES UI.

03 – A classic Mac mode UI option separates UI elements (non-docking).

04 – SDI mode is the preferred way as palettes dock smartly with the window.

Most of the UI is quite customizable. The Tools Palette can be altered and re-arranged with individual toolbars dragged off into the graphics window, where they free float over everything, or placed above the graphics window where they can lock into the UI arrangement. The Window menu Switch UI command enables the user to toggle between a classic Mac mode or the default SDI model for smart dock-able palettes. (images 02 – 04)

The Ribbon UI format exist in the Windows version of ARES Commander 2016 and it isn’t an option on the Mac. Most Mac CAD users will not care that the Microsoft Ribbon UI is unfamiliar to them and somewhat counter-intuitive to Apple’s longest standing UI standards.

Orientation and Help

AutoCAD users will instantly orient themselves around the program quickly. Like AutoCAD each drawing loads into its own window with tabs across the bottom to navigate back and forth between “model space” and initial “paper space” layouts. Right-clicking on these tabs will enable adding, deleting, editing or other functions related to model and paper space, including printing functions. (see image 05)

05 – Right-clicking on tabs for model and paper space.

ARES Commander has always had a command line structure and longtime AutoCAD users who steadfastly rely on the Command Line interface will be right at home with ARES Commander 2016. Most commands are identical to AutoCAD, though reportedly a limited few vary.

For new users, especially those in the Mac side of the CAD world, unfamiliar with either AutoCAD or systems with Command Lines or both, the best place to start with ARES Commander 2016 is to open up the Help system.

Like any standard help system, this one contains a Home, Context and Index page and from each one can navigate learning about ARES 2016. For those experienced with DWG based CAD systems, and especially those experienced with using Command Line entries, the Help system is also helpful as a quick path to the complete Command Reference.

The first weakness that shows up in ARES Commander 2016 is actually in the Help system. There is no tutorial section for new users. The “Getting Started” section simply tells new users things like this:

“To create a drawing, Click File > New.”

“To open an existing drawing, Click File > Open.”

This “Getting Started” section is too basic and incomplete. A true tutorial would be a more “step-by-step” guide to actually doing something fundamental and task related, like creating your first drawing of a basic mechanical part or simple site plan for a building.

The Command Line Newbies

For those who are totally new to CAD systems with Command Lines—which is likely going to be a lot of CAD users if they are rather young or have been long-time users of popular solutions on the Mac platform— having a Command Line around in their CAD system is going to feel weird. So why not an example?

To get a quick taste of Command Line power, make sure the Command Line palette is actually visible by going to the menu Window > Palettes > Command window.

06 – This image focuses on the Command Line, which is powerful and handy but new to most Mac CAD veterans.

The first step is to locate the cursor in the bottom left row of the Command window. Then type the word Grid (ignore caps, as it doesn’t matter and are used with command line shortcuts for legibility and understanding). For example, you can type “grid” in all lower case, all caps, or a mix, it won’t matter.

Type the word “grid” into the Command window and hit the return key. Options will appear in BLUE. The underline segment is the next command line option (e.g.: Off or ON). Type the word “on” and hit the return key. Now a grid array will appear. (see image 06 above).

next page: New Features in Version 2016

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The book has a second mission of course. That being showcasing and advocating the strengths of the Vectorworks BIM platform. Jonathan handles this admirably in two primary ways. The first way is through 10 case studies. Every case study begins with a different firm introduction and works through a BIM transition story sculpted through a few noteworthy project examples. The second way is through the second half of the book, where Jonathan exhibits his vast experience and knowledge of Vectorworks, honed over 20 years of use and teaching.

01 – Innovative Vectorworks BIM, by architect Jonathan Reeves. This image is the cover.

The learning Vectorworks section of the back half of the book also features a guided discussion of Vectorworks 2016’s most salient new features. However, through some of the case studies, mentions of the new Vectorworks 2016 features were discussed within the context of specific practices, their BIM workflow challenges and how specific new features would help them along. This gave the new features more contextual meaning.

Transitioning to BIM

By far one of the most valuable items in this book is the diversity of experiences regarding moving a practice to a BIM workflow. The software companies will tell you a few limited—often packaged with training services—ways to migrate a practice to BIM, but honestly the actual complexity of doing it largely depends on three key factors: (1) firm project type workload and balance, (2) client value and demand, and (3) intra-office CAD ability and culture.

The example firms in the book range in size from small, medium and enterprise (SME) scale practices. This book is a rare find; most BIM books don’t provide equal treatment across the SME BIM world. From one man shops to mid-size firms in multiple offices to enterprise firms doing work all over the world, the variety itself paints a canvas wide enough so that each reader can find themselves and their practices somewhere in the mix. In other words, if your architecture practice is contemplating moving to BIM, in the planning stages, or already underway, this book has a range of values.

Case Study Commentary

Immediately in Jonathan’s preface section of the book, he makes a pointed observation about the architecture world: “many smaller practices have been at the forefront of experimentation in architecture, and they are often early adopters of technology in ways that larger practices find difficult.”

This statement is interesting on several levels. Firstly, it happens to be true but there are important points one can take with it. While smaller firms may in fact be more agile than larger enterprise practices, those larger enterprise practices have far more resources to dedicate to pure technology research and experimentation (R&E). This can mean several things: staff with specializations, expertise, and qualifications as well as budgets to acquire high-expense equipment before smaller firms, like 3D laser scanners.

02 – 10 Firm Case Studies span the SME scale of practices from under 10 to over 120 people.

So, while the statement holds true what is more apparent in the case studies themselves is that firm size alone does not equate well to either agility or capacity to innovate with technology in practice. There are other factors, some quite nuanced that come out in the case studies.

For example, Axiom Architects LLP is a multi-office, mid-sized architecture firm operating in both London, Lewes, and Exeter. With staff around 35 people, this mid-sized office has much more capacity than under 10 people firms in the area of information technology resources. Typically firms over 18 – 20 end up requiring a full-time IT manager who does nothing but information technology work.

Yet precisely due to the size of this firm, the whole approach to BIM was no doubt conducted differently than in smaller firms. The case study revealed some of the key questions the firm asked early on, such as:

• “How could Vectorworks BIM be used to improve the consistency and accuracy of our design output?”
• “How could it save us time and improve efficiency, rather than increasing workload?”
• “How would we implement a BIM working method for all staff across three offices? “
• And…”how could BIM help meet future client needs.?”

The case study addresses these questions and more through a detailed explanation of how BIM was first implemented on specific projects, revealing both pitfalls and unexpected benefits.

Unlike some firms that dive in all together at once, Axiom Architects started slowly in trial mode using a small number of staff and carefully selecting suitable projects that served as “wayfinders” to develop the firm’s understanding of the BIM workflow process.

IFC and Bigger BIM

While each case study details their firm’s story on the path to BIM, what is delightful is that in most cases this includes a discussion of the technical setup of Vectorworks files—how they structured projects in the past and how they structured now for BIM. One particular example is the case study on Kendall Kingscott Limited, a enterprise-class firm with over 120 people working in four offices throughout England. The firm is split between architects and professional surveyors.

This case study had a valuable “BIM Project Reference Map” describing in detail how project standards, project models, and project sheets (in drawing sets) are organized around a logical system that ensures optimization of the workflow as well as scalability for larger projects.

03 – The book is richly illustrated and detailed with firm BIM transition stories chock full of wisdom and guidance.

Kendall Kingscott is one of those firms doing larger projects where the Open BIM workflow is vitally important. The firm also utilizes the Solibri Model Checker (SMC) application, which as of recently, is a new sister company to Vectorworks all under the Munich-based Nemetschek Group.

The Kendall Kingscott case study is interesting for several reasons. Firstly, getting English-language documentation on how larger practices are using Vectorworks in BIM workflows is rare. There are many enterprise firms in Japan using Vectorworks but that doesn’t help anybody outside of Japan. In the United State in particular the case study on Kendall Kingscott will be much appreciated by larger Vectorworks practices.

Larger firms handling larger building types inevitably deal with bigger volumes of data on projects. If projects are academic, scientific, or healthcare oriented that data management can be intense and thus inform the BIM process in ways that other smaller practices don’t quite deal with. For instance, it is not surprising to learn in the book that firms like Kendall Kingscott are using the Space tool.

At Kendall Kingscott the firm writes: “As a practice, our tender information typically consists of drawings, specifications, and schedules. Often it will include a set of room data sheets (RDS), particularly with design-and-build procurement.”

Like many of the other case studies, the commentary can sometimes lead to strong suggestions for future Vectorworks development, as in the case where Kendall Kingscott makes note of the limitations of the Space tool in Vectorworks in reference to the way the firm sees the use of room data sheets.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Jonathan Reeves’ book Innovative Vectorworks BIM is a valuable asset to all architecture firms contemplating migrating from a CAD to BIM workflow. The book is setup in two parts and while the second part on Vectorworks learning did have some valuable tidbits in its “50 tips and tricks” section, the section on architectural modeling was really an illustrated guide of what Vectorworks can do and not an instructional section. If it had been an instructional section the book itself would have been much more valuable than its selling price of £29.99.

Is the Part A “case studies” section of the book worth the price of admission? Absolutely.

The first part of the book is what is really interesting—learning and seeing what other Vectorworks firms are doing and how they are working on their BIM workflows. The book is intensely illustrated—which is nice—and the projects in the book themselves are quite interesting. Jonathan’s own work in particular starts the book off strong, as his firm is the first of the ten case studies.

While we are no longer “rating” book reviews like we rate software, Jonathan Reeves’ Innovative Vectorworks BIM is highly recommended. It’s chock full of guidance, wisdom and template thinking about BIM that is well worth its asking price.

Getting the Book

One can learn more about the book here and purchase it. There is the ability to download two free chapters at this link as well.

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That is, it was possible but difficult for more than one person to work on a file at the same time. Well it looks like they took my advice, mine and many others.  And they didn’t just make file sharing possible they made it easy and intuitive through a new Project Sharing structure.

Migration Manager

The first thing you will do when installing the new version is use the new Migration Manager command which can automatically migrate custom workspaces, preferences, templates, favorite files, and libraries to the new Vectorworks 2016 version.  This should be a welcome tool as it eliminates most of the tedious work of resetting everything when you upgrade to the latest version. Those frustrations are a thing of the past!

Project Sharing

From my initial look it will make team work easy and fun. They have taken a sort of social networking approach in which team members can communicate with each other while working on a team project. If you need extra layers, post a note and a team member can respond agreeing to make them. A complaint, which I might call an advantage, is that individual objects cannot be checked out for work, one must check out an entire layer.  That’s what makes it intuitive; Vectorworks 2016 users are familiar with the layer setup so the team manager can easily assign layers to team members.  I can imagine the confusion, without a lot of management, in rival BIM products where “work sets” can consist of just about any object.

Working Offsite

I immediately wondered if the new Project Sharing could also be used over the Internet; that is, could someone work on a project from home or from another office while others worked on it in the primary office?  I could not really try this myself but here is a quote from Christiaan Briggs, “I’ve been using Project Sharing over a VPN between my home in London and our office in London, both on very good internet connections. The save and commits were quick (much much faster than WGR updates for instance). Very workable in my opinion. On a slower connection you might have to go get a cup of tea but I suspect it would still be very workable.”

I would say that this also opens up some great opportunities for smaller offices to joint venture on projects they could not do on their own.  I can even imagine joint venturing with offices in other countries.  Yeah, I could be available, get your office working round the clock using different time zones.

The 100

What else has changed? They talk about 100 improvements.  Of course those improvements are spread throughout the various disciplines that Vectorworks 2016 covers so my focus will be on the big ones and those native to the Vectorworks Architect 2016 product.  Here is a short list taken from the Vectorworks, Inc., press pages:

• Project Sharing — is an intuitive means for teams to communicate and collaborate while working concurrently on the same Vectorworks design file.
• Subdivision Modeling — allows designers to transform primitive shapes like spheres and cubes into any form imaginable.
• Marionette — is the first and only cross-platform, Python®-based graphical scripting tool in the AEC, landscape and entertainment industries. Designers can create visual scripts that take advantage of Vectorworks software’s 2D and 3D modeling capabilities, integrating seamlessly with BIM environments.
• Energos — offers a dynamic, intelligent gauge of a building’s energy performance during the design process and is based on the Passivhaus calculation method.
• Point Cloud Support — allows designers using their preferred 3D scanning device to capture a physical location and import a 3D point cloud object into Vectorworks software to manipulate and measure.
• Roof Components and Styles — will interact with wall components ensure accuracy in the documentation of sections and elevations. Roof faces and roof objects now have the same component representation as walls and slabs, further extending the power of BIM.
• Landmark Site Modifier and Hardscape Tool Improvements — help landscape professionals and urban planners design more efficiently and be more creative with pavements and walkways, including sloping hardscapes.
• Several New Features Improvements — in our Renderworks module include an upgraded MAXON Cinema 4D® render engine, Caustic Capabilities with refraction of light through translucent surfaces, Ambient Occlusion that adds depth to designs with more realistic shadowing and the New Grass Shader, as well as new camera effects, such as depth of field, exposure, vignette and bloom, allow for more realistic and striking visualizations and animations.

Subdivision Modeling

No it’s not for modeling your latest tract house subdivision project.  Take any shape and manipulate it until you have created that impossible to build shape that will get you fired either by your client or your boss. But hey! how much fun did you have doing it?  I imagine Zaha Hadid wishes she had a copy of Vectorworks 2016…maybe she does…? (see images 01 – 02)

01 – an example of what one can accomplish with the new SubD modeling tools.

02 – Such forms are much easier now using the Subdivision modeling tools.

This is one of those features of Vectorworks 2016 that most architects won’t get a lot of use out of but it also shows the breadth of the program. Design a chair (see above) to be 3D printed or that 1960’s looking concrete free form structure from the Vectorworks 2016 demo video.  Why not take the program home and design some cool toys for your kids that you can 3D print!

Users, particular architecture students, will no doubt find many uses for the Subdivision modeling features new to version 2016, while many if not most architects, will have to spend time mastering these new modeling tools to find their utility over other modeling methods already in the program.

Marionette

There is one that brings a smile to my face.  They call it “Marionette, the first industry, cross-­platform, Python®-­based scripting tool”.  Why am I smiling, it’s because it will allow one to write a program that automates some repetitive activities within Vectorworks without actually writing anything; just pick and choose from a list of predefined bits of script that appear in graphical form. Connect the pictures with lines and there you go—you’ve “written” your own little program. (see image 03)

03 – Marionette offers Vectorworks 2016 users algorithmic graphic scripting that drives Vectorworks modeling and more.

While it is true that the next generation of architects may have interests, some of them, in coding, us older era architects could care less about learning how to code. But that is precisely why Marionette should call your attention. Marionette doesn’t just compete with the combination modeling powers of Rhino plus Grasshopper, it also enables your Marionette work to be saved as Vectorworks plugins (themselves tiny customized software modules). For this reason all Vectorworks users should consider the power of Marionette for automating certain types of time-intensive tasks.

next page: Point Cloud Support, Energos and More…

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We should state, however, inasmuch as it makes sense for continuity, we will be mentioning the whole of the visualization workflow at some level.

Getting Started: Big Things First—The Vectorworks Graphics Module

The Vectorworks Graphics Module, or VGM as Nemetschek Vectorworks calls it, is a proprietary custom-coded OpenGL rendering engine. Dr. Biplab Sarkar, chief technology officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc., has stated in the past that the VGM is like a hybrid between HOOPS and the Unity Game Engine. We have written a complete feature on the VGM before (see, Architosh, “Details on Vectorworks Graphics Module (VGM) in new Vectorworks 2014,” 13 Sep 2013.) and in it explain that the VGM is specifically an OpenGL rendering engine—not a photo realistic rendering engine, like say V-Ray. It’s important that readers understand the difference between these two types of rendering engines.

The VGM itself has four parts, an Engine, a Scene Graph, a Geometry Engine and a Render Engine. We won’t explain all of these here but they roughly work in order as listed. It’s the Geometry Engine in the VGM that enables features such as the Clip Cube and is responsible for preprocessing items such as the shadows and lighting and section geometry. New in the VGM this year is under-the-hood plumbing improvements that bring about features such as general speed up, animated transitions between views, and, importantly, the new Wireframe views which are now rendered through the VGM itself—in other words, through OpenGL.

The above Vimeo file shows the new “animated transitions” feature in action, including the typical 3D views and Saved Views in perspective and more. 

One of the star new features of interest to many users will be the ‘animated transitions’ between views. (see video file above) This is a wonderful way for users to experience a project as it keeps the spatial orientation intact for the observer, whether it be architect or client. A particular nice way to experience this feature is with ‘Saved Views’ which allow Vectorworks users to create a set of sequences of particular views of a project. One turns on view transition animation within the Interactive settings of the Vectorworks 2015 preferences.

Another visual feature is the new Hidden Line rendering mode, which is now partially OpenGL-based; when in active 3D navigation modes (zoom, pan, walk thru, flyover, etc) Hidden Line mode taps OpenGL and is now very fast and fluid. Upon final Hidden Line render, that output is then not OpenGL based. (see image 02)

One of the coolest new features is the ability to turn off colors in OpenGL mode. The various new visual representations of your work with this new option is quite interesting….interesting because you can maintain shadows on, edge conditions on, et cetera. Dropping color also helps visually in observing selected faces in push-pull mode for modeling, but only marginally over most colors. (see image 01)

01 – New no-colors mode in OpenGL in Vectorworks 2015.

02 – Hidden Line is OpenGL based during navigation (orbiting, pan, etc).

03 – OpenGL improvements to meshes improve SU file imports. Smaller sizes, lighter files.

Last but not least in the improvements coming out of the new and better VGM is mesh smoothing with crease angles. Both the imported files are smaller and the options for importation of SketchUp models are different. Now users have a cleaner and less complicated approach to how they import Sketchup models, deciding on mapping imported SU objects as Vectorworks Architect elements (3D poly elements, ie.: walls, floors, etc) or 3D meshes. (see image 03)

next page: The Second Biggest Things—New BIM Features

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A notable component about the origins of BIM, with respect to 2D CAD, is the ‘virtual building’ concept. The industry invented BIM when it intellectually moved from an electronic drafting mode or way of thinking to a 3D model of the building (in the computer) mode or way of thinking.

Interestingly, GRAPHISOFT’S new BIMx Docs seems to relive the very story of this transformation each time the user utilizes the software. Due to its innovative Hyper-Model technology, the user can literally experience traveling from the world of 2D paper-based drawings to the virtual building itself. The net effect is endearing, engaging and transformative. Moreover, it seems totally appropriate and unsurprising that the author of this software experience–and I believe the word ‘experience’ is apt here–is none other than GRAPHISOFT, the company that invented the ‘virtual building’ concept to begin with.

We would be remiss, if we didn’t state right from the beginning, that we think BIMx Docs is a significant software invention–at least in respect to those inventions applicable to the AEC software industry. It deftly brings together a coherence of previous inventions–2D CAD, 3D models, hyper-links and rendered animation–into a coherent software user-experience (UX).

A Quick Summary of BIMx Docs

We are going to review BIMx Docs in detail in this article. But we want to acquaint the user with this technology via a video, as BIMx Docs is an application you need to see first hand to truly understand and appreciate it.

In a nutshell, BIMx Docs takes what was BIMx–the excellent interactive BIM modeling viewer–and combines it with 2D document navigation. Previously, the market seemed to present BIM users with two options. Carry an app on your iPad to hold, manage and navigate/view your PDF or other 2D format drawings and use another second app to view your 3D BIM models. But BIMx Docs doesn’t just combine the two functions, it integrates them into a seamless experience that enables the user to take an iPad out into the field, for example, and go between drawings and model and vice versa all day long. (see the video below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze3y6dqqsXs

Upon showing BIMx Docs to a colleague familiar with BIM, they asked what I thought the total value was of BIMx Docs. It is a fair and reasonable question. After all, if we look at the varying degrees of BIM–that is the “N-degrees” of BIM–we could fairly note that BIMx Docs does not add or serve any new dimension to the BIM process. That is, it does not focus on time (4D), cost (5D) nor project life-cycle (6D) information. And that is perfectly acceptable.

GRAPHISOFT recognizes, rightly so, that the original degrees of BIM (2D/3D integrated with building information) has many innovation levels to go as it continues to play itself out over new and expanded workflows due to broader industry technologies like the cloud and mobile.

01 – On opening up a BIMx Docs file on an iPad this is what you might see (project varies) The app works in both portrait and landscape mode. Notice the simple and elegant interface.

Mobile in particular cannot be underestimated. It is arguably the biggest transformation and economic accelerator in AEC workflows at the moment. Being able to bring your BIM model with you to the job site or client location is clearly valuable–especially on a light-weight mobile device like the iPad. Being able to have both the model and the corresponding 2D drawings with you on that same device increases the value. Being able to have them interactively merged into the same software experience brings an incalculable benefit.

How do you calculate the delight a client may have in understanding their project once viewed under BIMx Docs? How can you ever calculate the value of a tool that fosters insight acquisition? And tools that foster new ways of looking at relationships of things always generate valuable insight.

next page: How it Works: BIMx Docs

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“…fundamentally it’s about the creation of new work flows and new means of access to your information.”

Bass was partly touting his own iOS apps and in particular AutoCAD WS (now AutoCAD 360) but he could have been speaking quite prophetically about IMSI Design’s award-winning TurboSite for iPad.

TurboSite

TurboSite was a hot ticket item at this year’s AIA National Convention in Denver, Colorado. It was the co-winner of this year’s BEST OF SHOW honors in  the mobile category. Part of what makes this app so appealing is that it exemplifies the newness of what is possible in workflow innovation due to the merging of software with new hardware capabilities. That hardware innovation belongs to Apple–with the iPad–but the praise for the app goes to IMSI for its imagination of refined and improved workflows and elegant software.

We are going to dig into the app and what it can do in a second but one final comment is that TurboSite Pro–much like the new BIMx Docs by Graphisoft–builds on some solid foundation in earlier apps–notably IMSI Design’s Turbo mobile lineup of CAD viewers. We have already noted in an earlier review of TurboViewer Pro 2.0, IMSI’s mobile CAD technology is fast.

Beyond a Viewer

TurboSite Pro may be built on the same technology as the TurboViewer series of iOS apps, but the program is so much more than just a mobile CAD or 3D file viewer. To get started we will first add a file to TurboSite Pro.

One of the things I wanted to do was test different DWG files. So I used my own files rather than those that come as demos for the program. TurboSite Pro had zero problem recognizing an AutoCAD (DWG) file directly from AutoCAD or from any of the exports coming out of numerous other competitor CAD programs. In other words, those that utilize DWG conversion libraries from the Open Design Alliance.

TurboSite Pro supports over 20 plus file formats, including native support for DWG, DXF, DWF, PDF and 3D PDF (U3D). Other formats are converted automatically utilizing an IMSI Design cloud-based conversion server. We ran that process several times when we reviewed TurboViewer Pro 2.0 and the process works very smoothly.

Some notable files you can bring into TurboSite and its family of sibling apps include Rhino, SketchUp, STEP, ACIS, OBJ and IGES.

GeoMarker

Before we talk about all the reviewing tools that are available in TurboSite Pro the highlight feature of this app should be discussed. This is its GeoMarker technology. Unique to this application is the ability to utilize the iPad’s various sensors and GPS hardware.

The GeoWalk™ and GeoMark™ tools help you set your location relative to your drawing in TurboSite Pro. The most import of these is the GeoMark feature. By locating GeoMarks on your drawing in TurboSite Pro you can attach images, audio and video taken at each GeoMark in addition to notes.

GeoWalk works by allowing TurboSite to track your position via the iPad’s hardware systems. You can either tap your iPad’s GPS or SPS (Sensor Positioning System) to have TurboSite Pro locate you. The SPS system is using your iPad’s accelerometers, gyroscopes and compass. Accuracy of these systems depends on calibration processes and the signal strength of your GPS. You cannot use both GPS and SPS at the same time but must choose one.

GPS works best outdoors where you have clear and strong signal strength–not the case for my testing. Therefore I turned on and calibrated via SPS. Calibration is one of the more tricky aspects of this program and will likely require trial and error. There is a GeoNudge feature that helps you refine your accuracy but the bottom line for us is that having TurboSite Pro follow you around on your drawing isn’t as nearly as important as you might think for many cases.

Cases where it would be valuable would be in the open site (field) where there exist little to no markers. Inside of a building you will likely have reference points (i.e.: rooms, walls, windows, doors) and simply dropping a GeoMarker is all that needs to be done to get the best use out of TurboSite Pro. This isn’t to dismiss GeoWalk, but mainly to paint a more realistic expectation of this technology, its accuracy and the challenges that may confront users when setting up to use these features.

Video, Audio and Photos

Creating audio, video and photos to accompany your notes on a plan in TurboSite Pro is what makes TurboSite Pro a very special application. The UI/UX of this process is direct and elegant. If you take an image that you don’t want to use you can replace it with another. Images and video can be saved to locations on your iPad. Using a GeoMark you can attach or associate with that GeoMark media in the form of images, audio or video as shown in the next image below (see image 01).

01 – Part of TurboSite’s strength is its ability to geolocate the user on a plan from which point geo-tagged video, photos and audio can be recorded and associated.

As you can see in the image 01 you also have the ability to attach notes. A notes popup window comes up as well as the keyboard from which you can type your notes out. As you geo-locate marks on your drawings in TurboSite Pro you may at times already have images from previous site visits or just images you took earlier in the day that you now want to attach to your GeoMark. This too is also possible. Before you can use existing photos on your iPad you will need to give TurboSite access permission in the general settings.

next page: Viewing and Markup and More….

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We have been writing about CadFaster of Finland quite often since we awarded them the 2012 Architosh ‘BEST of SHOW’ award for iOS Mobile at the AIA National Convention last year. The company has a unique app that integrates into the expanding collaboration BIM workflows that are emerging due to the cloud, mobile and communication technologies being driven by social media.

In this review we are going to walk you through what CadFaster Collaborate is, how it works from a BIM authoring application, and what you can do with it on iPad.

For starters, CadFaster Collaborate consists of both a desktop bound application and a mobile iOS for iPad application of the same name. Currently, there is no OS X version of the desktop application, which runs on Windows as a fully self-contained .exe app complete with UI, container for BIM model, and all the associative logic and connectivity to the CadFaster Cloud. This review is focused on CadFaster for iPad, the app.

BIM Workflows

As we learned from our interview discussion with the Finnish company (see, Architosh, “CadFaster of Finland talks to Architosh about BIM and Mobility,” 15 Mar 2013 ) CadFaster Collaborate first started as a tool for SolidWorks users but then expanded to Building Information Modeling. It currently works to extend several BIM platforms to the cloud, including Autodesk Revit, Bentley’s ABD and Nemetschek’s Vectorworks Architect.

To use CadFaster on those BIM platforms you will need to first install the CadFaster Collaborate plugin for the specific BIM tool. Once you have done that from within the BIM authoring application you will be given a means to export your BIM model to the CadFaster Cloud.

That’s where the mobile app comes in. With the iPad version of CadFaster Collaborate–which is a free app from the Apple iTunes Store–you then connect to your BIM models on your iPad.

Getting Started for iPad

It’s important to note that this is not a review of CadFaster Collaborate in its entirety but rather specifically a review of the iPad version. As noted in our special interview series, the desktop version has more features–like live sectioning–which are not contained in the iPad app.

Although Revit and Bentley’s Microstation are available we are going to choose Vectorworks Architect as our test BIM authoring app for obvious reasons–specifically, it’s available for Mac and this is Architosh after all. (see image 01) All three essentially work the same with CadFaster. As for a version for ArchiCAD? As of our latest discussions back in March, it wasn’t clear yet if the Hungarian-based BIM leader would support a plugin for this. It may be because they already have their own dedicated BIMx iPad app.

Lets get started. As you are working in your BIM environment there will likely come a point where you want to share your BIM model with colleagues, clients or other stakeholders. With CadFaster Collaborate you can essentially share your model or host a multi-party collaborate session, or simply just share BIM models through the cloud with others. A quick note: when we say BIM model this could be a simple massing study model or a full-fledged information-laden BIM model.

01 – CadFaster operates as a plugin app in BIM tools giving you direct access to exporting models to the cloud.

To get started think about the view position of your BIM model. For example, if you are looking at your BIM model from the right-axon view when you export out, this view position will be the first thing your invited guests/collaborators see when they login to CadFaster on their individual iPad. So if this first impression matters or it’s simply a matter of providing a quick-best orientation so your collaborates are not lost in the case of a big project, then thinking ahead is here is recommended.

02 – The exporter options include settings for expiration of models and format, as well as the ability to connect to your CadFaster Cloud account.

As you can see there are some options available to you prior to export time. Models can be made to expire, starting from 1 day to 1000 days, set on a slider. This is important if you are sending iterative designs, so a new or weekly design is the only one a collaborator can see, preventing them from opening up the wrong model. You can also set model to never expire with a checkbox option. (see image 02).

Another option include is to export to iPad or EXE file or both. And you can also login to the CadFaster Cloud. Lastly, we want to mention that in order to use CadFaster Collaborate through the cloud you will need a Yahoo, Google or OpenID-based email account. The company explained this decision in their interview with us but in short it means that CadFaster doesn’t store user passwords, but rather simply requests them from Google’s OpenID system. Although we understand this security decision, we feel it hampers the process a bit and even in the company’s latest product, MyCadbox, they chose differently and with that product any email address will work.

Super Tiny: Putting Your BIM Model on a Diet

CadFaster’s proprietary 3D model compression technology is part of the company’s secret sauce and advantage over many similar rivals. Your BIM model files shrink down to as little as 5 percent of their original file size–that’s 20:1.

As a result of this magic diet the geometry, shaders, colors, transparency and sun/lighting position all get packaged into a the CadFaster file format and sent up to the CadFaster Cloud at export time. The way the program works is that this data gets sent up to the cloud where it lives and users who then login to CadFaster Collaborate on their iPad grab this data and bring it down to their iPad device. Since files reduce in size from 5-20 percent a 50 MB BIM model would shrink down to a file between 2.5 – 10 MBs.

The CadFaster Cloud server pushes out the geometry package, plus viewing control datasets and limited markup once collaboration sessions have begun. (more on that after the turn.)

next page: The iPad CadFaster Experience

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Revu for iPad – What it Does

Revu for iPad is essentially a PDF-based document viewer oriented specifically at the AEC industry. It is used by architecture, engineering and construction professionals. Yet, it is not just a CAD drawing viewer application.

Revu for iPad has three broad functions: (1) access your PDF based CAD drawings (and other documents) on the go in a mobile context, (2) markup and redline these documents while on the go anywhere, with or without a live Internet connection, and (3) collaborate with colleagues in real time from the iPad using Bluebeam Studio.

Accessing Drawings

The immediate value to AEC professionals using Bluebeam Revu for iPad is the ability to carry complete sets of PDF drawing documents with them. While there are many other ways in which this could be carried out, Bluebeam’s product is the most thoroughly targeted solution on the market for CAD professionals in the AEC space.

01 – An excellent way to get files into Revu on your iPad is through the cloud.

There are several ways to get your PDF drawings into Revu on your iPad. One way is to use a direct iPad to computer connection using Apple iTunes. From within the iTunes app select Apps from the menu bar at the top and select Bluebeam Revu, making sure you have hit Sync Apps box as well.

02 – Completing a Dropbox account sync from within Revu for iPad.

03 – Looking at cloud-based files from within the Document Manager in Revu.

Another way to get your files, and likely a superior way, is to use a direct connection to a cloud service. Bluebeam supports both Dropbox and Box at the moment. From within the Add Account window you select one of the cloud service options and then enter your cloud service username and password. (see image 01). Complete the direction screens including this one from Dropbox. (see image 02). Once complete you will now see your Dropbox or Box account in the Document Manager. (see image 03).

Lastly, you can also get your files to you iPad Revu app using WebDav server or Bluebeam Studio, their cloud-based collaboration offering.  Once your files are in Revu for iPad you can access them through the main interface.

The User-Interface

Bluebeam Revu’s user-interface is one of the more sophisticated UI’s in an AEC application for iOS. We admit that at first it may intimidate. Most Apple users are used to the idea that Apple’s products are easy enough to avoid reading the user manual for getting going. That will not be the case with Revu for iPad. There will definitely be some trial and error and reading the help documentation will benefit you. So we encourage you to do that if you get frustrated with the application in the early days of its use.

04 – The interface opened to look at a PDF document. Side palettes closed.

Across the top there is a menu bar which holds six items on the left and three on the right. When using Revu for iPad, at first it might seem like the user-interface comes at you from every side of the iPad’s screen. (see images 00 – 05 for comparison) In truth it does. The company makes good use of the many standard iOS interface multi-touch features. While we are not going to explain every single UI element, to open a PDF document we will start by getting one from the Dropbox account sync’d earlier.

As you can see in the image below your CAD PDF file appears as the white document in the main window while Revu’s many slide-out UI elements wrap the document. You can pinch and zoom in and out just like any other document in an iOS based app. Bluebeam Revu’s app isn’t the absolute fasted PDF viewer on the market but it clearly one of the better ones. (see image 05)

05 – Bluebeam Revu’s full UI on the iPad with Toolbox palette open (far left) and the Markup List palette below at bottom.

The Document Manager is accessed by the file cabinet icon with the green arrow. Inside you will find a default Documents folder. White triangles (on right) drill down into folders, revealing documents and more folders inside. (see image 03). You can always create additional folders inside a directory by clicking on the More button at the bottom of the Documents windows.

Next page: Marking Up Your Documents

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