Architectural design software every architect should learn
Updated: Mar 10, 2020
Drawing is the primary method for architects to share their ideas with clients. The way of drawing and presentation changed over the year and it is still evolving every day. Now, designers and architects use the most relevant software to make presentations. These architecture software will fulfill the different needs of an architect to achieve the best solution. Sometimes choosing the right kind of software will help them to save time, reduce cost and act as a support system.
Lets, take a look at the top 10 and some of the other architect software available in the market that will increase your efficiency and boost your workflow.
Revit:
Revit is a BIM (Building Information Modeling) software for architects, interior designers, plumbing engineers. Revit produces a project output including modeling, rendering, and 2D or 3D construction. You can use actual building components such as walls, roofs, beams and many more.
Pros:
Landscape Design:
If you want realistic design Revit has your back. This software allows you to do little things to make your design appealing to your client.
Energy Efficient Design:
Revit features various analytical features. You can use those analytical tools to make a design sustainable and environment-friendly.
Cons:
Heavy highlight on Structural Design:
The Revit package doesn’t offer general software tools such as command and meshes. Other software designs can create a more flashed out model than Revit. Apart from its huge popularity, it can be a drawback.
Editing perspective:
For interior designers, Revit can be difficult. It has a default isometric perspective and it doesn’t allow to make changes automatically.
System requirements:
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 64 bit
CPU Type: single or multicore Intel, Xeon or I series processor, AMD equivalent with SSE2 technology.
Memory: 8 GB RAM
You can go for a monthly subscription at $280 or a yearly subscription of $2250.
Photo: Revit
Rhino 3D:
Rhino 3D is an essential and most popular tool for architectural design. Most of the CAD-based software is expert in straight-line design but Rhino was made especially for curve lines. Rhino’s structure is based on NURBS, that’s why it allows making your software even more accurate.
however, as a single platform, this software is not that good.
Pros:
NURBS modeling:
Rhino 3D uses NURBS modeling to create a mathematical presentation of the 3D design to create the most relevant and realistic appearance.
Powerful Plug-In:
The plugin feature of Rhino 3D with Grasshopper makes this software better than any other. This is an extremely powerful tool for designing any shapes.
Cons:
Difficulty while use:
If you want to create anything with virtual clay, this software can create distraction.
Higher accuracy:
Due to it’s higher accuracy format, this software is not good for realtime rendering and animation.
System requirements:
Processor:
NVIDIA or AMD graphics processor is needed.
Memory:
8 GB RAM
Rhino 3D doesn’t provide any free trial. It’s pricing starts at $995.
Photo: Rhino
PhotoShop:
Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphic design and high-quality photo editing app. It was developed and published by adobe in 1988. Photoshop is important when it comes to creating rendering on a particular section, plan or elevation. It can be used for image processing adding texture, landscape, sky, people and other components, cause it is the most reliable high-quality image producing software.
Pros:
Editing and Fixing:
Fixing and editing of pictures, color correction and clear up impurities is the best feature in photoshop. It can make your design and clan and high quality possible.
Easy to import:
Importing videos and pictures is really easy and organized as well.
Cons:
Not for beginners:
It has a lot of advantage but without any training, this software can be hard to understand for beginners.
Expensive:
This software is very expensive and the free trial offers minimum and basic features.
System requirements:
Processor:
Intel or AMD processor with 64-bit support, 2 GHz or faster processor.
Operating System:
Microsoft Windows 7- 10 updated version
Mac OS 10
Memory:
4 GB of RAm