Immersive Technology from Vectorworks

Vectorworks Architect is a leading architectural design and BIM software that helps connect the entire design process from concept to construction in one platform, according to company materials. The product is well positioned to embody future augmented reality and virtual reality which are rapidly becoming important features in presentation software for design companies.

Vectorworks Architect empowers you to design without constraints. With a broader array of drafting and annotation tools than other BIM applications, you will produce stunning presentations and the highest quality documentation while you design.

The product encompasses 2D drafting and 3D modeling to offer coordinated construction documents and fully developed BIM models. Designers can utilize Vectorworks to take on any size projects, from urban planning, high-rise buildings, to interior renovations and fit outs.

A claim to fame of Vectorworks Architect is that it is said to have the largest number of import and export capabilities in the industry, allowing designers to seamlessly collaborate and share with everyone involved in the design process.

Steve Johnson, vice president of product development at Vectorworks, Inc., spoke with AECCafe Voice about the various demos the company conducted at AIA 2017 this year featuring Vectorworks Architect, Renderworks, Vectorworks Cloud Services, Vectorworks Nomad and immersive technologies.

AECCafe Voice: What immersive technologies did you demo at AIA?

At this year’s AIA, we demoed the following immersive technologies:

• Web view and virtual reality will receive substantial usability and visual improvements, such as ambient occlusion that helps to create more detailed and realistic designs.
• While web view allows the viewer to move anywhere in the model, rendered panoramas provide a similar immersive experience from a stationary location. Panoramas, rendered with the photorealistic Renderworks rendering engine, allow designers and clients to experience a fully illuminated, 360-dgree view of the model using their mouse or mobile device to navigate.
• Using an iOS or Android mobile device and a target, designers may benefit from Augmented Reality technology to view a 3D, virtual version of their model on top of their plan.

All three of these immersive technologies will better arm designers with tools to effectively convey their design intent to clients and colleagues.

AECCafe Voice: What immersive and VR technologies are you planning on releasing in the near future?

In our next release, our web view feature has new WebVR support for immersive viewing on Samsung GearVR, as well as Google Cardboard. Panoramas can be rendered locally or by using Vectorworks Cloud Services, and panoramas can be viewed on any device. An expanded portal will become a destination for easy sharing of these immersive technologies.

AECCafe Voice: Are any of these technologies designed to be used with UAVs and other complementary technologies? If so in what way? 

Continuing with our commitment to point cloud technology, users may use point cloud data generated from drones and laser scanning, to capture existing site conditions and the like. The web view feature in Vectorworks 2018 will support viewing of these point clouds.

AECCafe Voice: Will you be releasing any new technologies soon?

As part of our annual software release cycle, Vectorworks 2018 will launch this fall. We have several usability enhancements planned that will continue to enable designers to complete any project in any phase of design. Vectorworks Cloud Services has a newly redesigned site page, which will be the main hub for moving scenes and scene data around among these exotic viewers, providing a presentation medium that is web-based. Ultimately, these updates offer a connection point between desktop and mobile products like Vectorworks Nomad. Our cloud-based and mobile products are updated throughout the entire year, with the availability of major features timed to coincide with the Vectorworks version release in September each year.

AECCafe Voice: What virtual reality aspects are users most excited about, and what will they use them for?

Architecture and 3D design for architecture, landscape, and entertainment are natural fits for virtual reality environments, and Vectorworks is well positioned to participate in this technological revolution. Our users will enjoy very compelling presentation benefits, including the ability to present and communicate their designs to clients, as well as solve design problems, while getting a sense of the real space by occupying the virtual model. Their designs will be shown with real scale and presence.

AECCafe Voice: It would seem that Vectorworks Architect is well positioned to embody these technologies. Will they be a part of the current and future releases of Architect?

Absolutely. Augmented reality and virtual reality are irresistible for presentations, and are here to stay. Immersive technologies create new ways for people to connect, and Vectorworks is excited to participate in this revolution, especially in further developing Vectorworks Architect as a leader in that space. Our new augmented reality and virtual reality capabilities will allow designers to experience their designs like never before since they can literally immerse themselves into their designs.

Tags: 3D, architects, architecture, BIM, building design, building information modeling, CAD, design, engineering, immersive design, infrastructure, reality capture, Vectorworks

Categories: 2D, 3D, AEC, AECCafe, architecture, Cloud, collaboration, engineering, mobile, Nemetschek, sustainable design, Vectorworks, virtual reality, visualization

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