If you’re looking for an architectural design software to start designing your future home, or probably to help you with your school projects, the following article will help you to make a wise choice regarding the best suited architectural design software for you.
While I was student in architecture, I was pretty confused with the options that I had at that time. It was 2003 and my second year, so as everyone picked up a software, I had to pick one myself. After searching like crazy through forums, and talking with my colleagues I started to use Archicad, as it seemed the best fit for what we had to do… That seemed
to work fine, until I wanted to create more complex 3D objects, and to rotate them easily… At that time, Archicad was a bit dumb in that area, so I switched to Allplan, and stayed with it ever since.
Enough, about me, let’s talk about what can be your options today, as the marketplace in architectural design software is much more diverse than a few years back.
1. ArchiCAD
The first recommendation I have for newbies, is ArchiCAD, and that is because this software, was, and still is one of the most intuitive ones when it comes to creating and modifying floor plans in my opinion. What that means, is that if you are a young architect or designer you can easily discover the most important commands and use them immediately to digitally draw whatever you want. You can also get a free trial for the software, so you can check if it’s the right fit for you. http://www.myarchicad.com/
2. Chief Architect
Is a professional 3D architectural home design software. It has built in automated building tools to make home design, remodeling, interior design and kitchen & bath design as easy as it gets. You can discover why Chief Architect is the home design software product of choice for 2D and 3D design for a lot of US architects. This sofware also comes with a free trial, so if you think this is a better suited option, give it a shot at http://www.chiefarchitect.com/
3. Punch Software
Self intitled America’s #1 Home & Landscape Design Software, this application combines the power of NexGen with the stunning realism of photographic quality from LightWorks, allowing you to create realistic home designs for yourself, or for your clients. You can check it on their official page at http://www.punchsoftware.com/
4. Autocad Architecture
AutoCAD Architecture software is the version of AutoCAD created for architects. Features built for architectural drafting help you create designs and documents more efficiently, in the familiar AutoCAD environment. Of course, you can try this one too before you buy it. Get a trial here: http://usa.autodesk.com/
5. Vectorworks Architect
This is my personal favorite, and I left it at the end, because is pretty advanced, and although it’s hard to learn your way around it, the software can and will bring fast and incredible results after you’ve used it for a while. But as I was saying, this is for tech nerds, and probably not really the first option for a newbie.
Vectorworks Architect an elegant architectural design CAD software that offers BIM capabilities in a flexible, hybrid-design environment. With its superior 2D and 3D functionality, you’ll just enjoy the ease-of-use not found in competing products. Vectorworks Architect’s approach to BIM lets you improve your existing design process instead of replacing it—making it easier for many firms to adopt a BIM workflow. Learn more at http://www.nemetschek.net/
This collection of architectural designs software should give you a basic guidance regarding what is now available on the market and what you can purchase for your future projects. If you prefer any other products, please tell us what they are and why.
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