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10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

Posted on the 10 June 2016 by Rahulthepcl

An ideal home is a dream to every individual. And people have different notions of their dream home. But architects cater all their needs no matter how different and challenging they are in the unique ways possible. Although it takes a lot of creativity and planning to come up with designs that must fit the topography of the place, climate, the needs of the clients and apparently the area, there are many ways that we can now come up with unique designs quickly.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

One of that is the Architectural Design Software that helps users plan and draw plans and do much more. They can be used by professional architects or students alike. Even if you are no architect but someone who is planning to make a home, you can also try some designs if you are ready to spend some time on tutorials and design videos. Here are 10 Architectural Design Software for Budding Architects.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

Microstation has all the features that a traditional AutoCAD offers. You can document designs with 2D drawings, schedules, and reports. The reports can be analyzed on how they appear given their height, slope, and exposure to sunlight. Much of the everyday tasks can be automated to increase the productivity. You can also develop animations and life-like renderings with Microstation. You can geospatially locate the product using real-time GPS servers and create referential geospatial PDFs.
Revit is a product from Autodesk. With its parametric modeling features, you can construct detailed designs or simple ones easily. There is real time sharing which enables multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

You can get the 30-day free trial and buy the software later on. It is a great software for students to work on as it has many tutorials and forums to discuss and address the common doubts. You can get the Premium version of Revit, which is the final building design software.
SoftPlan is an intuitive software with many features such as automatic dimensioning, site plans and material takeoffs. The objects in this website are much similar to their real world equivalent, so the learning curve for this software is very short.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

You can create automatic floor plans, elevations, and cross-sections quickly. The 3D renderings are realistic with shadows and reflections that adjust according to the topography and angle. It has a free trial and demonstration offer which will give you an idea about the software.

Vectorworks Architect is for those users who are trying to create exceptional designs. The software has a lot of features which means it might take a lot of time for a user to learn it. But once you are comfortable using it, you can create unusual structures using your creativity.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

There are excellent documentation and graphical scripting tools to assist you. With the intuitive interface that it has, it automatically infers the plane in which you are working thus giving you a smooth working experience.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

You can do efficient drafting and documentation with AutoCAD Architecture. You can create full-color 3D renderings and also make the walls and windows in different styles. You can preview the design before you proceed. The plans can be drafted quickly, and this is one of the most used software by architects and students alike. The designs created are very real with the walls, windows, and other designs being accurate and sticking to the dimensions.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

Punch has many software products to suit every kind of architect. There are interior design software as well as home and landscape software for Punch users. So you can create and design every room with accurate dimensions and also add furniture, paints, and lightings. With the preview, you can see what the design looks like. Punch is ideal for designers, architects, and contractors.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

Chief Architect is a 3D design and interior design software. It has automated design tools to make your home design and remodeling easier. There is a free trial download available, and architects can choose the different variations of the product at various prices according to their needs. You can also create construction documents with site plans, section details, and elevations.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

ArchiCAD is best fit for students and beginners as it has a very interactive interface. There are many tutorials and training guides for easy learning. There is a Student version which is exclusive for students as it offers year-long support and offers. ArchiCAD is also ideal for professional users. There are solutions to design the interiors, urban and building. The documentation is precise at the same time there is freedom for the user to go completely creative.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

Home Styler is yet another product from Autodesk. It has floor planner and also interior design options. You can also draw plans online or get the app of Home Styler. This is a quick tool to draw plans and it is available for free. For professional users, this tool is not recommended as it has very limited options.

10 Best Architectural Design Software for Professional Architects

This is a software with basic features which is best for students who are just at the first step of their architecture lessons. You can see 2D, 3D and blueprint views of your designs. It has a very easy to use interface. And you can also create outdoor living space and landscaping of the house plan. Remodeling of the house and room designs can be created using Dream plan Home Design.

Architects and students can use the software and create marvels. The visualization becomes much easier with 3D rendering that this software provide. The software is worth the money spent on them because it saves a lot of your time. And you can design plans even when you are traveling or at places outside your studio as you don't need a canvas or drawing tools.

You can always pick up from where you left off or go back to the previous designs easily with undo and redo logs without making a mess of the drawings. And with the help of other interior design software and landscaping tools, you can further perfect the plans into the ideal home. All these tools are suitable for Windows and Mac platforms. Some software also has apps that have limited functions to assist you further.


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