In the last years, smartphones have become one of the most useful and essential tools people use to organize their activities. Companies have developed a lot of apps to help people to do activities of many disciplines, and architecture could not be ignored. With the boom in the application designing industry and the competition amongst them, the quality has improved over the past couple of years. There are a lot of apps for architects, and we will review the top ten applications you must have. Here is a list of the best 10 apps that every architect must-have.
1- Graphisoft’s BIMx app. (iOS and Android)
On the top of our list comes BIMx, which is the ideal app for architects using the ArchiCAD program to present or share designs with clients and contractors. The app integrates 2D and 3D for BIM models, see the floor plans, helping you to better understand the designs. BIMx models can be shared in real-time — so clients can access individual BIMx Hyper-models (including 2D and 3D content) on any of their devices after their architect shares it with them. This app can be the most useful tool in the construction process.
Price: Free (iOS/Android), BIMx PRO: 49.99$
2- Autodesk Format (iOS and Android)
You can now create models on your phones or tablets. You can create conceptual models quickly anywhere and anytime, or even you can create and edit BIM models on your mobile device. Added to this the application was recently updated with the real-world site information and the location-aware Shadow Study tool with which you just shouldn’t feel afraid to explore. You can even import the site image from the satellite. If you are not satisfied with the quality of your models made on a mobile device, you can export them later and edit them on your computer to improve them. And how can I forget you can back it up on the cloud and share it with others just with a tap.
Price: Free (iOS, Android)
3- Paper (iOS only)
Having won Apple’s App of the Year and been given the 2012 Apple Design Award, the Paper app by FiftyThree, Inc. makes it easy to capture your ideas as sketches, diagrams, illustrations, or notes and share them on the internet. It’s a simple and intuitive app built specifically for the iPad’s display. The company recently announced the introduction of a ‘pencil’ stylus that connects to the iPad via Bluetooth.
Price: Free (iOS)
4- Autocad 360
Developed by Autodesk, Autocad 360is an extremely fundamental app that needs to be installed on your phone or tablet so that you have access to all the drawings when you are on the go. Autocad 360 enables you to view, create or edit any drawings. It will help you to access drawings anytime and anywhere you need to, and you can also share them using your web browser.
Price: Free (IOS, Android)
5- MagicPlan
This is a very interesting and useful app. It uses the device’s cameras to draw the floor plans of real spaces. You just have to stand in a certain place and point your device, and the app will draw the floor plan. When it is done, you can export the floor plan as a PDF, DXF, or a JPG.
Price: Free (IOS, Android)
6- iRhino 3D (iOS only)
This app will provide you the opportunity to view any Rhino 3DM file on your mobile device. It is useful to showcase your models when you do not have your laptop easy-to-hand.
Price: 3.99$ (iOS)
7- SketchBook (iOS, Android)
It is an application owned by Autodesk. This application is very helpful to draw sketches. You can also draw a picture to see the way your designs would look. And finally, if it is difficult for you to draw in perspective, this app gives you guides to do it well. We architecture students and architects can be inspired anywhere anytime by anything. Literally! The epiphany might descend upon us in the most crucial areas. In situations like these, instead of scavenging for paper and a pencil, at this time, you might even miss the opportunity, this application comes in handy. This application is perfect for digital sketching.
Price: Free (iOS, Android, Amazon, Windows)
8- Morpholio Trace (iOS)
The more you draw the better it is. I personally love working in layers! The more layers you have the more refined the design turns out to be. This application is perfect for this, you keep sketching over your sketches. Adding layers over layers just like one places tracing paper. It’s truly the perfect application for an architect.
Price: Free (iOS)
9- CADTOUCH (iOS, Android)
Last-minute editing is what we all do to our work. There is some tiny little fault that we find in our drawings and we need to edit them. It is a PRO CAD editor and viewer that helps you completely reinvent the on-site drawings and gives the user the power and ability to edit, measure, annotate, draw and view their work on-site. It also helps you to calculate the area of any space, design and draw floor plans and make a diagram. When you finished your work, you can email the archive immediately, so this app is very useful when you are not in your office.
Price: Free (iOS, Android)
10- Architect Envi Deluxe (iOS)
When bored a little bit of historical and current information seems to be the most entertaining time-pass. It’s like having all the maestros and the legends in your pocket at all times. The app is also perfect for architecture students. It will provide you information about the great architectural works in all-history and the most important architects. You can browse across every century and find the most famous buildings of each one. It’s sorted out according to the time-period with pictures of works of over 100+ architects. It also provides you information of the great architectural works in all-history. You can browse across every century and find the most famous buildings of each one. Apart from the pictures this also gives one access to ‘in-depth’ information about the architects. It lets you add and save photos and add even more images of your own to the collection.
Price: 3.99$ (iOS)
