Vectorworks Architect Review

PROS: Vectorworks is a great tool for 2D drawing and basic 3D modeling. This application helped me a lot with drafting plans and presenting designs to clients. It supports my workflow, it is accurate and very easy to use especially for details. Plus, it provides short video tutorials.

CONS: I hope they improve their importing and exporting

PROS: What I love about Vectorworks is that their 2D and 3D tools are integrated to the point that it can render plans and schematic designs with no problems and with accuracy and amazing quality of rendering.

CONS: Updating the application can sometimes have incompatibilities with a design made from an older version

PROS: This app is my go-to place for everything from BIM to IFC.

CONS: Updates can be buggy sometimes. Nomad is not working for me.

PROS: I can use this app to do everything I do in different apps. It saves me time and storage! I was a Revit and CAD user, and switching to Vectorworks has been easy. I can draw with high quality and at a faster pace and with great freedom using this application. If need be, I can export projects to PDF, image, or DWG for the clients. There is a lot of free training and webinars, too, so that's a plus.

CONS: I hope to have to be able to draw in a vertical position. I mean, I can't always have a dual-screen when I draw so I hope that UI can be manipulated enough to suit anyone's style and need.

PROS: Great for graphic learners--images are sharp and refined, works so well with either 2D and 3D (but I loved working with 3D). Easy to learn how to use, just watch a bunch of Youtube video tutorials.

CONS: Hope to see improvements on the UI as dialog boxes always pop up

PROS: What I really like about Vectorworks is the freedom I have in drawing, they have fewer restrictions than other apps I used before, and the tools are accessible. It takes less time and resources to render the drawings because we don't need any other plug-ins or app for it.

CONS: It's difficult to share projects and there are bugs in the system. But we already contacted their development team about this.

PROS: Compatible with Mac; Can use shortcut keys; Visible and distinguishable line weights; Accurate and good with detailed designs

CONS: Importing/exporting DWG files

PROS: We have been using Vectorworks since 1994 and since then we never looked back. We use the application for different purposes from 3D printing to BIM. It produces high quality, intricate, and complete visualizations of our projects. With its ease of use, highly competitive user interface, importing and exporting capabilities, it is a great tool for architects and designers.

CONS: I can't say anything bad about this product, only that it is not much well-known in the US. However, when we recommend them to associates and partners, they also switch to them immediately.

PROS: Vectorworks is an intuitive tool and it made my drafting and modeling easier than any other app I used. My designs have been more elaborate and easier to manipulate because I can easily shift from a 2D view to 3D view with accuracy on the designs. For example, there are various 2D and 3D symbols for different parts of a house/building like doors, windows, sinks, toilets, etc. when I place it in plan view, and when I switch to 3D view it shifts with accuracy, without any further adjustments needed. This really helped me present designs to clients who have trouble picturing the designs in their heads. Moreover, Vectorworks can save a file into PDF without scaling difficulties. I have downloaded the free trial versions of different CAD and BIM software like Sketchup, ActCad, ArchiCAD, and Revit but Vectorworks is by far the best.

CONS: I have not used the full potential of the application yet, but so far I have not seen anything that I have problems with.

PROS: Powerful yet easy to use, combines all the benefits from BIM modeling to 2D drafting, uses the Cinema4D rendering Engine, is cross platform. Powerful NURBS, Parasolid, Subdivision and Bolean 3D tools.

CONS: None