7. Architectural/Graphics Software. Launching Your Virtual Architecture Practice

Architectural and graphics software and their online services are vital software for an architectural firm. This is your BIM, CAD, your photo editing software, modeling tools anything you use to represent graphic representations of your architectural work.

Some examples of my own work: I use Vectorworks as my BIM system. Now, Vectorworks has some cloud services that allows me to share models with clients. Rather than using what [Vectorworks] has to share with clients, I tend to like upload to a servie called ModeloIO. ModeloIO is an online tool and is very easy for the client to use because it can be uses on their tablet or smartphone. With just their finger, they can manipulate the view of the model. When I’m in the schematic design phase, I like to give clients models that are black and white. I don't want to give them too much color in the early phases.

Back to the Vectorworks model, you can see I'm already starting to model some color into into the BIM model. The online ModeloIO model had the interiors in it so they (the client) can do a walkthrough through this as well.

Any of your software for your CD or BIM or your other sort of modeling software, it's important that you have a it on a server or online so that your remote workers can have access to them. Then you’ll want a different type of software [or online service] so that your clients can review the model and project but not be able to edit it.

Key terms: work from home, WFH, remote working, virtual office, virtual firm, architecture firm, architect office, architect practice, architectural practice.