6 design apps that are making waves

With so many applications to select from, many of which are trying to appeal to a wide variety of consumers and usage circumstances, finding the best new design apps may be a time-consuming and discouraging endeavor. Here, we've put together a collection of applications made especially for architects and designers that provide intuitive, cutting-edge, and imaginative design solutions.

1. Enscape

Enscape for SketchUp is now offered in a Mac-compatible version. Picture: Enscape

Enscape is a rendering engine with an integrated asset library that is compatible with well-known 3D modeling programs.

For SketchUp, a new Mac-compatible version of the software is now accessible.

It provides an excellent blend of output quality and usability when compared to other well-known real-time renderers (Lumion, Twinmotion, Unity, Unreal).

1. Best for: People looking for a creative visualization program that connects to virtual reality headsets and is simple to use for the first time.
2. Compatible with Windows 10 or later. Both the Mac desktop and Macbook Pro are compatible with the new Sketchup plug-in for Mac (with good GPU).
3. Requirements: SketchUp is the host application for Macs (2021 & 2022). SketchUp (as of 2019), ArchiCAD (as of 22), Revit (as of 2019), Vectorworks (as of 2020), and Rhino are available for Windows users (6.0 & 7.0).
4. Where to buy: Direct purchases from Enscape or their New Zealand reseller start at NZD $925 + GST per year.
5. Try: A 14-day trial is available for free.

2. Spaces version 2.1

This iPad app is mostly a sketching tool. Drawings from the beginning can be transformed into three-dimensional buildings to see compositions from different angles.

1. Design architects who wish to swiftly investigate sketch-based 3D modeling without the aid of CAD are the best candidates.
2. iPadOS 15.0 or later is required.
3. Where to buy: Buying through the Apple App Store.
4. Try: A 14-day trial is available for free.

3. AutoCAD Mobile

Through this app's new mobile-friendly interface, you can use the capabilities of AutoCAD.

The ability to work offline and sync later, make revisions instantly, substitute blueprints on project sites with mobile drawings, and access DWG files directly from AutoDesk Drive are notable capabilities.

1. Best for: Current AutoCAD users who want to change or view drawings while on the job or in a conference.
2. Available on iOS 14.0 or later with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. 64-bit Android 7.0 or later on a phone or tablet
3. Requirements: Free with a desktop AutoCAD/LT subscription.
4. Where to buy: Direct purchase through the Apple App Store. US $9.99 each month US $99.99 per year
5. Try: A 30-day free trial is available.

4. Morpholio Trace - Sketch CAD

Architects can sketch and draw on top of maps, pictures, and other documents with the sketching and drawing tool Morpholio Trace.

Users may augment hand drawing with AR, VR, and in-app intelligence, interact using in-app markup tools, and more.

1. Best for: Visual presentations using several media and artistic 2D and 3D drawings.
2. iOS iPad Pro and Pencil are supported.
3. Where to buy: Buying through the Apple App Store. USD $4.99 - $19.99 p/m.
4. Try: A 30-day free trial is available.

5. ARki / ARki Pro

Winner of the best digital tools by Architizer A+ Awards in 2019, this is an augmented reality app, where you can import 3D models from popular 3D modeling software and blend real site features with AR. ARki has the ability to visualise AR at any scale and store models offline for later use when connected to wifi.

1. Best suited for: Large-scale workers. ARki, in contrast to the majority of other AR applications, can position 3D models (such as buildings) inside a large-scale actual site context.
2. Available on iOS devices including the iPad Pro, iPhone 6S, and above.
3. Requirements: access to the camera on the gadget. works best on equipment with a LiDAR.
4. Where to buy: Buying through the Apple App Store. £17.99 p/m £199.99 p/yr.
5. Try: They provide a 30-day free trial.

6. Twinmotion

Twinmotion, a highly user-friendly visualisation program developed by Epic Games and powered by Unreal Engine, integrates with a number of significant CAD, BIM, and 3D modeling products.

1. Best for: People who want to test out a reliable, powerful visualization program that syncs quickly with source data, supports virtual reality, and can link to the Sketchfab library.
2. Available on: macOS 10.14.6 or later, including macOS Monterey, and Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 (64 bit).
3. Please take note that M1 chips are not yet fully supported or utilized.
4. Requirements: View here, indeed.
5. Where to buy: Purchase a commercial license directly from Twinmotion's New Zealand resellers for NZ$850.
6. Try: For non-commercial projects, they provide an unrestricted free trial period.

The My3D.Cloud team assembled this list after conducting its own study and consulting with experts in the field of digital rendering and architecture to confirm the apps' merits.

My3D.Cloud - a platform for Architects and Contractors who uses 3D laser scanning and 3D modelling in their work

1. Storage
2. Viewers 3D files
3. Converting 3D files 
4. Sharing
5. Teamwork
6. Mobile

We have created this platform to improve project delivery and collaboration experience. Thanks to it, users get the opportunity to increase the loyalty of their customers, and in turn, customers get time savings and maximum convenience.

Go to My3D.Cloud