Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc. is preparing to release the 2024 version of its product line, designed for comprehensive solutions that automate processes and allow designers tackle more complex problems with less effort. The upcoming version includes Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Design Suite and Fundamentals, along with 2024 versions of ConnectCAD, Braceworks and Vision.
“Vectorworks 2024 represents a significant move forward in integrating our tools into specific design workflows. By taking a holistic and high-level approach, we work hard to ensure that our software aligns seamlessly with the natural processes of designers,” says Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar. “From ideation to final execution, this latest version has been carefully crafted to ensure new tools and existing features work together harmoniously to diminish disruptions and enhance productivity.”
Designers
To save designers time, Vectorworks 2024 delivers an updated and modernized user interface designed to make working in Vectorworks more efficient and easier to customize. The reorganized View and Mode bars bring a wide range of tools to the forefront, so users can decide how to organize tools and shortcuts for easy access.
Additionally, Project Sharing has been rebuilt to ensure project data and geometry is always current in a project file. Project Sharing+ tracks every change, every time, and substantially improves reliability regardless of the team or project size. Designers will see the ability to save custom viewport settings as “styles,” making them easily transferable between viewports on different sheets or project files, cutting out the tedium of replicating viewport settings and avoiding errors.
The newly added ability to reference data from native Excel files reduces manual steps and the risk of user input error, resulting in better connectivity to external data and a new avenue for designers to enhance their collaborative data capabilities.
Creating higher levels of realism earlier in the design process can also be achieved with further improvements to Shaded Rendering. Designers can assess their designs more confidently with improvements to shadow casting and the addition of camera settings that allow them to define depth of field, exposure and bloom for real-world camera-like effects in the real-time Shaded Rendering mode.
Lighting and Live Event Designers
The Equipment Lists feature exemplifies a focus on providing automated solutions to manual, complex and repetitive tasks experienced in the Entertainment industry by unifying the equipment and inventory tracking process. Equipment Lists is designed to streamline the preproduction process by providing the tools to plan and document all the equipment needed by a show or production.
And for those focused on A/V installation, the upcoming ConnectCAD “Share Reports” command lets designers upload design data to Vectorworks Cloud Services as a configurable worksheet so it can be viewed in a web browser on any device, ensuring that all project partners and installers are accessing the most up-to-date information.
In addition to the automation and problem-solving capabilities, Vectorworks 2024 will build on the platform’s improvements. Users can expect several significant quality enhancements in the approaching version, with more detailed information to come soon.
“Continuing our tradition of excellence, Vectorworks 2024 embodies our quality initiative, emphasizing solutions to complex problems,” says Vectorworks Chief Product Officer Darick DeHart. “We believe in the power of comprehensive workflows that address the challenges faced by designers and can’t wait to share more on the exciting improvements in quality that await our users in the new version.”
Architects and Interior Designers
In the upcoming 2024 version, users will find improved geometry for thresholds and sills, so they'll better fit with wall closures. Customers will also see more options to control interior and exterior conditions, gaps around doors and windows can be controlled for each side of the opening, and door handing has been standardized to allow for more detailed geometry and data that supports industry standards. Additionally, Materials can now be assigned to doors and windows, for accuracy and consistency in visual representation and reporting.
The upcoming version also brings robust parametric objects redefined to address architects’ requirements. New parametric handrails and guardrails can be created from building objects, such as stairs, slabs and ramps, and they bring the flexibility and accuracy needed to create more custom configurations. New parametric cabinet objects for interior projects help create a greater range of cabinet configurations and provide more interactive placement and generation for easier editing and customization. With these improvements, designers can produce models and documentation more confidently.
Landscape Architects and Designers
Vectorworks is dedicated to empowering landscape architects and designers with intuitive design and creation tools, enabling their active and meaningful participation in the BIM process. The new, automated Fence tool will save significant time while designing in 2D and 3D and also allow for accurate material reporting, reducing the chance for errors in material specifications. It is optimized for simplified and detailed representations and supports integrated posts, gates and terrain-conforming options like sloped or stepped. Landscape designers now have the necessary tool to design a complete fence project in 2D and 3D for more accurate documentation and better collaboration.
The upcoming English language release is expected to become available in September 2023 to active Vectorworks Service Select members and subscription customers. For the most up-to-date news on the launch of Vectorworks 2024, visit vectorworks.net in the coming weeks and follow @Vectorworks. Press can contact pr@vectorworks.net for additional information, high-res images, press interviews, preview demos and more.
