which software is better for architects?

[dadofthomas]

I am new to using higher-end 3d software such as 3ds Max and Rhino. I have been using Sketchup for quite some time and love it for its simplicity (but somewhat limited tools). Therefore I decided to tried the two software above. I found Rhino to be more intuitive and 'friendly' towards architecture, and just easier to use. I found 3ds Max to be very powerful, but also very difficult to pick up. It is way beyond what an architect needs but it also has built-in animation tools (which is becoming more and more in demand for architects).

 

I saw your poll showing Rhino usage holding only about 4% while 3ds Max is almost 80%. Is this really true?

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

If it is down to Max and Rhino, then I would say Rhino. I do say that based on you wanting to know what software is better for architects between the two.

 

Even though I am a Max user, I can list 3 things that are vital to the current stage of architecture that Max is very poor at. Of course, maybe I can list these because I am a Max user, and these are issues I have encountered. Things I know I could do easier in Rhino.

 

- Printing Digital Models, and even prepping files for laser cutting.

- Accuracy in the model of the building that is being designed which will allow it to be easily translated to construction drawings, and other items.

- An advanced generative modeling system. Which is a heavy current trend, but I beleive it has real value in understanding future technologies.

 

Rhino does those items better than Max, and those are 3 items that are basically fairly common in architecture firms today.

 

Now when it comes to the visualization of architecture, I would say that Max has Rhino beat fairly solidly. Max has several years of use in fields that employee scripters and plugins writers. There are people coding directly for architecture and arch viz, but those are few compared to the number scripting and coding for the game industry and movie industry. Luckily we get to then use these in our industry too.

 

Examples of these are..

 

- More advanced rendering options.

- Superior animation tools.

- Endless plethora of integrated 3rd party tools and plugins to get the job done.

 

The number of design viz vs architects on this board favors design viz. So I beleive this accounts for part of the reason that viz is so heavily favored. If there were more architects here, I would expect to see Rhino score higher. I don't know that it will beat Max, because Max's market reach is larger, and been around longer. I just think that Rhino would have a lot stronger showing, since I beleive its toolset has a better fit to the design process of a building.

 

As Alex makes clear, at the end of the day you are going to use the tool that is the best extension of your hand. The one that feels comfortable. And more than likely, you will even use it for things that the other software does better just because you are more comfortable with the process to do it, even if the other piece of software could do it faster.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Crazy Homeless Guy

[dadofthomas]

thanks guys for the response. I see now the separate groupings of architects vs. visualization industry...can you guys make a recommendation for a rendering/animation software for Rhino? What about Vray for Sketch and Rhino?

[Derek Forreal]

what exactly do you need the software to do? if you like sketchup but think it's limited, have a look at at Bonzai3D:

 

http://www.bonzai3d.com/bonzai3d_homeN.html

 

very simiar to sketchup but far more powerful, plus it will soon have renderers available.

 

check out the tutorials vids for a taste of what it can do.

 

you mention animation - how about rendering? i tried out many apps (incl. 3dsMax - a big favourite here), but thankfully decided against it. yes Max can do it all, but so can other applications, most at a fraction of the cost (some free) and without the ridiculous autodesk licensing dictatorship, i mean agreement.

 

if you are after more than just modelling, have a look at modo:

 

http://www.luxology.com/

 

or blender (which is free and can do everything that 3dsMax does)

 

http://www.blender.org/

 

a new version of blender (2.5) is due out in the next few weeks and promises some big, impressive changes.

 

just my 2c

[dadofthomas]

thank you for pointing me to Blender! I downloaded it yesterday and I am going thru the tutorials right now. I saw a tutorial on bring Rhino to Blender, I hope it will be friendlier than Max...I saw a some translators from NPower, but they are pretty pricey.

[beestee]

Something else to consider when trying to decide which path to take is if you really want to follow the majority or not.

 

Your work will stand out more if you learn to use the less often used tools, but your support pool also becomes very shallow, leaving you to figure out a lot of the issues you may encounter along the way on your own. You really have to decide which you would rather favor...a more unique look to your work or a deeper pool of peers to draw software specific knowledge from.

 

A few other solutions to consider would be Cinema4D and Modo.

 

All of the different softwares have some form of following, so there is at least some support with pretty much any package you would choose.

 

Sketch-Up is really starting to pick up some momentum in the texturing and rendering arena as of late. I suggest that you check out Twilight Render if you haven't yet...it could change your opinion of what Sketch-Up is capable of.

[John Dollus]

have you tried going from rhino to max using the new SAT importer in the connection extension add-on?

[Asimo_mosi]

Hi everyone.

im a newbees in this forum.. its my first time to post... Just wanna share my opinion. There's no such thing as better software because its just depend on how comfortable or maybe how long your using in your software. As long as you present impressively and very much familiar to the software your using just be with it... will if you want another flavor ( sofware ) it's your choice to study again that sofware...

We have also what we called advantages and disadvantages in our sofware we using... for example max and skecthup. max is powerful yet very difficult to used specially if your not yet familiar and take lots of time but in SU so very friendly and cause a minimum of time. comparison max is powerful but difficult and time consuming - SU very friendly and can save time... just like other software its everyone's choice...

 

mosi

[doctorweb]

If it is down to Max and Rhino, then I would say Rhino. I do say that based on you wanting to know what software is better for architects between the two.

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