Explore 98 professional resources for drawing, BIM, simulation, materials and spatial analysis.
External professional resources complement GAD’s three calculators. The uses below are supported by publisher documentation, rather than GAD product tests. Access conditions, prices and suitability should be checked with each provider.
98 records · Page 1 / 5
Agisoft Metashape
Survey reconstruction
Process digital imagery into spatial data for mapping and documentation. The vendor describes photogrammetry uses including cultural heritage. For an architectural record, document capture conditions and survey controls, then inspect coverage and scale before the reconstructed output is used for measurements or conservation decisions.
Where it fits
Prepare a documented photogrammetric survey comparison.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Explore a building-design and engineering software environment. The useful question is how a chosen scope moves from geometry to coordinated documentation. Define the intended deliverables and participating disciplines, then test the information exchange and revision process with project-specific requirements.
Where it fits
Review delivery across a defined building-design scope.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Build small two-dimensional frame studies in a scripted analysis environment. The constrained scope makes assumptions easier to inspect. Keep geometry, supports and loading explicit, and use an engineering baseline when comparing results before drawing conclusions about a larger three-dimensional building.
Where it fits
Examine the effect of a support or span change.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Develop and document architectural information in a BIM authoring environment. For a meaningful evaluation, use the team's actual template and exchange requirements. Inspect object parameters, schedules and export results after one planned design change; this reveals more about delivery than a polished sample model.
Where it fits
Evaluate a BIM authoring and handoff sequence.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Estimate environmental impacts associated with building materials through a defined assessment workflow. It supports comparing assemblies when input quantities and scope are consistent. Review the relevant regional data and model assumptions before transferring an estimate to a project with different construction or supply conditions.
Where it fits
Investigate an assembly's environmental tradeoffs.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Organize model-related issues and coordination discussions around a traceable record. A useful issue describes the affected object, required decision and responsible reviewer. Confirm that resolved items correspond to the updated model rather than treating a closed discussion alone as proof of completed design coordination.
Where it fits
Connect a coordination decision to its model revision.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Inspect IFC models outside the original authoring software. This supports an initial exchange review before deeper editing or coordination. Compare object visibility and available information with the expected delivery, keeping the source file and viewer version available for follow-up investigation.
Where it fits
Check whether an IFC delivery opens and contains expected objects.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Create, edit and render three-dimensional geometry in an open visual-production environment. The official site documents modelling and rendering capabilities. Architectural use should retain model dimensions and object organization, and keep presentation imagery distinct from verified material, lighting or construction performance.
Where it fits
Prepare a controlled architectural model or visualization study.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Work with IFC-based building information in an open-source authoring environment. It is useful for examining an open exchange workflow directly. Begin with a limited modelling task and verify relationships and attributes after export rather than assuming that visible geometry guarantees complete BIM information.
Where it fits
Test an IFC-centered modelling and revision workflow.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Automate parts of a Modelica building-simulation workflow through Python utilities. It is useful for repeatable preparation and comparison. Keep the model and run settings versioned, inspect failed cases and verify a sample manually before relying on a large set of automatically generated results.
Where it fits
Repeat a checked simulation across controlled parameter changes.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Connect parametric geometry with OpenFOAM airflow investigation. This is a simulation workflow rather than an instant environmental verdict. Document geometry, meshing and boundary assumptions, and inspect the selected locations that matter to the design before comparing numerical results or visualized flow patterns.
Where it fits
Study airflow around a defined design geometry.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Build, solve and process finite-element models through a structural simulation package. The official source describes linear, nonlinear, static and dynamic capabilities. Architectural investigation should use an explicitly formulated engineering model and specialist interpretation, keeping a calculated result distinct from an approved building design.
Where it fits
Compare a defined structural model with a known engineering baseline.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Explore finite-element methods through a documented Python teaching and computation toolkit. It is useful for understanding an explicit engineering model rather than replacing structural design responsibility. Keep the mathematical setup and boundary assumptions visible, and compare a small result with an independently understood example.
Where it fits
Investigate a small finite-element problem with a known baseline.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Explore thermal-comfort models with visible environmental and personal assumptions. The tool helps compare parameter choices, including conditions beyond air temperature. Use it to frame a comfort discussion; a calculated index does not replace feedback from the people occupying a particular space.
Where it fits
Compare comfort assumptions for the same indoor condition.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Build a three-dimensional geographic presentation using a JavaScript globe library. It can help communicate site and city context when the source data are understood. Inspect coordinates, model detail and dataset provenance, keeping a visual scene distinct from a surveyed record or a planning determination.
Where it fits
Present a traceable site-context dataset in three dimensions.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Understand how three-dimensional city information can carry semantic structure alongside geometry. CityGML is a standard, not a ready-made model of a particular city. Check object definitions and level of detail before combining datasets for an architectural site study.
Where it fits
Specify the city-model information needed for a context exchange.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Explore a compact representation for semantic city models. The resource is useful when choosing an exchange format or processing urban context. A smaller file does not guarantee appropriate detail; inspect the represented objects and geometry before using them in a design model.
Where it fits
Review a city-context format before writing a data-processing workflow.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Turn climate data into an organized starting point for environmental design. Use it to frame questions about shading, ventilation and seasonal conditions, then test the selected strategy against the project's geometry and actual use rather than treating generic recommendations as a finished design.
Where it fits
Prepare a climate briefing before drawing envelope options.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Use architectural geometry as the starting point for daylight and thermal analysis. The resource can support early option studies and deeper performance questions. Define the measured outcome before producing maps, keeping weather, materials and room assumptions consistent across the alternatives being compared.
Where it fits
Study an envelope change with a consistent analysis baseline.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Reconstruct camera positions and three-dimensional structure from image collections through a documented photogrammetry pipeline. It can support architectural survey research with suitable captures. Inspect coverage, scale and reconstruction gaps before extracting dimensions or using inferred surfaces as evidence of the existing building.
Where it fits
Investigate reconstruction from a controlled site-image set.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Compare commercial facade configurations through a structured analysis workflow. Keep orientation, glazing assumptions and baseline conditions consistent so the difference relates to the facade choice. Early comparison can guide further investigation but does not replace detailed project coordination.
Where it fits
Compare several facade options with the same project assumptions.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Connect computational design work with finite-element modelling through the COMPAS ecosystem. The resource suits scripted investigation with explicit engineering assumptions. Define supports, materials and loading with the relevant engineer, and inspect the generated analysis model before interpreting its relationship to an architectural proposal.
Where it fits
Link a geometric study to a controlled structural-analysis model.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Retrieve thermophysical-property information for engineering calculations. It is an input resource for building-system studies rather than a complete design solution. Confirm fluid, state and units, and retain the calculation context before applying property values in an energy or equipment model.
Where it fits
Prepare consistent property inputs for a system calculation.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
Prepare real-time architectural scenes for design communication. Use a controlled view and a limited set of material or landscape variables to make comparisons understandable. Check that scene embellishment does not alter the intended openings, circulation or surrounding context without a recorded design decision.
Where it fits
Compare atmosphere options while retaining the same design geometry.
External official resource. GAD has checked the cited description, not tested the software or verified project outcomes. Review current version, access, licensing and applicability at the source.
