Reply To: BIM in Landscape Architecture

Having switched over to Vectorworks after using AutoCAD for many years, I was impressed to know that many have been using Vectorworks Landmark in performing SIM (Site Information Modeling) for some time now. The plant symbols are actually data objects that have the ability to be hybridized to be both 2D & 3D, so a landscape architect/designer could either “test” their ideas directly back and forth, or use it to present their ideas to the customer. Personally, I think the power of Vectorworks is both in this ability to marry the 2D and 3D aspects of our designs, but to use the data to make better decisions about how we design. The plant data can be used to make sure we are using drought tolerant plants where water is a concern, and sun loving plants where exposure is a concern, and native plants where we do not want to pollute the site with fertilizers and other controlling chemicals. The 3D site modeling tool allows a landscape architect/designer to model the site with the ideas they are proposing, and again test it for valid handling of the grades and balancing the site’s cut and fill. Being able to make reports from all objects placed in the site, such as plants, hardscapes, surface treatments, lighting, and other features, allows a designer to not only design more efficiently, but to report what their plans are proposing, quantifying the solution so that we can prove to our clients that when we approach the municipalities and planning authorities with our solution, they can see the rationale of our plans’ and their suitable response to the design standards. For those who think Revit might be a site solution to wait for, I would say Revit is BIM and Vectorworks Architect is too…but Vectorworks Landmark is SIM and why wait to see what Revit might do with the site when I can start doing it now with Vectorworks Landmark.