AutoCAD vs AutoCAD Architecture

[Anonymous]

Hello, I recently purchased Autodesk AutoCAD but am considering changing over to AutoCAD for Architects.  My application is interior design of Home Theaters.  I know I can do 3D drawings using a previous version of AutoCAD, 2004, but I would like to upgrade.  I see that AutoCAD Architecture allows you to utilize standard objects, such as window and doors, but my application involves building custom wall structures. Some examples of the drawings in 3-D I made can be seen in my website acousticallycorrect.net (currently under constructions).  If you select "Design", it shows some of the drawings I made.  My question is, does AutoCAD Architect have all the same capabilities of AutoCAD, in other words, can you use AutoCAD Architecture I in a regular AutoCAD mode if needed?.

Thanks,

Rick

[neaton · Accepted solution]

Yes, I have mine set up with a <<VANILLA>> profile and the stock architecture profile so I can use it either way. Different icons on the desktop make it easy to select the profile I want to use before I start.

Since a lot of architects are going toward Revit you may want to look into that depending on what architects need that you may be coordinating with.

Nancy

[swieciakpawel]

 Hello,

Just as Nancy suggested You will be able to use vast majority of AutoCAD standard features with the Architecture product. Basing on the drawings that can be seen on Your website, everything can be done on both products.

Architecture is basically the standard version, enriched with additional functionality, and the only things that Architecture may be lacking is some small tweaks, as it naturally happens when there are different developer teams working on different products.

You can compare products on Autodesk main website:

AutoCAD 2017 vs AutoCAD Architecture 2017

Kind Regards,
Pawel

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

I see that you are visiting as a new member. Welcome to the Autodesk Community!

If you just made your subscription purchase you might be able to alter it to use a different product such as AutoCAD Architecture or Revit.

AutoCAD Architecture is built upon AutoCAD so the learning curve is very reasonable if you decide to use it as Architecture rather than as AutoCAD only.

IMHO, I suggest also taking a look at Revit. It will of course, be totally different from what you are used to working with in AutoCAD but it is a great program for Architecture and Interiors.

Perhaps you should download some trial versions and give them a spin to see what best fits your workflow.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

I am checking back to see if my post or others helped you with your problem. Please add a post with how you decide to proceed and your results so other Community members may benefit.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, still looking into it, Rick

[gotphish001]

You might want to check into just using sketchUP. You can add on a rendering engine to it that will create 360 degree images your clients can look at on their phones for demos. Where ever they point the phone is what part of the room they will see.  You can also put them in a cheap VR headset and the client will be inside your model. I've done a few just messing around to learn it a little and they came out pretty cool. If I was designing single rooms, I'd definitely consider just using sketchup as a way to show clients how it would look. That and the sketchup warehouse has a billion things people have added to it. Plus sketchup is much cheaper than autocad architecture. You might be better off with regular autocad and sketchup. Both would still be cheaper than autocad architecture and by just looking at your website, I think you'd get more out of it for less money.

On a side note you can get an add on from the autodesk app store that lets you add things to autocad right from the sketchup warehouse. I have 2017 ACA and have add things from sketchup warehouse. It seems that the sketchup 2015 versions seems to work best. It lets you pick which version you want to add in the warehouse. Sometimes you need to try a few to get one to work.

[gotphish001]

We did a fire station and in the break room they wanted to put a beam in from the original fire station and put the old letters from the original sign on it. I made this just messing around to see what I could do with a trial version of panorama. It was my first attempt, but came out decent for just screwing around in some down time. You can pan around with the mouse and zoom with wheel also. If you open the link on a phone it uses the phones gyroscope and shows what you are pointing the phone at. Click VR mode and put the phone in a VR headset and it would be a great way to show clients ideas.

Fire station break room

Keep in mind that the trial version of panorama only let me render in like 600x600. Up that to HD quality with the paid version and it should be pretty slick. It was a reasonable price if I remember, like 100 bucks.