Is Autodesk Fusion 360 useful for Architects?

[bhavooksingh]

I am an architecture student, and understand that this is not a core building design software. Is there any use of this software in the field of Architecture that will help me advance my skills ?

[JamieGilchrist · Accepted solution]

hi bhavooksingh,

Fusion is really targeted at more traditional product design and mechanical design workflows.  So the tools we provide are really more tailored towards designs that are going to be machined, or 3D printed or some form of mass production/manufacturing.  If you are looking to learn a tool specifically for your professional development in the field of architectural design, Fusion probably isn't the tool to focus on.  There's is certainly good uses of Fusion supplementing design details for an architectural project, but you really should look at Autodesk Revit as it is widely used in the architectural and construction field.

Now I have used Fusion to do some small architectural type of projects, I tend to use the direct modeling mode (not capturing design history) because it gives me a lot more freedom for modeling and placing and editing my components without the structural overhead that parametric modeling has.

this is some remodel work I'm doing on my garage all in Fusion360 direct modeling.

hope this helps.

[cekuhnen]

Honesty everything can be used for architecture even SketchUp - the question is maybe what you need and also try to do with the 3D model.

That much more will answer the question. There are tools for BIM like design like Revit or conceptual work like Grasshopper.

[revit4mac]

Unfortunately, Autodesk can only suggest Formit which is like a Unicycle or Revit which is a Locomotive built over almost 20  years of complexity. They need something in between like a Sketchup with architectural parametric tools. (wall window doors roofs). Things have not change in almost 20 years in my view as an architect. Fusion 360 does seem to be a more modern and very capable software for product design. I think they replaced the older Inventor software with it. This is want needs to happen to Revit. Disruption is greatly!

[cekuhnen]

@revit4mac

I have to second the Revit opinion - while Revit has its merit it seems ultimately a clunky software.

Your point about no change is interesting to hear, because for me in academia it is interesting to see how much also professionals

we consult refuse change them-self actually.

Biggest comment is always that something is not the industry standard or no one uses it. Well SketchUp was first invented to do

quick mockups and over years it evolved into a poplar software.

I am currently working with my students on an interior space design (furniture and space) and I am curious how this will go.

For furniture design my interior design students already complained about how productive Fusion is compared to sketchUp.

I am curious what their impression will be after we also did the space design.

[revit4mac]

I think as professionals we (or they) have a heard mentality. They only changed from Autocad to Revit because they somehow bought the marketing and had the impression that all other firms were buying it. It made them feel progressive. The cad and inters had to bear the burden of learning and using it anyway. It is not a joy to use like I think some other software seems greener on the other side like Fusion360. I guess architecture sofware is not a priority for Autodesk like they say. In spite of all the Labs projects there are few robust and futuristic getting real work done for ordinary projects.

It is amazing to see how Sketchup has been extended beyond it's abilities because it is affordable and somewhat fun to use. I still feel Autodesk needs that product in between the skateboard of Formit and locomotive of Revit. Maybe Formit will evolve but it is slow. It is hard for them to cannibalize Revit with a new product. But if they stopped to think there is room for a sports car or even pickup truck in the product lineup.

Autodesk bought Revit since they were so depended on Autocad. I think it will take another brave startup to disrupt Autodesk and Revit once again. Sadly I see nothing out there. Please let me know if you do. I want cross plaftorm and Mac too.

[0502880]

Hi!

Just curious, which render software you use for interior/space/room renderings? As far as I have understood, the Fusion renderer isn't designed for that kind use.

-Juha

[cekuhnen]

There are plenty to use.

For a indoor rendering you need an engine that allows you to place lights and cameras where needed with all the rendering ticks a

photographer would dream about.

So here is a list:

VRay - pretty fantastic engine, affordable but needs a host application like Maya 3D Max

Cycles - Native for Blender incredible powerful material and scene deign tools and fast GPU rendering  and free

Thea Render - Can use CPU and GPU together, very easy to use UI, comes with own host application, has a plug-in for Fusion, materials are fantastic, has many tools for camera and light

In terms of cost and easy to learn I would go with Thea. If you are on a low budget and like to learn go Cycles.

I use and teach both. Also own Vray but the other engines just outperform it because I do not need a second commercial host app to run it.

[0502880]

Thank's for your suggestions! I took a quick tour to the Thea renderer site and it seems quite powerful and also afordable. But I didn't found any reference about decals; how do you use them with Thea? Should you place them already in Fusion?

Cycles seems with a quic glance more difficult to learn, maybe I'm wrong... And which file format you should use to import a Fusion model to it?

-Juha

[cekuhnen]

@0502880 Cycles isn't harder to learn - there is just more to learn.

Thea is what I wish Keyshout would be for the industry. Cycles is an engine for CG artists.

Thea has a plug in for Fusion.

Cycles needs STL or OBJ.

STL Fusion can export.

If you have Maya or MOI you can export STEP from Fusion and export clean OBJs from Maya MOI 3D for Blender.