A Residential Architect's Workflow - Design Software

Here's what I use:
* AutoCAD LT: amzn.to/2dxjMDH
* Adobe CC Photography (Photoshop + Lightroom) Plan: amzn.to/2dhq5ap
* SketchUp PRO: www.sketchup.c... with Maxwell plug-in: www.maxwellrend...
A look at the software I use as a residential architect and when it enters the design workflow through the lens of a project currently under construction.
There are fundamentally two types of software I use in my professional work which I discuss in the video: presentation and drawing or modeling software. All CAD work is done in AutoCAD LT and modeling is done in SketchUp Pro along with the Maxwell Render plug-in. For presentations I use Photoshop along with Lightroom to process images.
// GEAR I USE //
DSLR CAMERA:
* Canon 70D: amzn.to/29klz7k
LENSES:
* Canon 24mm f2.8 Lens: amzn.to/29l7ac5
* Canon 40mm f2.8 Lens: amzn.to/29x2QcI
AUDIO:
* Rode VideoMic Pro (hotshoe mtd.): amzn.to/29qlNM3
* ATR-2100 USB (dynamic mic): amzn.to/2dFDaKp
ARCHITECTURE GEAR:
* Prismacolor Markers: thirtybyforty.c...
* Timelapse Camera: thirtybyforty.c...
* AutoCAD LT: amzn.to/2dxjMDH
* SketchUp PRO: amzn.to/2cRcojz
* HP T120 Plotter: amzn.to/2dBGf1O
* Adobe CC Photography (Photoshop/Lightroom) Plan: amzn.to/2dhq5ap
STARTUP TOOLKIT:
* Architect + Entrepreneur Startup Toolkit: thirtybyforty.c...
~-~~-~~~-~~-~
Please watch: "Making a Site Model - The Outpost Project"
• Making a Site Model - ...
~-~~-~~~-~~-~

[@stephenramos2824]

For such a visual discipline I find architecture to be poorly represented on youtube. Eric is easily one of if not he best architecture channels on youtube, keep up the great work.

[@30by40]

many thanks Stephen...appreciate it!

[@TheDullRainbow]

Most architects are too busy for the video production labor. It's a real shame though, firms should just hire a production team to document everything. I'd watch it!

[@babydemonlab]

Completely agree.

[@Mustafa-dm5co]

Agree with you Stephen

[@nightprowler6336]

@@30by40 i like how organized and clean u are at the work

[@rasnamall8184]

You teach architecture better then all my lectures and tutors in university! 😂😂😂making us understand the core is very crucial as this seem to be missing in my uni.

[@30by40]

kind words rosabel isadora ...respect...

[@WAJK2030]

yeah you should actually get deeper into stuff @30X40 Design Workshop. When i studied, it felt like i didnt even have lectures at times or at least nobody is realy helping on making sense out of everything. I was lucky i was a trained architecturial draftsman, with 3 years of experience at a architects office in my city, when i started my architecture studies at university. Great content!

[@kaywinlim8462]

University invokes theory, ideas, history and delves a bit into the practical. It's the architecture schools that break up the entire process from top-down to bottom-up approaches and are usually more practical than theory. And the work environment melds the two together pulling talent from either side. You learn from me and I learn from you. :)

[@roninkoans6065]

i am not and will never be an architect, but i still find this channel extremely interesting. im super impressed by your ability to make it watchable for people who dont know anything about architecture.

[@saulo22]

I’ve been an architect for almost 11 years, but learn a lot from your videos!

[@aperson30]

Literally learned so much with this channel, I feel like university just throws problems at you and lets you figure out what needs to happen, which I really appreciate, but the reality is not everything applies. I feel like I'm gaining a lot of insight into what does now, through this channel.

[@danielaparicio3692]

i watch these videos even though im not in architecture school

[@30by40]

cross pollination...always a student my friend...always a student...

[@dougfinlay7531]

I'm not a trained Architect but a Civil Designer with a Land Surveying qualification. I have also worked as a residential new build quantity surveyor for 5 years learning every part of a home and all materials required. I have designed many single and double storey homes. I am Autocad proficient and use full Autocad. Autocad with Toolsets now incorporates many disciplines including Architecture which is great for designers of buildings. The beauty of full Autocad is the ability to customise and speed up the drawing process. Love your videos! Very informative.

[@ryanmcgowan3061]

Exactly the same setup we are using. By the way, LT is robust enough to use with large teams if you set up your projects in XREFs and use the sheet set manager, which IMO everyone should be doing anyway, even on one-person projects. I design in Sketchup, pass the model to the draftsmen, and they put it to paper, so to speak. You can take Sketchup models and polish them off in Photoshop for the client if you're artistic. I don't render in 3D unless it's required for the job. My Photoshop renderings look better anyway. When I do go 3D, I bring the Sketchup model into Blender, and final renderings are done on EC2 instances on the cloud, saving me from waiting for my PC to be free to keep working while the pretty pixels get assembled.

[@meneksecansuturan5263]

Watching your videos make me feel like home and relaxing- cause our room, style and all others are just the same!😅 Its like you are my male version. thank you for your existence~

[@PaolaArletty]

This video was GREAT! You're so knowledgeable. Wish there were videos like these for interior design 😊. Thanks for sharing

[@hishamziard8473]

100% this

[@r.e.henderson1235]

I’m an old school architect who has always used hand sketches and bumwad (trace paper). It’s become more difficult in the digital age if only for communications w/ the client. I have begun using Morpholio Trace on my Ipad Pro. It is an amazing tool to bridge the bumwad-digital challenge. You hand sketch on virtual trace paper over PDFs. It’s got a pretty dynamic set of tools for such a young software and instead of scanning trace sheets. To send to clients- it’s all there in layers. I would recommend it highly to anyone doing hand sketching, albeit digital.

[@cbbgenki4315]

As a fellow architect, your videos are pretty good and i sometimes watch it to get back to basics. Thank you. Kids today are so lucky for the internet. They have no excuse for not being better architects or designers than us.

[@jac71118]

Nice video well done, We are a small design firm and over 30 or 40 years of designing houses, We have evolved into a system much like the one that you describe, Including some hand sketch. We make a slight departure from your system in that we use Morphilio for doing sketched preliminaries prior to an Autocad Lt preliminary. At this point we export the Autocad floor plan into SketchUpPro and create the interior and exterior model, Sometimes we use a SketchUp Renderer plugin for a presentation graphics. At this point we export the exterior model elevations to give us a little head start in Autocad, aside from that we don’t have any hookup between the model and Cad. This is a simple process and it’s very quick and we are fairly successful with it.

[@bennyasmarajaya5677]

the things that I never learn on college. the drawing workflow. thank you so much!

[@30by40]

youtube = college (minus) tuition...and a few other things. glad you found it helpful.

[@wolfieswifty13]

You should really have online classes, I'm one of the people who would actually pay to be taught by you. My professors are sht.

[@axellofstrand4739]

Absolute professionalism. I am astounded by the vast knowledge presented. Giving me deep rooted insights. Inner nerves have already begun to unravel lackluster passions! Thank you for this video. Cheers. *Tink-tink*

[@SpaghettiMarinarable]

I've really been enjoying you video series. I run a small design/build firm with a partner. I'm design. Sketchup has been my heavy lifter after learning and using archicad and Revit, though the 2D layout side is definitely not as smooth a CAD. It's good to hear that you came to the same conclusion. I want to draw not operate software. I only hope I can get the kind of commissions that allow for a fuller process and physical modeling, but I take what I can get in the Midwest. Your process and developed designs are inspiring, so thanks!

[@30by40]

Thanks for sharing your experience +Alex Melamed ...drawing vs. operating, well said...! cheers...

[@cocoricov]

I totally agree with you. Having worked in a middle sized architecture company moving from autocad to revit, bim software don't make you gain time. They make you gain relability especialy on the more advanced phases of the project. But the trade off translates into a more standard architecture, and very heavy pricing software plans, which are non-sense for small projects. My personal choice is rhino, which can handle plan and 3d at the same cost of Su pro, and being far more powerful.

[@30by40]

wanting to check out rhino...is the learning curve similar to SU?

[@cocoricov]

Well, nothing can beat Su in termes of learning curve. But if you're familiar with autocad, it's not that hard. Considering the gain in terms of relalibity and possibilities, I think it worths the time investment.

[@fernandolino6493]

I was also working between Autocad and sketchup... Revit is too rigid to me. I was really spending more time in Sketchup so I desided to tryout layout to generate CD's.... So i had to setup my own workflow and now I can say that it works very well... I use them with Excel .... yes, excel... I have all the info there,: info for title blocks, areas, schedules, notes, tags, etc....I only have to modify what i want there and update the reference file in layout. Great video as usual!!!

[@30by40]

nice...being a practitioner is what matters and that's what you're doing...experimenting, finding what works and doing more of that...much success to you...

[@jayfailing6714]

Fernando, does the Excell function like Ex Ref and when revised, does the Excell schedule in Plan set, auto revise? via file..?

[@UHStudio]

Blender is also a must have for architects as it is both great for conceptual modeling and also for rendering while it's free and open source

[@SamDiscovers]

Thanks for this Eric, much appreciated! I'm glad you were able to make this request happen very fast. Cheers.

[@30by40]

cheers...your request topped a string of other dm's so thought it was time...

[@reinit8862]

Eric I do large scale project in 3d with archicad in bim teamwork for years... but when I have to design smaler projects like family houses I use exactly your workflow! Instead von autocad lt I use bricscad 2D its basicly the same (check it out). With sketchup and Cad 2D I am much faster than with archicad 3D, more effizient and it makes more fun because its easy to use. I think your workflow is the best solution for your Projects! thanks for sharing!!!

[@rashmiverma6371]

I wish our professors could be like you...

[@sbullock2976]

Your videos and your insight is the best! Thanks.

[@goodjob249]

For those who are looking for a good 3D programm: Try Archicad. I‘ve used Autocad, Revit, Rhino and Archicad. And I can say that Archicad is the best if you want to draw 2D and 3D + Renderings.

[@tomasmachourek9805]

hi, are u windows or mac users? based on Revit I would say Win, right? The archicad is great, and probably the only solution on mac ..

[@sh3llz2]

Great video. Very insightful. Thank you!

[@30by40]

you're quite welcome +sh3llz2

[@deniszaika9534]

Some time ago, i was able to use GT Digital Project, very expensive, but incredible all-in-one software.

[@paco68it]

Amazing)) give archicad a try, you will love it))

[@joserosa5342]

Im starting to use SketchUp, is very good as a tool to model forms, objects. Like first steps of modeling the concept and spaces.

[@samrfactor]

Que buen trabajo estoy viendo todos sus videos y realmente son muy inspiradores por su calidad. Gran trabajo!

[@ZeeDeveel19]

lovely vid, always good to find out people's tools and processes! :D

[@bamflyer]

Hi Eric, I have a question about the detailing process for construction docs, could you make a video on that? Cheers

[@30by40]

Hi +BAM Films...thanks for the suggestion, I'll see what I can do...cheers...

[@SamDiscovers]

Great idea BAM Films, always nice to gain insight on how to properly depict construction docs so information isn't lost between the architect and contractor!

[@bamflyer]

30X40 Design Workshop thanks for the awesome videos

[@SuzukiMx184]

I also agree... A video that shows how to detail a basic residential house and include drainage design, electrical layouts and how to go about all other construction related drawings.

[@hardwick1010]

@Eric @30x40DesignWorkshop - it's incredible what you've built, and your generosity in sharing it so clearly with all of us. Quick question for you - is this your same software suite at present (March 2020) or has it shifted at all over the past two-plus years? Thank you!

[@txtunggg99]

You are a great instructor. Please continue this work ^^

[@zoubeirmunseea7906]

Great video. Give lots of inspirations. Thank you

[@30by40]

you're quite welcome +Zoubeir Munseea

[@isottatokio]

always inspiring to see others workflow. cheers from fellow architect :)

[@nickmcgarvey6463]

I work at a very small firm with a similar tool complement, only we are doing more and more multi-million dollar industrial scale projects and of course, the push is to "just get it done". It's getting hard...

[@leevanbinh]

I don't even need photoshop as a presntation software, as clients understand the Sketchup model so much better.

[@aikinsyeboah3086]

Try chief architect.it saves time.best residential CAD

[@glenn3646]

I think twinmotion will suit you well

[@glenn3646]

Or Lumion

[@bjornosten689]

Thanks for your video, we have literally just started out on our own, incredibly we use the exact same workflow, however we do use full auto cad (which is really overkill) and we use Cinema4d and Sketchup so we do not have to rely on photoshop as much. Again, thanks for the video

[@30by40]

fascinated about Cinema 4D...have you used 3DSMax? Wondering how similar the UI is to that...

[@bjornosten689]

The workflow is different for C4D over 3DS, C4D will open sketchup files natively, it is best not to paint the model in sketchup, you can but then you have to play around quite a bit in the materials tab to get it right, best just create your own library in C4D. The problem with all of these things is that learning new software is always a labour of love, and when you are working to deadlines it is hard to cost off what benefit you will have spending time on it. I can send you some examples of what you can achieve, C4D is GPS linked as well, similar to REVIT, so you can tell it where in the world you are and it will give you a projection of the sun at that co-ordinate. It is excellent for testing you ideas for fenestration! I still however hand draw pretty much everything, and render by hand as well, I work out form and space, then use the digital side to problem solve, this way I am not affecting my creative process but I am able to resolve the technical aspects of the design, but for me, space and form always come first, we are creating spaces for people to enjoy, nobody will care about connection details and expansion joints in the larger scheme of things!

[@leevanbinh]

I find that doing the schematic in Autocad is more efficient and accurate than hand sketches first then transfer to Cad.

[@akoshegyi6698]

Beautiful work. Well done 👍🏻

[@smitswar5866]

Sir Your teachings are better than my clg teachers 😊

[@Carlos-lz7il]

Great video! It would be interesting to see how you use photoshop to tell the story of the architecture, it would be very helpful for portfolios or representing the ideas behind the project without the architect there.

[@24mjohnson]

Have you done or ever thought of doing like a tutorial of your full work flow from beginning to end? With all apps and stuff used for your process?

[@albertgerard4639]

Nice sketch up trees 🌲 Tgey flashed first in the composit view.

[@shawnahogan6599]

Great work!

[@dylanchung6015]

hopefully you can upload more video regarding architecture design

[@30by40]

of course... |m|

[@CasperHaanappel]

Great video !

[@leevanbinh]

I just switched to Skechtup and Layout for all my 3D and documentation, after i nail down the floor plan with the client on Autocad 2D

[@navidkhayam9067]

Your methodology is so old-school man! You need to try out REVIT

[@30by40]

Results matter, tools do not.

[@vaai_design-build-ltd]

Great video. Thank you.

[@Zoot1343]

Excellent video series, thx for sharing, Adam, Tofino.CA

[@30by40]

cheers my friend...thanks for watching and sharing...

[@JeffCrowell11]

This is very helpful. Thank you.

[@GideonHarrisYT]

Thank you for sharing :) I love your videos!

[@cooder8701]

Thanks for your useful words

[@KodiSwandaOfficial]

A program I have had interest in for a long time to try out as a hobbyist is Chief Architect. From what I can gather it is a fairly decent program and can achieve a lot that is needed for residential design. I always thought it was a very popular program, but I never hear of Architects or Architecture students mentioning it. Is Chief Architect no longer used in the industry?

[@tejaskoladiya8673]

Love from India

[@uliahshafar8599]

thank u, very nice to know these thing. just simple as it is all I know

[@lutunakabutabaiwalu9929]

Thanks Eric..!!!

[@sayamchudiwal1619]

Great work sir Eric.! Your videos are really really helpful. Why don't you post something on designing on contour (holly area) and resorts? Thank you from India. :)

[@KJC.Designer]

Thank you

[@aikinsyeboah3086]

for residential projects i recommend chief architect x8 or 9

[@shid.parchami2157]

a great video, thanks. I made Persian subtitle for this video to other students can understand.

[@30by40]

thanks...humbled to know it's being shared so far and wide!

[@africandreamchild]

Hi Eric. Love the channel. What was your thought process in choosing REVIT over ARCHICAD?

[@leevanbinh]

I find that builders need so much less info than I was offering in Cad to build the final product.

[@SmokingShellx]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@giovanniyorke7455]

Great insights

[@unified333]

great video

[@andybintoro]

thank you very much bro

[@user-ed7jn1bw6y]

Hello! Thanks for the great info!

[@GrantJolanta]

surely our future with gaming and graphics can finally come to a place, where in front of our client we can have a simulator experience where they wear goggle and they can literally view the 3d model of their house to scale to their human size and walk through it to experience their building and feed back to you the architect? why hasn't this happened yet?

[@atidmatabenisrael2779]

Can you please do a tutorial of part 1-10 or something like that on how to build a 2 floor building so that I can have a idea of what I want to do thank you.

[@tareitup8037]

love your video.

[@manueljosefernandez9482]

Make a video about what does it takes to become an independent architect

[@30by40]

a good starting resource would be the books I wrote on this topic: Architect + Entrepreneur vols. 1+2. More info here: thirtybyforty.com/books

[@The1markchampion]

Do a video on how you import the topo maps

[@claudiadavila3685]

Right now I'm having a hard time deciding between maya, unity, rhino, revit, 3d max. I already know revit and a little bit of rhino but maya is captivating and it's increasing my curiosity. Which one is better for architecture ? Which ones are better for architectural visualisations? But most important which one is most used in studios

[@ashoornable]

Hey there. First off, great going with the videos. It really helps. Just out of curiosity. Why do you prefer Cad on windows rather than mac. Can we use mac for all provided I keep the efficiency.

[@30by40]

I don't...I use it on mac currently (it's slightly different as you probably know). It happened to be what I was using when I recorded this, however, a few hours after recording the motherboard on my PC laptop pooched. So, I'm 100% mac-based currently. i view the computer as just another tool...i'm agnostic when it comes to make, just want it to do what i need it to.

[@leevanbinh]

Great Video 30x40

[@edgarteran1366]

Thanks for the content! it's really amazing! you mentioned that eventually BIM it's the way to go, witch BIM will you choose??? Revit, Archicad or Vectorworks...and please care to elaborate.

[@pixelfodder]

Have you tried Layout with SketchUp? We've been using layout for years in residential but found once our projects got bigger (700m² +) it became cumbersome. Nonetheless it was a very simple program to use.

[@tvrmat]

Great content, your videos are literally saving arch kids out here sir! Also I just happen to be looking for a computer for Auto CAD, would you mind disclosing what's the computer you're using at 5:00? Much thanks :)

[@30by40]

Hey there...it (was) a Dell Precision M4800...the motherboard died about an hour after recording the video...I've transitioned completely to MacOS now...

[@maximasatatai12345]

Thanks a lot.

[@sergiovalerio7888]

Thank you! i have a question, what's that material you used on that black model, it looks really nice, did you painted it black tho? saludos!

[@30by40]

+Sergio Valerio you're welcome! Model is: chipboard spray painted dark green

[@hamayoonbahez1754]

thumbs up from Afghanistan

[@30by40]

cheers to you from Maine... +Hamayoon Bahez Bahez

[@DoncoDesigns]

Great videos.....

[@ela7893]

Hi Eric, Thanks your your videos, they've been so helpful! Just wondering, did you do take a Sketch Up course, or did you teach yourself? I can use the program, but not as efficient as I would like to be. In two minds about whether I just teach myself or get someone to teach me. Thoughts?

[@raulopezarch]

Hi buddy, do you use a teleprompter? thank you for your amazing videos!

[@micky4fun]

Hi, Eric: Can you say something about the hardware you use for your projects. Thanks.

[@RenataJensen]

I agree

[@pkegles]

Check out lumion... Great software

[@MaZEEZaM]

Well we know software can be incredibly expensive especially so in the last few years where software companies changed from outright purchase ie, once off payment to monthly and yearly contracts which I really despise. Funny thing is, in Australia regarding photoshop we get super ripped off compared to US pricing, it was found we could literally fly to the US, buy PS, fly home for less than the cost of purchasing it here! Our government had an inquiry into the geopricing I think its called (location locked pricing models), though nothing has changed. Full Autocad programs are certainly costly.

[@skalany110]

Just try GstarCAD or ZWcad.

[@MrINNIP]

Hi, great channel! I was wondering if you find the magic mouse and trackpad suitable for Sketchup and Autocad? A lot of reviews say not to use the magic mouse for architecture, but I find it really intriguing.

[@danielcorcoran6280]

You should consider moving to a BIM software platform like Revit or better yet, Archicad. That way you can ditch Sketch Up and AutoCAD.

[@30by40]

thirtybyforty.com/revit-template

[@randomCADstuff]

@@30by40 It would be awesome to see an updated video of your Revit workflow (maybe you've done one and I just haven't seen it). Your AutoCAD template was so clean an organized. Bringing that mentality to Revit would surely produce good results. The opposite is true as well: Firms with messy CAD standards were an even bigger train wreck in Revit :-S. As someone whose mostly worked with sub-consultants I can say with great certainty that Revit tends to play a bit nicer with AutoCAD. Vectorworks and Archicad exports were just terrible to deal with.

[@mohdsahil7293]

Please make a video to design a resort

[@yalilamineetharauz5795]

hi Eric I loved your video. Do you use two operating systems?

[@fabiansampayo9674]

Wow , I love revit ,but don’t yet reach this detailing level in drawing like autocad

[@gg8382]

thank you sirji

[@neilomwera3695]

thank you, im just joing architecture school