Structural

& MEP Landscape BIM for

Architect
Facility Engineers
Manager
Contractor
Energy Architect Owner
Landscape
Consultant
Architects

Do you need the very best Landscape Design

software that’s also compatible with Open BIM
software?

With Building Information Modelling looming on the

horizon for many landscape architects, here, we will
give you an overview of how Landscape Architects can
interface with BIM projects and ensure their site
information is compatible with and shared with all
members of the project team.

Evolve with Vectorworks DESIGNer

2 For more information, please visit us online at www.vectorworks-training.co.uk.
BIM for Landscape Design
Building Information Modelling projects are all about collaboration—the co-ordination of 2D models, 3D models and relevant data. It is about sharing this
information with other consultants and team members, to increase the consistency of information, reduce errors and reduce the overall project cost.
Building Information Modelling for Site Design
With Vectorworks Designer software, you can create landscape and site
information models without changing your preferred design process.
Whether you’re looking to streamline costs; analyse your design for areas,
volumes, slope, cut/fill, and other data such as water flow and sun/shade;
or just create world-class designs, the Vectorworks Designer solution is an
efficient way to introduce BIM capabilities into your workflow. Enjoy the
robust and flexible capabilities of BIM with the ease of design, great
documentation, and intelligent tools that Vectorworks is known for—right
from the start.
Mapping and GIS
Integrate maps into your work with ease. Add survey data to your drawing
and use it as the basis of your site model, or import CAD drawings and
data from architects, builders, or engineers to use as base plans. Import
geo-referenced aerial/satellite images and GIS data files from ordnance
survey, or other agencies.
Work Well with Others
Vectorworks Designer exchanges BIM information by importing and
exporting IFC 2x3 files—the Open BIM standard. Open BIM is a universal
approach to the collaborative design, realisation and operation of buildings
based on open standards and workflows. It is an initiative of
buildingSMART and several leading software vendors using the open
buildingSMART Data Model. With our intuitive modelling tools, you can
create any element you design and then export it to IFC with full data
fidelity. Vectorworks models can be exchanged with many other IFC 2x3
compatible applications, including the following:
Building Design
• Autodesk® Revit®
• Bentley® Architecture V8i
• Gehry Technologies Digital Project
• Graphisoft® ArchiCAD
• Autodesk® AutoCAD® Architecture
Structural
• Nemetschek Scia Engineer
• Tekla® Structures
• Bentley® Structural Modeler V8i
• Autodesk® Revit®
Building Services (MEP)
• Data Design System® DDS-CAD MEP
• Progman MagiCAD®
• Autodesk® Revit®
• Autodesk® AutoCAD® MEP
Model Viewers
• Solibri® Model Checker™
• Autodesk® Navisworks®
• Tekla® BIMsight
Vectorworks Designer software also integrates smoothly with other
disciplinary applications, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS),
civil engineering, and building performance simulation and analysis. This
includes the import and export of SHP (ESRI Shapefiles) files to streamline
urban planning, landscape architecture, and GIS analysis.
Get Built-in BIM Content
Vectorworks Designer software includes a vast collection of BIM content. I Courtesy of Landscape Architect Peter Walker
It has a large variety of ready-made BIM objects that feature embedded
IFC data to ensure competent export to open standards-based BIM
applications.
In addition, if you want to create something unique, it’s easy to do with our Open BIM is an initiative of the buildingSMART alliance and leading CAD software vendors
full array of 2D and 3D free-form, parametric tools. Simply create a
co-ordinated 2D/3D symbol, and add IFC data to that symbol definition.
You now have a BIM component. The resulting object is a resource that
you can share and reference throughout your entire office.
In addition, you can simply import any IFC modelled objects directly into
Vectorworks with their IFC data intact.
Plant Schedule produced directly from the drawing Courtesy of Morris Architects | Morris Terra
3 For more information, please visit us online at www.vectorworks-training.co.uk

The Triangle, by studio engleback
A collaboration between disciplines aided by Vectorworks software
results in sustainable low-cost design
The Triangle project in Swindon, Wiltshire, is a development project of 42
social homes. The development is set amid sympathetic, sustainable
landscaping, from Hab Oakus—a partnership between the Hab company,
established by designer and writer Kevin McCloud, and a local registered
social landlord, Green Square, winner of a UK Housing Award in 2010. The
vision was to use the land to create humane, climate-responsive,
low-carbon housing.
The landscape architect was Studio Engleback, led by Luke Engleback.
The company has made Vectorworks the backbone of its CAD/BIM
strategy. For landscape architects Vectorworks offers many useful
features; in particular, it enables them to easily work with their architectural
counterparts by importing drawings and models from, and exporting
drawings and models to, a wide range of other packages, focusing on
open BIM collaboration. Training for Design, a UK company offering
Vectorworks training for architects and landscape designers, as well as
interior and lighting designers, has recently been working with Engleback
as it moves to the latest version of Vectorworks.
This space is supplemented by two kitchen gardens, one with polytunnels
irrigated by water harvested from roofs. With Vectorworks containing an
8,000+ plant database, creation of plans for green roofs and living walls (or
any other planted area) is designed to be straightforward and calculation of
water runoff made easy by the embedded worksheets. In addition, when
looking at the swales created to accept rain and prevent flooding, its
terrain modelling capabilities can be employed, as the software can
automatically create a 3D terrain model of any site using surveyor-
collected 3D spot-height data.
Once done, any work carried out which will impact the terrain –creating
terracing, pools, or building foundations—will automatically produce cut
and fill volumes. With the design concept completed, this technology Site Model created to model cut and fill for swale
subsequently helps in the estimating phase by providing area/volume
measurements for hardscaping materials used on site, just as it can
provide quantitative information for the building resources used.
All works are now complete and residents have moved into their new
homes. The interdisciplinary and community collaboration will continue, as
Studio Engleback has embarked on three further projects with Hab
Housing. Cut and Fill Worksheet generated directly from the model

From the outset, the landscape architects worked alongside architects Site and building information shared between architects
Glenn Howells on the site layout, and with Curtins consulting engineers on and landscape architects to create a low-cost and
the environmental infrastructure—including shared surfaces, sustainable
drainage and low-energy lighting. sustainable design.
Sustainability and cost were both important factors. As Luke Engleback
explained, “The driving force for this whole project was to create a
sustainable environment, both building and landscape, that could be
achieved on a limited budget. We wanted to make the ordinary
extraordinary. We were striving to create a sense of community with a
seamless dialogue between the architectural and landscape designs, a
project which enabled and encouraged residents to share and enjoy the
external spaces created, and to get to know each other.”

It was always intended that cars would be limited in the area, with car
share and cycles as part of the travel plan, and care has been taken to
reduce their visual impact. This has been done by extending the home
frontages with espalier fruit trees and freestanding (bioporous) gabion
walls that enclose bin recycling pods. The central space, provides a focus
for the project and a safe place for children to play.

The Triangle, Swindon

4 For more information, please visit us online at www.vectorworks-training.co.uk

7 Steps to BIM where to find out more

There are really only seven techniques that you need to master to “do BIM;” you may find that you already do some To find out more about how Vectorworks Designer can
of these in full or in part. help streamline your workflow and work collaboratively
with others in an Open BIM environment:
• Call Adrian Slatter at Training for Design on 0845 003 7066 or
email info@vectorworks-training.co.uk
Look to adopt national standards PAS1192 especially if you are looking to
1. Setup & Standards use collaborative BIM. • Email Martyn Horne at Computers Unlimited mhorne@unlimited.com
about the Landscape Institute BIM Task Group

Use Landscape Areas and Terrain Modelling from the beginning for We are able to offer a free CPD session for you and
2. Start BIM Early programming, design layout of models, and reporting. your team, or help you assess your BIM readiness.
www.vectorworks-training.co.uk
Manage your data using the schedules and reporting capabilities built into Training for
3. Manage your Data
your software. In addition to scheduled output, they can be used to input
information to object data fields and also parameters controlling Design
characteristics such as size or type of the objects themselves, allowing you
to see changes made directly to the model and associated drawings.

Specialist Reseller
Use the Intelligent Hybrid Tools (such as Terrain, Plants, Hardscapes,
4. Intelligent Tools Retaining Walls), to give simultaneous plan and 3D model results.

Use the concept of “Replace not Remodel” to develop your model and
data. You can replace one assembly with another while maintaining all
5. Replace not Remodel your dimensions and layouts. Extremely powerful for design development
from design intent to construction.
Use ‘live,’ co-ordinated views to create Plans, Sections, Elevations and
Details. Co-ordinated views enable existing and proposed site information
6. Co-ordinated Views to be stored in a single associated model which in turn enables Cut and Fill
calculations to be made.
Vectorworks and Renderworks are registered trademarks of Nemetschek
Vectorworks, Inc.
VectorScript is a trademark of Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc.
Parasolid is a registered trademark of Siemens PLM Software.
BIM in practice page - www.vectorworks.net/bim
Open BIM webpage - www.vectorworks.net/openbim
White papers - www.vectorworks.net/bim/articles.php

Share your BIM model and data with other design team members who
may be using different software. This allows you to use the best software
7. Sharing Data for the job and software designed for your specialist design discipline. Use
internationally certified Open BIM exchange such as IFC.