Which 3D software is good for architects and interior desinger?

 

Introduction to Architectural 3D Modeling Software by Suraj Gupta

Sketchup: Features, Uses, and Benefits

 

SketchUp is a powerful and intuitive 3D modeling software used by professionals across various industries. From architects and interior designers to engineers and hobbyists, SketchUp offers a versatile platform for bringing ideas to life in three by Suraj Gupta

What’s New in SketchUp 2025: A Game-Changer for 3D Design

SketchUp has long been a favorite tool for architects, designers, and creatives who value its intuitive interface and versatile modeling capabilities. With the release of SketchUp 2025 on February 25, 2025, Trimble has once again raised the bar, introducing a suite of features that promise to enhance visualization, streamline workflows, and boost interoperability. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, there’s something exciting in this update for everyone. Let’s dive into what’s new in SketchUp 2025 and how these features can transform the way you bring your ideas to life.

 1. Photorealistic Materials: Realism at Your Fingertips

One of the standout additions in SketchUp 2025 is the introduction of native Photoreal Materials powered by physically-based rendering (PBR). Gone are the days when you’d need to rely heavily on external rendering plugins for lifelike textures. Now, you can apply smooth, rough, shiny, or metallic finishes directly within SketchUp and see them react to lighting in real time. These materials are drag-and-drop simple—select from the material tray, apply to your model, and adjust the scale as needed. They’re even UV-mapped automatically, though you can tweak them for precision.

What’s more, SketchUp 2025 lets you convert your existing classic swatches into PBR materials, breathing new life into old projects. The 3D Warehouse has also been stocked with over 200 curated Photoreal Materials, making it easier than ever to find high-quality options for your designs. Imagine showing a client a basketball court with a gleaming finish or a metallic facade that catches the light just right—all without leaving SketchUp.

2. Environments: Immersive Lighting and Context

Complementing the Photoreal Materials are the new Environments feature. You can now add 360-degree HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging) images—like skyboxes—to your models, serving as both a background and a light source. Upload your own (up to 8K resolution) or grab one from the 3D Warehouse. These environments interact with PBR materials through reflections and lighting, adding depth and realism to your scenes.

For example, picture designing a community center with a vibrant sky backdrop that illuminates the space naturally. Clients can feel the atmosphere of their project before it’s even built. Combined with the Ambient Occlusion feature from SketchUp 2024, this takes in-engine visualization to a whole new level.

 3. Live Components Graduate from Labs

Live Components—pre-built, configurable objects—aren’t entirely new, but they’ve officially graduated from SketchUp Labs to a full production feature in 2025. With over 200 refreshed components available in the 3D Warehouse, you can tweak parameters like size, type, and material to fit your project perfectly. Need a custom roof truss or a modular furniture piece? Configure it in seconds and drop it into your model. This feature saves time and adds flexibility, especially for iterative design processes.

 4. Enhanced LayOut: Smoother 3D-to-2D Transitions

LayOut, SketchUp’s 2D documentation tool, gets a significant upgrade in 2025. The core tools—Move, Scale, and Rotate—now mirror their SketchUp counterparts more closely, making the transition from 3D modeling to 2D drafting feel seamless. Plus, LayOut viewports can now display Environments, Photoreal Materials, and Ambient Occlusion alongside your models, ensuring visual consistency across your workflow.

For architects and designers, this means your presentation drawings and construction documents can reflect the same realism as your 3D renders. Update your model, and the changes flow effortlessly into LayOut—no more manual syncing headaches.

5. Improved IFC Interoperability: Collaboration Made Easy

SketchUp 2025 takes a big step forward in interoperability with enhanced IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) import capabilities. Importing IFC files is now faster and can reduce file sizes by up to 85%, according to Trimble. New tags for IFC classes and better recognition streamline organization and reporting, making it a boon for BIM (Building Information Modeling) workflows. Whether you’re coordinating with Revit users or other platforms, this update minimizes data loss and rework, keeping your projects on track.

6. AI-Powered Textures: Creativity Unleashed

Building on the SketchUp Diffusion project from Labs, SketchUp 2025 integrates generative AI into the material tray. If the 3D Warehouse doesn’t have the exact texture you need, you can start with a similar material, hit the AI button, and let it create a custom PBR texture for you. It can even fix pattern alignment issues. While these materials don’t yet map directly to V-Ray 7 (a note for Studio users), this feature opens up endless possibilities for quick, creative experimentation.

7. Workflow Boosters: Little Changes, Big Impact

Beyond the headline features, SketchUp 2025 includes practical updates to keep your workflow humming:

- Extension Migrator: Seamlessly transfer plugins from previous versions to 2025.

- Live Models: Link imported models to their source files, so updates to one instance (like changing a chair’s color) reflect across all instances in your project.

- Windows Installer Redesign: A simpler setup process for desktop users.

- Enterprise Controls: Admins can now disable Diffusion for enterprise accounts, offering more control over AI features.

What’s Missing?

While SketchUp 2025 delivers a lot, some users might notice the removal of Style Builder from desktop editions—a niche tool for custom line styles that’s no longer included. And for V-Ray users, the lack of direct material mapping from SketchUp’s PBR to V-Ray 7 might mean extra steps in your rendering pipeline. Still, these are minor trade-offs in an otherwise robust update.

Why It Matters

SketchUp 2025 isn’t just about flashy visuals (though those are impressive). It’s about doing more with less—less time, less effort, and less rework. The focus on photorealistic visualization, curated content, and interoperability reflects Trimble’s commitment to keeping SketchUp relevant in a fast-evolving design landscape. Whether you’re mocking up a quick concept or delivering a polished client presentation, these tools help you tell a richer story.

Ready to Dive In?

SketchUp 2025 is available now for Go, Pro, and Studio subscribers. If you’re already on board, update via your Trimble account to start exploring. Not a subscriber? You can test drive it with a free trial. Head over to the SketchUp website, check out the release notes, or join their March 11 webinar for a deeper look.

What do you think of SketchUp 2025? Are you excited to play with Photoreal Materials, tweak Live Components, or streamline your IFC imports? Drop your thoughts below—I’d love to hear how these updates fit into your workflow!

SKETCHUP FREE PLUGIN - EXTRUDE TOOL

Introduction

Creating complex 3D shapes in SketchUp often requires more than the standard set of tools. While SketchUp’s native push-pull tool is great for basic extrusions, when it comes to modeling curved surfaces, intricate patterns, or detailed geometry, it can feel limiting. This is where the Extrude Tools plugin comes to the rescue. Developed by TIG, Extrude Tools is a set of powerful, user-friendly tools that allow for advanced extrusion techniques that go beyond the basics.

In this post, we’ll explore how the Extrude Tools plugin works, its most useful features, and why it’s a must-have for anyone serious about creating complex 3D models in SketchUp.

                           

What is the Extrude Tools Plugin?

The Extrude Tools plugin is a collection of SketchUp extensions that enable users to perform a variety of advanced extrusion operations. From creating complex lofted surfaces to extruding along curves or even joining surfaces, this plugin offers a wide range of functionality that significantly expands SketchUp’s modeling capabilities.

Key Features of Extrude Tools

- Extrude Edges by Rails: This tool allows you to create complex, lofted surfaces by extruding an edge along two or more guide rails. It’s perfect for modeling organic shapes like curved roofs, bridges, or flowing architecture.

- Extrude by Lathe: Similar to the lathe function in other 3D modeling software, this tool helps you rotate a profile around an axis, ideal for creating objects like columns, vases, or circular architectural elements.

-Extrude Along Vector: Extrude shapes in a specific direction using a vector, allowing for controlled, non-uniform extrusion in any direction.

-Extrude Edges by Faces: Allows for the extrusion of multiple faces along paths, useful for creating intricate geometry and repeated patterns.

- Join Push-Pull: A more advanced version of the native push-pull tool, this allows for the simultaneous extrusion of multiple faces with better control over the resulting shape.

- Create Faces from Edges: Automatically generate surfaces from a network of edges, making it easier to close gaps and create continuous surfaces from complex wireframes.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PLUGIN HERE

How to Use the Extrude Tools Plugin

1.Install the Plugin: Download and install the Extrude Tools plugin from the SketchUp Extension Warehouse or SketchUcation.

2. Choose the Desired Extrusion Tool: Depending on the complexity of your model, select one of the many extrusion options available.

3. Select Geometry: Choose the edges, faces, or curves you want to extrude. The tool allows for precise selection and manipulation.

4. Define Parameters: Adjust parameters like extrusion length, direction, and guide rails to create the desired shape.

5. Apply the Extrusion: Watch as the plugin generates complex 3D geometry in seconds, allowing for further refinement and adjustments as needed.

Applications of Extrude Tools in Architectural Design

-Complex Roof Structures: Use the Extrude Edges by Rails tool to model complex roof designs that involve curved or lofted surfaces.

- Furniture and Product Design: Easily model intricate details, such as curved chairs, custom vases, or organic forms that would be difficult to create using standard tools.

- Bridges and Infrastructure: Create detailed, flowing structures by extruding profiles along multiple rails, perfect for bridges or curved architectural elements.

Why Extrude Tools is Essential for SketchUp Users

- Efficiency: By automating complex extrusions, the plugin saves significant time in the design process, enabling users to create intricate models with minimal effort.

- Ease of Use: Despite its advanced functionality, the Extrude Tools plugin is user-friendly and accessible to beginners, while still offering the depth of control that professionals need.

SKETCHUP FREE PLUGIN - Scale By Tool Plugin

Introduction

Scaling objects in SketchUp is a fundamental part of the design process, whether you're adjusting the size of architectural elements, furniture, or other 3D components. However, the native scaling tool can be limiting when you need precise control or non-uniform scaling options. Enter the Scale By Tool plugin for SketchUp—a powerful extension that allows for more controlled, accurate scaling based on specific dimensions or custom inputs.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the features of the Scale By Tool plugin, how it can improve your workflow, and why it's an essential tool for any SketchUp user looking to achieve precise scaling.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PLUGIN

What is the Scale By Tool Plugin?

The Scale By Tool plugin is an extension for SketchUp that provides enhanced scaling capabilities compared to the native tool. With it, you can scale objects or groups by exact dimensions, percentages, or even non-uniformly in specific directions. This plugin is ideal for architects, designers, and 3D modelers who need fine control over the resizing of objects within their projects.

Key Features of the Scale By Tool Plugin

• Precise Scaling by Dimension: Scale objects to exact dimensions, allowing you to resize models to fit specific design requirements or constraints.
• Non-Uniform Scaling: Scale objects differently along the X, Y, and Z axes, which is especially useful when working with irregular shapes or adjusting proportions.
• Percentage-Based Scaling: Quickly resize components or groups by inputting a specific percentage, perfect for when you need relative changes in size.
• Custom Scaling Planes: The plugin allows you to define custom planes for scaling, providing flexibility when working with complex or angled geometry.
• User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive interface ensures that even users who are new to the plugin can easily navigate and apply precise scaling adjustments.

How to Use the Scale By Tool Plugin

1. Installation: Download and install the Scale By Tool plugin from the SketchUp Extension Warehouse or another trusted source.
2. Select the Object: Choose the component, group, or object you want to scale within your model.
3. Activate Scale By Tool: Open the plugin and select your preferred scaling method—by dimension, percentage, or plane.
4. Input Dimensions: Enter the exact measurements or scaling percentages you want to apply to the object. The plugin will resize the object accordingly.
5. Apply Scaling: Click apply, and the object will be scaled according to your settings. You can further refine the scale if necessary.

Ready to take your scaling game to the next level? Try the Scale By Tool plugin today and experience the difference! Don’t forget to share your experience in the comments below and subscribe for more insights on SketchUp plugins and 3D modeling techniques!