Autodesk Forma - Detailed Review
Design Tools
Autodesk Forma - Product Overview
Autodesk Forma Overview
Autodesk Forma is a cloud-based software specifically crafted for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries, focusing on pre-design and schematic design phases. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:
Primary Function
Autodesk Forma is designed to streamline the early stages of building design by leveraging AI-powered tools. It helps architects and designers set up geolocated projects, model complex 3D designs quickly, and perform real-time environmental impact analyses. This allows users to explore and optimize design concepts efficiently, focusing on living quality, sustainability, and other critical factors.
Target Audience
Forma is intended for professionals involved in the initial stages of building design, including architects, urban planners, and real estate developers. Anyone involved in pre-design and schematic design can benefit from using Autodesk Forma.
Key Features
Geolocated Projects
Users can set up projects with real-world contextual data, allowing for quick modeling of complex 3D designs.
Automated Massing Takeoffs
Forma automates massing takeoffs and provides real-time environmental impact analysis, enabling users to explore concepts and optimize designs for sustainability and living quality.
Integration with Other Tools
Forma seamlessly connects with other Autodesk tools like Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo, facilitating a smooth transition from conceptual to detailed design.
Real-Time Analyses
The software offers real-time analyses for wind, solar, daylight, and embodied carbon, helping improve design quality and sustainability.
Contextual Modeling
Users can quickly set up a 3D model of the entire project area within minutes, using their own data or purchased data sets for selected geographies.
Parametric Design Tools
Forma includes simple yet powerful parametric tools that allow users to quickly develop multiple design concepts and variations, ensuring thorough exploration of the solution space.
Custom Extensions
Users can create their own extensions or use a growing library of third-party extensions to further enhance their design capabilities.
Conclusion
Overall, Autodesk Forma is a valuable tool for AEC professionals, offering significant time savings, enhanced collaboration, and improved accuracy through its AI-driven features.
Autodesk Forma - User Interface and Experience
User Interface
The user interface of Autodesk Forma is intuitive and easy to use. Here are some key features:
- Forma User Interface: The interface is laid out to be accessible and straightforward. It includes a clear and organized layout that helps users quickly find the tools they need.
- New Top Bar Navigation: Recent updates have introduced a new top bar navigation, which centralizes access to various functionalities, making the user experience more seamless and intuitive.
Design and Modeling Tools
- Integrated 3D Sketch: Forma features an upgraded 3D Sketch tool that integrates seamlessly into the platform. This tool offers instant launch times, consistent graphics, and better tooling, allowing users to start working on their 3D models immediately without delays.
- Floor Plans on 3D Sketch Buildings: Users can add floor plans to 3D Sketch buildings, enabling the visualization of interior spaces and the prototyping of floor plan configurations directly on the 3D model.
Analysis and Automation
- Analysis Tools: Forma provides real-time analyses for key factors such as sunlight, daylight, wind, noise, and operational energy. These tools help users evaluate and optimize their design concepts quickly.
- Generative Design Features: The software includes generative and automation features like corridors, parking layouts, and the ability to run Grasshopper scripts using the ShapeDiver extension. These features accelerate early-phase design by allowing users to perform rapid site studies and explore multiple design concepts efficiently.
Collaboration
- Comments and Mentions in Board: Forma enhances collaboration by allowing users to add comments directly on the board, facilitating feedback and communication among team members. The integration with Autodesk Docs also enables users to embed shared views and files directly into the Forma Board.
- Integration with Autodesk Docs and Revit: The platform integrates with Autodesk Docs and Revit, allowing for a more unified project experience across the project lifecycle. This integration enables seamless sharing and collaboration on project files.
Ease of Use
Autodesk Forma is designed to be user-friendly, even for those without deep technical expertise. Here are some aspects that contribute to its ease of use:
- Quick Project Setup: Users can set up a new project quickly, including uploading or importing site context, which simplifies the initial stages of the design process.
- Contextual Modeling: This feature allows users to set up a 3D model of the entire project area within minutes, using either their own data or purchased data sets for selected geographies.
Overall User Experience
The overall user experience in Autodesk Forma is focused on productivity and creativity. The platform’s intuitive interface, advanced modeling and analysis tools, and strong collaboration features make it an effective tool for early-stage design and analysis. The integration with other Autodesk tools and the use of AI and machine learning further enhance the user experience by automating tedious tasks and providing predictive insights, allowing users to focus more on their creative work.
Autodesk Forma - Key Features and Functionality
Overview
Autodesk Forma is a powerful tool in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, integrating AI and cloud computing to enhance the design and planning process. Here are the main features and how they work:
Real-Time Analytics and Insights
Autodesk Forma uses AI-powered analyses to provide real-time insights into key factors such as sunlight, daylight potential, wind, and microclimate. This helps users make better decisions by uncovering greater insights into the site and its surroundings.
Design and Optimization
Forma allows users to model complex design concepts in full 3D quickly. It enables the testing and evaluation of multiple design solutions and optimizes them for various constraints. This feature helps in creating better projects by analyzing and improving design variants based on historical and real-time data.
Smart Design Tools
The software includes dynamic tools that automate functions and takeoffs while designing. Users can draw fluidly in 2D and 3D, making the design process more efficient and accurate.
Automatic Datasets
Forma can source specific datasets such as terrain, buildings, and boundaries, which are particularly useful in select markets. This automation saves time and ensures that the design is contextually accurate.
Parking Design
Forma provides tools for rapid parking design, including metrics such as the number of parking spots and access driveways. This feature streamlines the process of incorporating parking into the overall design.
Cloud Computing
Powered by cloud computing, Forma allows users to continue designing while running analyses in the cloud. This results in quick feedback, with analysis results available in seconds or minutes.
Integration with Other Tools
Forma integrates seamlessly with other Autodesk tools like Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D through a “file-less” sync. This means that changes in one tool are automatically reflected in the other, ensuring that all models are kept up to date without manual intervention.
Enhanced Collaboration
The cloud-based nature of Forma facilitates collaboration among interdisciplinary teams, including architects, engineers, urban planners, and developers. Teams can work on the same 3D model, enhancing productivity and facilitating more robust discussions and decision-making.
Import and Export
Forma supports various file formats, including IFC and OBJ, allowing users to move their work to and from other AEC software. This flexibility ensures that projects can be shared and worked on across different platforms.
Free Viewer Access
Users can share their projects in the cloud with team members, regardless of their subscription status, using the free viewer access feature. This promotes collaboration and ensures that all stakeholders can view and discuss the project.
AI-Driven Recommendations
AI in Autodesk Forma draws insights from vast datasets related to planning and design. It runs simulations and analyses to reveal the best design options based on factors like daylight, thermal comfort, PV energy production, and ventilation. On the commercial side, it estimates the maximum saleable area for each design variant and helps identify the most revenue-generating option.
Conclusion
By integrating these features, Autodesk Forma significantly enhances the design process, making it more efficient, collaborative, and informed by real-time data and AI-driven insights.
Autodesk Forma - Performance and Accuracy
Autodesk Forma Overview
Autodesk Forma is a sophisticated AI-driven platform that significantly enhances the performance and accuracy in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries. Here are some key points regarding its performance, accuracy, and areas for improvement:Performance
Autodesk Forma is praised for its ability to streamline the design process, significantly reducing the time needed for design iterations. It achieves this through automated complex calculations and real-time analyses, such as wind, noise, and embodied carbon assessments.Key Performance Features
- The platform integrates seamlessly with Autodesk Revit, allowing for a file-less sync between the two software tools. This integration enables users to detail Forma data in Revit and bring it back to Forma for analysis, fostering a fluid design flow.
- Forma’s AI capabilities perform real-time analyses on various factors like sunlight, daylight, wind, and microclimate, which helps in making smart design decisions quickly.
Accuracy
The accuracy of Autodesk Forma is bolstered by its use of predictive analytics and machine learning.Key Accuracy Features
- The Rapid Noise Analysis tool uses a dataset of tens of thousands of noise simulations to train a neural network, providing immediate and accurate predictions of ground noise levels. This allows designers to make educated decisions based on real-time data.
- Other analyses, such as daylight potential, area analysis, microclimate analysis, and operational energy analysis, are also highly accurate due to the use of extensive datasets and advanced AI algorithms.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite its strengths, there are some limitations and areas where users have requested improvements:Identified Limitations
- Area Size Restrictions: Forma currently supports areas of about a mile x mile size, which can be insufficient for large-scale projects, particularly in sparsely populated regions. Users have sought workarounds for this limitation.
- Feature Requests: Users have requested several features to enhance the usability and functionality of Forma. These include options for line buildings to adapt to terrain levels, the return of autogenerated floorplans, improved terrain editing, and the ability to export designs in IFC format.
- Initial Learning Curve: While Forma offers significant benefits, users may need time to familiarize themselves with its advanced features, which can be a temporary barrier to full utilization.
User Feedback
Feedback from users highlights both the strengths and the areas needing improvement. For instance, users appreciate the real-time analyses and the integration with Revit but miss certain features from previous versions, such as autogenerated floorplans and specific terrain analysis tools.Conclusion
In summary, Autodesk Forma excels in performance and accuracy by leveraging AI to automate complex tasks and provide real-time insights. However, it has some limitations, particularly in terms of area size restrictions and the need for additional features to enhance user experience. Addressing these areas could further improve the overall usability and effectiveness of the platform. Autodesk Forma - Pricing and Plans
Autodesk Forma Pricing Overview
Autodesk Forma offers a clear and structured pricing plan, catering to various user needs and preferences. Here’s a breakdown of the available plans and their associated features:Pricing Tiers
Autodesk Forma is available in three main pricing tiers:Monthly Plan
- Cost: $185 per month per user.
- Features: This plan includes all the core features of Autodesk Forma, such as AI-powered tools for pre-design and schematic design, real-time environmental impact analysis, and integrations with tools like Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo.
Yearly Plan
- Cost: $1,460 per year per user.
- Features: Similar to the monthly plan, this annual subscription includes all the core features of Autodesk Forma. It is often more cost-effective for users who plan to use the software for an extended period.
3-Year Plan
- Cost: $4,380 for a 3-year subscription per user.
- Features: This long-term commitment also includes all the core features of Autodesk Forma and can be the most cost-effective option for long-term users.
Features Across Plans
All plans include:- AI-powered tools for pre-design and schematic design
- Real-time environmental impact analysis (wind, solar, daylight, embodied carbon)
- Integration with Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo
- Geolocated project setup with real-world contextual data
- Automated massing takeoffs
- Customizable extensions and a growing library of third-party extensions.
Free Options
- Free Trial: Autodesk Forma offers a free trial, allowing users to test the software before committing to a paid subscription.
- Free for Students and Educators: Students and educators can obtain Autodesk Forma for free through the Autodesk Education Community, providing them with full access to the software for educational purposes.
Additional Considerations
- No Setup Fee: There is no entry-level setup fee for any of the plans.
- Integration and Extensions: The software integrates smoothly with other tools and offers various extensions, such as ESRI integration, Archistar 3D Generative, and inCituAR, which can enhance the user experience and functionality.
Autodesk Forma - Integration and Compatibility
Autodesk Forma Overview
Autodesk Forma, a cloud-based design and planning tool, is designed to integrate seamlessly with a variety of other tools and platforms, enhancing collaboration and workflow efficiency across the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.
Integration with Autodesk Tools
Autodesk Forma is closely integrated with several Autodesk applications. For instance, it allows users to embed shared views from Autodesk Docs projects directly onto the Forma Board, enabling a more collaborative workflow. This integration includes the ability to paste links from Autodesk Docs, creating widgets with file thumbnails and an in-board version of Autodesk’s File Viewer.
Forma also integrates with Revit, where the Forma Add-in for Revit has been updated to beta version 0.9.8, improving workflow through better handling of levels, matching usage applied when converting mass families, and enhanced property boundary creation.
Compatibility with Third-Party Tools
Forma is compatible with third-party tools such as Rhino. The Forma Plug-in for Rhino has been improved, enhancing the creation of roads, site limits, and property boundaries, and streamlining the login experience.
Additionally, Forma supports connections to other popular design tools like Dynamo. The “Dynamo as a Service” beta integration allows users to upload and share Dynamo graphs directly within Forma, without the need for local installation. This service is compatible with DynamoFormaBeta 2.0 for Dynamo 2.18 or later, and is available in Revit 2025.
Geographic Data Integration
Autodesk has announced an upcoming integration with Esri, which will provide access to a wider range of geographic data such as buildings, zoning, roads, and imagery. This integration will improve collaboration between GIS teams and architects.
Other Integrations and Extensions
Forma also supports extensions from various providers, including Archistar, Arch Intelligence, and IncituAR. These extensions add to the growing portfolio of providers connecting to Autodesk Forma, enhancing its capabilities and versatility.
Cloud and Browser Compatibility
Autodesk Forma operates as a cloud software, allowing users to access and use it directly from their browsers. This cloud-based nature ensures that Forma can be used across different devices without the need for specific hardware or software installations.
Data Exchange and Formats
Forma supports open formats such as USD and IFC, enabling seamless data exchange between different applications. This includes connectors for non-Autodesk products like Rhino and SketchUp, allowing data to flow smoothly between various tools.
Conclusion
In summary, Autodesk Forma is built to be highly integrative, supporting a wide range of tools and platforms to facilitate efficient and collaborative design processes in the AEC industry.
Autodesk Forma - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options in Autodesk Forma
Dedicated Help Center
Autodesk Forma provides a dedicated help center that serves as a central hub for troubleshooting, tutorials, and general information about the software. This resource is designed to be user-friendly, regardless of the user’s technical background.Regular Webinars and Learning Resources
Users can benefit from regular webinars and a variety of learning resources. These webinars and resources are aimed at helping users learn the software in a way that suits them best, ensuring they can make the most out of Forma’s features.Active Community
Autodesk Forma has an active community where users can interact, share experiences, and get support from other users. This community aspect fosters collaboration and mutual support among architects, designers, and other professionals using the software.Technical Lessons and Guides
Autodesk offers specific technical lessons and guides, such as the “Enhance an existing model in Forma” module, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to import models, analyze them, and enhance them using Forma’s tools. These lessons are created by Customer Success Managers and are designed to be completed within a short period, typically around 30 minutes.Quick Start Guides
For new users, Autodesk provides a “Forma Quick Start Guide” that walks them through the initial steps of creating a project in Forma. This guide covers defining a map area, ordering data, and importing existing models, making it easier for users to get started quickly.Integration Support
Given that Forma integrates with other Autodesk tools like Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo, users can also find support and resources on how to fluidly connect their design workflow across these different platforms. This ensures a seamless transition from pre-design to detailed design phases.Data and Software Support
Autodesk Forma supports various file formats such as OBJ, IFC, DXF, and raster images, making it easy to import and export data. The software also provides information on data quality and availability, which varies by country and region.Maximizing Autodesk Forma’s Capabilities
By leveraging these support options and resources, users of Autodesk Forma can ensure they are well-equipped to maximize the software’s capabilities and achieve their design goals efficiently. Autodesk Forma - Pros and Cons
Advantages of Autodesk Forma
Autodesk Forma offers several significant advantages that make it a valuable tool for professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries.
Efficiency and Time Savings
- Autodesk Forma significantly reduces the time needed for design iterations by automating complex calculations and repetitive tasks. This allows designers to create 3D designs in minutes and quickly evaluate various design options.
- The platform streamlines the conceptual design phase, enabling swift assessments of factors like wind, sun, and energy studies, which saves both time and costs.
Enhanced Collaboration
- Forma facilitates better communication and coordination among project stakeholders, including architects, engineers, urban planners, and developers. Its cloud-based nature allows interdisciplinary teams to work on the same 3D model, enhancing collaboration and discussions.
Sustainable Design
- The platform includes tools for real-time environmental impact analysis, helping designers evaluate and optimize for living quality and sustainability. It assesses factors such as temperature, sun exposure, wind, and noise early in the design process.
Improved Accuracy and Insights
- AI-driven analytics provide high precision in planning and execution. Forma uses machine learning to draw insights from vast datasets, making informed recommendations on design variants based on historical and real-time data.
Contextual Data and Site Information
- Forma allows designers to extract site information from maps and incorporate existing buildings as massed objects, providing a quick understanding of the project context. This is particularly useful for urban planning.
Visualization and Feasibility Studies
- The platform offers visualizations that help designers understand the impact of various analyses on the conceptual design. It also optimizes tools for feasibility studies, enabling early identification of potential challenges and costs.
Disadvantages of Autodesk Forma
While Autodesk Forma offers numerous benefits, there are also some notable drawbacks to consider.
Initial Learning Curve
- Users may need time to familiarize themselves with the advanced features of Autodesk Forma, which can be a barrier for those new to the platform.
High Cost
- The pricing of Autodesk Forma can be prohibitive for smaller companies or individual practitioners, making it less accessible to those with limited budgets.
Internet Connectivity Requirement
- As a cloud-based platform, Autodesk Forma requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance, which can be a limitation in areas with poor internet connectivity.
In summary, Autodesk Forma is a powerful tool that enhances efficiency, collaboration, and sustainability in the AEC industries, but it also comes with some costs and technical requirements that need to be considered.
Autodesk Forma - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of Autodesk Forma
- Geolocated Projects and Real-Time Analysis: Autodesk Forma allows users to set up geolocated projects with real-world contextual data, enabling quick modeling of complex 3D designs and real-time environmental impact analysis, including wind, solar, daylight, and embodied carbon assessments.
- Integration with Other Autodesk Tools: Forma seamlessly integrates with other Autodesk products like Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo, facilitating a smooth transition from conceptual design to detailed design phases.
- AI-Driven Design Optimization: The platform uses AI to automate massing takeoffs and optimize designs for living quality and sustainability, significantly reducing the time needed for design iterations.
- Collaboration Tools: Forma includes features like comments and mentions on the board, enhancing communication and coordination among project stakeholders. The integration with Autodesk Docs further streamlines the collaborative workflow.
Potential Alternatives
Autodesk Dreamcatcher
- While not a direct competitor, Autodesk Dreamcatcher is another AI-powered tool from Autodesk that focuses on generative design. It generates numerous design alternatives based on user-defined parameters and constraints, and it evaluates each design for performance metrics like strength, durability, and weight. However, it is more geared towards manufacturing and engineering rather than AEC pre-design and schematic design.
Archistar 3D Generative
- This is an extension available within Autodesk Forma but can also be considered a standalone alternative for generating optimized 3D designs. It supports various development types, including housing, apartments, and commercial spaces, and is particularly useful for architects, urban planners, and property developers.
Other AI Design Tools
- Outside of the AEC specific tools, there are broader AI design tools that might not offer the same level of industry-specific functionality but can still be useful for certain aspects of design. For example, Adobe Firefly and Adobe Sensei, integrated into Adobe’s Creative Cloud, offer AI-driven content creation and automation of repetitive tasks, respectively. These tools are more geared towards creative professionals in graphic design, photography, and other creative fields rather than AEC.
Key Differences
- Industry Focus: Autodesk Forma is specifically tailored for the AEC industry, offering features that are highly relevant to architects, engineers, and construction professionals. In contrast, tools like Adobe Firefly and Lummi AI are more general-purpose and cater to a broader range of creative professionals.
- Integration and Workflow: Forma’s tight integration with other Autodesk tools like Revit and Dynamo makes it a strong choice for those already within the Autodesk ecosystem. Other tools may not offer the same level of integration with industry-standard software.
Autodesk Forma - Frequently Asked Questions
What is Autodesk Forma?
Autodesk Forma is a cloud-based software that offers AI-powered tools for pre-design and schematic design in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. It combines conceptual design capabilities, predictive analytics, and automation features to help architects, designers, and urban planners create and optimize building designs in the early stages of a project.
What are the key features of Autodesk Forma?
Autodesk Forma includes several key features such as automatic datasets, smart design tools, parking design, and real-time environmental impact analysis. It also offers solar energy analysis, detailed noise analysis, and integration with other Autodesk tools like Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo. Additionally, it provides data-driven insights to make informed design decisions and improve collaboration.
How does Autodesk Forma integrate with other Autodesk tools?
Autodesk Forma integrates seamlessly with other Autodesk tools such as Revit, Rhino, and Dynamo. It allows for a “file-less” sync between Forma and Revit, ensuring that changes in one platform are automatically reflected in the other. This integration enables users to transfer proposals from Forma to Revit and update them iteratively.
What kind of analyses does Autodesk Forma offer?
Autodesk Forma offers various analyses to help optimize building designs. These include solar energy analysis, which assesses the annual solar energy potential of a site; detailed noise analysis; wind analysis; daylight analysis; and embodied carbon analysis. These tools help designers make informed decisions about the sustainability and living quality of their projects.
How does Autodesk Forma handle data and AI model training?
Autodesk Forma uses AI models trained on datasets generated from various building environments and analyses. However, the data used for training these models is not derived from user-specific data unless it is part of a broader, anonymized dataset. Autodesk ensures that user data is kept confidential and not used for training AI models without explicit consent.
What are the pricing options for Autodesk Forma?
Autodesk Forma is available through several pricing plans, including a monthly subscription at $185 per user, a yearly subscription at $1,460 per user, and a 3-year subscription at $4,380 per user. There is also a free trial available for those who want to test the software before committing to a subscription.
Can I customize Autodesk Forma with extensions?
Yes, you can customize Autodesk Forma by creating your own extensions or using a growing library of third-party extensions. This flexibility allows users to tailor the software to their specific needs and workflows.
Is Autodesk Forma part of any software bundles?
Yes, Autodesk Forma is included in the Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) Collection, which provides a cost-effective bundle of CAD, BIM, and cloud software. This collection includes other tools like Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D.
How does Autodesk Forma support collaboration and project wins?
Autodesk Forma helps improve collaboration by providing data-driven insights and visuals that can be used to tell a compelling design story. This can aid in securing buy-in from stakeholders and winning more bids by presenting well-informed and optimized design concepts.
Is there support for importing and exporting data in Autodesk Forma?
Yes, Autodesk Forma supports the import and export of data in various formats, including IFC and OBJ, and it also connects with other AEC software like Revit, Dynamo, and Rhino.