Global design and BIM software developer Vectorworks Inc. announces the 2017 release of its Vectorworks product line, which includes Vectorworks® Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Designer and Fundamentals. The English version is now available with 10 additional language releases planned during the worldwide rollout in the coming months.

“Vectorworks software is unique compared to other competing products because of our company’s dedication to pushing the programming of the products to maintain flexibility while offering state-of-the art technology,” said Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar. “Our continued commitment to reengineering parts of the code base enables Vectorworks products to constantly evolve with the demands of designers resulting in improved software performance, reliability and functionality.”

With more than 100-plus updates, some of the key features from the Vectorworks 2017 software line include the following:

• The new Resource Manager enables designers to create, find, edit and apply desired resources to their projects. Offering direct browsing of resources from multiple content locations, the new feature also includes all Vectorworks Service Select libraries for subscription users. Designers can now easily find what’s needed with powerful search and filtering, attach metadata tags and access resources directly with Vectorworks’ parametric tools.
• With advanced door and window object styles, architects have improved flexibility in their design processes when modifying the style, data and geometry of the doors and windows in their models and producing accurate worksheets in a few quick clicks. These improvements simplify BIM workflows and management of sweeping model changes.
• New irrigation tools streamline the site’s irrigation planning process, including considerations and calculations related to both its physical features and resource availability. The irrigation tool allows designers to create zones of similar watering needs with the new Hydrozone tool and then use built-in worksheets to analyze for water efficiency, making satisfying a site’s water budget allowance simple. Whether specifying lateral and main piping, sprinkler heads, drip systems, valves, controllers or other system components, the automated and manual placement methods meet industry standards while providing the flexibility to design, document and estimate proposed and as-built systems efficiently.
• Professionals can easily share designs with clients and collaborators using Vectorworks software’s immersive web view and virtual reality features. The feature generates a link that allows anyone, anywhere, to view and experience models in 3D on any device without any additional hardware.
• The Vectorworks Graphics Module has been reengineered to enable smoother navigation and multi-threaded drawing for complex scenes.
• With the new cable tools created by Sam Jones of AutoPlot, designers can plan how cables will run and keep an accurate count of the number and types of cables for improved documentation and efficiency, making onsite setup easier.
• The Slab Drainage tool allows designers to create sloped slabs and flat roofs featuring tapered components. This feature will help inform design decisions, document all essential data and allow for easy change management across a given BIM design.
• In Vectorworks 2017, project sharing enhancements integrates customer feedback from its initial release in Vectorworks 2016 and frees designers to work anywhere at any time with cloud integration that allows them to save project files in Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive and Box. It also offers more options to customize multi-user workflows with the ability to check out individual objects or layers.
• New capabilities to data visualization in viewports bring together unparalleled graphic abilities with enhanced information modeling capabilities. It allows control of smart objects’ graphic attributes based upon data and parametric values, giving designers the ability to visually differentiate between objects based upon the data attached to an object.
• All Vectorworks software products now include Renderworks features powered by the Cinema 4D render engine to better visualize a model throughout the design process while producing clear and accurate illustrations and renderings.
• With a unified symbol library, the addition of fixture modes, enhanced Vision Data Export Mapping and a new Send to Vision command, designers will enjoy the benefits of a reduction in repetitive design tasks for previsualization workflows with Spotlight and Vision 2017 software.
• Previously only available to Vectorworks Service Select subscribers, Cloud Services is open for everyone, offering the ability to easily share files between team members and provide a simple interface for collaborators and clients to tour models using the mobile app, Vectorworks Nomad.

In line with Vectorworks’ customer-centric philosophy, once again over 70 percent of the version’s updates and features stemmed from direct designer feedback. Here are just a few testimonials about Vectorworks 2017 from designers who have already experienced the latest release.

“The new Resource Selector in the tool bar for the door, window, walls, Plant and many other tools is absolutely fantastic.” – Peter Neufeld of Limelight Lighting Design Pty Ltd, Sydney.

“Irrigation tools in Vectorworks 2017 offer the easiest, fastest, most accurate system I have worked with, giving us a MASSIVE competitive advantage in the market. How could a firm consider any other software!” – Bryan Goff, Director of Design + Sciences at Grey Leaf Desig.

“I’m REALLY eager to put virtual reality in the hands of clients to enable them to experience design in a way not possible with static images.” – C. Andrew Dunning, Owner of Landru Design.

“We’ve been very impressed by the increased speed of navigation using the improved Graphic Module in Vectorworks 2017, especially when designing and moving around in larger models. It's a big BIM improvement for larger projects.” – Chad Hamilton, AIA, LEED, AP, Principal Architect at Hamilton Aitken Architects.

The English-language version of Vectorworks 2017 software is available to Vectorworks Service Select customers today by download. Shipping of the English-language version to all other customers begins on September 19, 2016. 

Visit vectorworks.net/2017 to learn more and be sure to share your excitement on social media using #Vectorworks2017.

Designers can tune in to the upcoming “What’s New” webinars for insight regarding Architect on September 20, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. ET,Landmark on September 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. ET or Spotlight and Vision on September 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Registrants will receive the webinar recording on demand after the airing.