Join AI and design experts Luis M. Ruiz, senior Vectorworks Architect product specialist; Benjamin Guler, partner and CTO at EvolveLAB Veras; and Joey Swerdlin director at Morpholio, to explore how the integration of BIM software and AI-powered visualisation apps are revolutionising the way interior designers conceptualise and visualise their projects.
Ruiz, Guler, and Swerdlin will also guide you through the seamless integration of these cutting-edge tools, offering practical insights and hands-on demonstrations to enhance your design workflow. From creating intricate 3D models to crafting captivating mood boards, you'll learn how to transform your ideas into stunning visual representations with precision and efficiency.
SBID Members earn 4 x CPD points for attending!
Imogen Dent, Design Build Program Specialist at CEDIA, has given her insights into the industry.
CEDIA is The Association for Smart Home Professionals: first established in the US more than 30 years ago and now a global body.
A modern professional smart home provides entertainment, convenience, comfort, and security, all custom designed and tailored to suit the lifestyle of your client. CEDIA Smart Home Professionals ensure that the technology within your client’s home is safe, secure, reliable, and easy to use.
In the UK, there are more than 3,700 Smart Home Professional businesses designing and installing professional smart homes across the country.
If your clients are asking about how technology can be integrated within your interior design, then, you don’t have to be an expert, you just need to know where to find one.
CEDIA is built upon industry leading education and certification, and cutting-edge technology training to ensure that CEDIA members are well-placed to help designers include technology effectively and elegantly within their designs.
CEDIA offers a Finder Service on its website. This allows interior designers to locate their nearest Smart Home Professional.
A CEDIA smart home professional will make sure that the technology within a property is professionally designed and installed with systems integrated to optimise comfort, performance, reliability and ease of use.
They will also deliver a system that is perfectly attuned to the client’s lifestyle and family needs, and ensure that it blends with the interior design scheme within the home.
Integrating smart home technology for a secure and easy to use experience, and without compromising the home’s décor, demands the skills of a professional — someone who has the technical ability to bring everything together in a synergistic 'whole home' experience. This is where CEDIA members are your perfect professional partner.
Whether your client is building from scratch or renovating their home, it’s important to bring a CEDIA member onto the project design team early to provide expert advice and the necessary system design and planning skills. They understand that technology in the home is a significant investment and will be able to advise on the smart home solutions that are right for your scheme and your client’s lifestyle.
They are also the best-informed professionals and trained in the latest technologies, design, project management, and installation techniques to ensure the best possible professional smart home for your project.
CEDIA offers an extensive range of RIBA accredited CPD courses to help interior designers understand how they can incorporate technology successfully into their schemes. These cover everything from an introduction to the smart home to outdoor entertainment and from cinema and media room design to lighting control. More information can be found here.
Another highlight is the CEDIA Smart Home Awards which celebrate professionalism and excellence within the smart home profession. Interior designers can be inspired to kick-start their next project and find ideas and potential solutions to common interior design challenges when working with technology. Click here to find out more.
The 2023 Professional Smart Home Market Analysis from CEDIA gives a fascinating insight into the likely direction of this fast-growing sector. The four business categories expected to grow the most in 2024 are home cinema, media rooms, outdoor entertainment systems, and lighting/shading.
As homeowners experience the fantastic possibilities of a professionally installed entertainment space at home, alongside the rise of streaming technology, private cinema rooms are becoming sought after by more and more people. The picture quality delivered by native 4K projection systems is quite breathtaking and supported by the performance of exceptional immersive sound systems. The result is a visceral, emotional, and completely immersive connection with big screen movie, serial, or sports watching that is just incredible.
It’s clear that the home is now a multi-functional space that provides a place of rest and relaxation as well as a secure and practical home office, a learning environment, a cinema, gaming room and fitness suite.
A professionally installed smart home taps into this new way of life, by enabling multi-purpose use within the one space. Take media rooms as an example. These are versatile, multi-media and multi-functional spaces that can work as a home working environment during the day, but also provide a great area for TV viewing, listening to music, movie-watching on a drop-down screen and projector system or children’s gaming at other times. Their popularity is growing. Media room design and installation requires the services of professional smart home integration companies to make sure that the technology can deliver on the high-level versatility, reliability and ease of use benefits they demand.
We’re also seeing growth in outdoor lighting and entertainment systems. This technology helps people to be sociable and connect with their garden spaces in a positive way. Smart home lighting and entertainment allows your clients to use their outdoor spaces for longer - and in more ways - than ever before. Technology here also brings significant wellness and mental health benefits to consumers who are better able to connect with the outdoors, at home.
Meanwhile, smart lighting and shading is another major growth area. As well as delivering energy efficiency using dimming technology and location sensors, lighting control systems can create beautiful lighting scenes, designed for specific activities, or to highlight the beautiful interior design, architecture, or decoration of a home. Lighting can also be used to enhance the natural energy cycles of the human body – the so-called circadian rhythm – by mimicking the intensity and colour of the sun at different times of day, to help homeowners feel energised or relaxed, and support better sleep. Smart shading can have not only significant comfort benefits for customers, but can also help with energy efficiency of a home, controlling the climate by blocking heat from the sun, or opening to reap the benefits of the sun’s thermal energy.
Wellness touches every facet of the home and we see it becoming more and more important in the future. Homeowners are actively seeking solutions that can enhance air quality, optimise lighting, control temperature and manage humidity to create an environment that boosts physical and mental health.
As more and more consumers embrace integrated technology into their home and lifestyle, so we see our industry collaborating much more closely with interior designers.
Working together, we can create beautifully elegant interiors and amazing experiences enabled by professionally installed and integrated technology. It’s an exciting time!
We’re excited to continue to educate interior designers on the many ways that technology can enhance the lifestyle of their customers. Whether through inspirational case studies, video content, or CPD classes, CEDIA is constantly analysing the most important industry trends, and working to create ways to communicate these to key partners is the residential design and build industries.
We are excited to be an SBID Accredited Industry Partner which will give us the opportunity to connect with more interior design practices across the UK and Europe. We are looking forward to meeting interior designers at face-to-face events and helping them learn about smart home technology and the benefits it can bring for clients through our CPD programme.
About CEDIA
CEDIA is the Association for Smart Home Professionals™. Established in 1989, CEDIA remains founded on the principles of advocacy, connection, and education. Globally, CEDIA defends the rights of integrators in governmental bodies, gathers industry professionals and allied trades, and creates trainings, standards, and certifications to ensure the smart home industry advances and draws fresh talent.
If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.
Latest Version Sets a New Standard in Design Software, Equipping Designers with Powerful and Interactive Toolsets.
Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc. is excited to announce the release of Vectorworks 2025, the latest iteration of its comprehensive design software suite. Featuring an array of interactive features and advanced tools, Vectorworks 2025 is set to transform how designers visualise and execute their creative visions and is a true sight to behold at every design stage. The 2025 release encompasses Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Design Suite, Fundamentals, ConnectCAD, Braceworks, and Vision, with the English-language editions of this version now available.
“Vectorworks 2025 represents a major step forward in how our users can approach design and visualisation, opening a whole new world of visual understanding, communication, and limitless potential,” said Vectorworks Chief Product Officer Darick DeHart. “We have carefully listened to our customers' feedback and are proud to have incorporated their voices, suggestions, and requests into many of the exceptional features in this latest version. We believe that this thoughtfully curated version will enhance workflow efficiency and empower designers to push the boundaries of their creativity.”
Vectorworks 2025 elevates the design software experience and allows designers to bring their best ideas to life without sacrificing quality or efficiency. Key enhancements focusing on intuitive visualisation and interactivity include Onscreen View Control for quick model navigation, Two-Point Perspective for easily creating architectural and photography perspectives, and Object Level Visibility for easily managing individual objects' visibility. Plus, the Vectorworks Cloud Document Reviewer streamlines the document review process for anyone from anywhere. Vectorworks 2025 also offers flexible room finish management and automated BIM data assignment for architects and interior designers, while landscape architects and designers benefit from precise 3D tools for curbs, edging, and borders, and enhanced sustainability documentation. The new version also highlights a more significant investment in entertainment products like Spotlight, Braceworks, and ConnectCAD to enhance workflow efficiency while maintaining quality, aiming to meet the specific needs of entertainment industry professionals. With updates designed directly from customer feedback, lighting, scenic, rigging, and event professionals will find features and improvements implemented specifically to address their most-used entertainment industry tools. Additionally, the latest version includes new developments such as Showcase previz mode, available directly within Vectorworks, and automatic GDTF fixture mapping, further ensuring streamlined workflows and enhanced documentation quality.
Vectorworks is committed to providing customers with resources to master new features and innovations. These resources are tailored to facilitate smooth exploration and adaptation to new features, ensuring users can fully leverage their productivity.
Vectorworks' Coffee Break sessions allow users to improve their skills without leaving their desks. These short, informal online sessions are designed to help users explore and master what’s new in Vectorworks 2025 in a relaxed environment. During these sessions, users can interact with expert Vectorworks trainers, ask questions, and witness some of the most exciting new features and tools in action. Upcoming dates include: - Oct. 3: Cable Tools - Oct. 10: Advanced Showcase Features - Oct. 17: Hardscapes & Landscape Areas
The premier learning platform for designers of any skill level, Vectorworks University, helps users expand their skills. It's the perfect destination to learn more about Vectorworks 2025 and its many new updates. Customers can find videos and courses on features in the new version by visiting the 2025 New Features collection. The University also contains a helpful selection of demo files created to show what's possible with Vectorworks.
The Vectorworks training program educates and inspires both novice and experienced designers. It provides the opportunity to acquire new skills, refine workflows, and explore innovative methods to make the most of Vectorworks 2025. For customers who prefer a more interactive approach, Vectorworks provides various in-person training sessions throughout the year, including: - Vectorworks Core – Newbury (U.K.), Oct. 21 –22, 2024 - Vectorworks Core – Newbury (U.K.), Dec. 2-3, 2024
More information on each training course can be found here.
To stay updated on the latest features of Vectorworks 2025, customers can subscribe to the official Vectorworks YouTube channel. The channel provides a wide range of educational content, including detailed New Feature Videos demonstrating the powerful capabilities and updates in Vectorworks 2025. It offers easy-to-follow tutorials, expert demonstrations, and tips for maximising efficiency, making it a valuable resource for designers at all skill levels. Customers can explore the newest tools, see how they are used in real-world scenarios, and gain insights to fully use the software.
Stay informed and inspired with the Vectorworks Newsroom. Subscribers receive the latest news, customer stories, learning tips, event information, and other important announcements from Vectorworks. It’s a great resource to stay up to date on future software updates and dive into in-depth success and learning articles highlighting the latest features of Vectorworks 2025.
With the release of Vectorworks 2025, all customers have access to the dedicated Vectorworks Technical Support team, which is ready to assist with any questions or issues they may encounter while using the latest version of the software. The support team is available to help users navigate new features, resolve technical challenges, and optimise their workflows. This personalised assistance ensures that every customer can take full advantage of Vectorworks 2025's powerful tools and enhancements.
"We understand that embracing new tools and features can feel overwhelming, which is why we are committed to providing our customers with the resources and guidance they need to succeed," said Juan Almansa, senior director of customer success at Vectorworks. "Through our Coffee Break sessions, Vectorworks University, personalised training options, and more, we aim to make learning Vectorworks 2025 an engaging and seamless experience. Our goal is to equip designers with the knowledge and confidence to fully leverage the innovations in this release and enhance their creative potential."
The Vectorworks Community Forum is an invaluable resource for users looking to explore Vectorworks 2025, offering a space to provide feedback, participate in general discussions, and troubleshoot issues across industry-specific forums. With sections dedicated to customisation options, workflow advancements, and resource sharing, users can connect directly with other community members to enhance their Vectorworks experience. The Knowledge Base offers more technical support, including answers to common questions, operating system requirements, video tutorials, and tech tips, ensuring users have access to the information they need to succeed.
The release of localised language versions will begin in October and conclude in the first quarter of 2025. Contact your local Vectorworks distributor for more information about the availability of Vectorworks 2025 in other markets. Vectorworks Service Select and subscription users can download Vectorworks 2025 once the product is released in their local markets.
To learn more about the latest release, visit vectorworks.net/whats-new or join the conversation on social media with #Vectorworks2025.
About Vectorworks
Exceptional design demands exceptional tools - a platform built to deliver absolute creative expression and maximum efficiency. Vectorworks believe your design software should offer the freedom to follow your imagination wherever it may lead you, to seamlessly share your vision at any phase, and to easily interpret the information needed to make the smartest decisions every time.
Efficiency is a key part of any design workflow. Whether you're an architect, interior designer, or landscape architect, having the right tools can make all the difference in streamlining your workflow and bringing your creative visions to life.
The Vectorworks Room Plan feature is a game-changer for design professionals using Apple iOS devices.
Vectorworks Cloud Services offers a suite of tools to keep you connected to your projects, regardless of their location.
At the heart of Cloud Services is the Nomad app, available on both Android and iOS platforms. Among its many features is Photogrammetry, which converts photos to 3D, allowing designers to easily transform images into detailed 3D models.
If you use Apple iOS products with LiDAR technology, the Room Plan feature takes reality capture to new heights.
With seamless integration with the previously mentioned Vectorworks Nomad app, you can scan entire rooms with just a few taps on your iPhone or iPad. No more fumbling with tape measures or expensive laser equipment — simply point, scan, and capture the space around you.
The Room Plan feature addresses several common challenges:
- Onsite Efficiency: Forget your tape measure? No problem. With Room Plan, you have a powerful measuring tool right in your pocket. - Cost-Effective Solutions: Laser measuring equipment can be prohibitively expensive for small projects. Room Plan offers a cost-effective alternative without sacrificing accuracy. - Time-Saving Technology: Measuring tight spaces or curved walls can be time-consuming and tedious.Room Plan streamlines the process, saving you valuable time. - Seamless Integration: Once you've captured your space, seamlessly import the scan into Vectorworks for further design work.
But the benefits don't stop there. With Room Plan, you can create conceptual 3D models with ease, complete with slanted or round walls for added realism. You can also scan multiple rooms and transfer them into a single model.
From there, you can use the new AI Visualizer to quickly visualize your design ideas using the captured structure as a foundation.
Click here to learn more about Vectorworks’ AI Visualizer.
Using Room Plan is painless — just follow these five steps:
1. Clear the space and organize as needed. 2. Open the Nomad app on your iOS device. 3. Select the Room Plan feature and start scanning the room's edges. 4. Finish scanning and save the results to Vectorworks Cloud Services. 5. Import the scan directly into Vectorworks for further design work.
The Vectorworks Room Plan feature and enhancements to the Nomad app give you a streamlined workflow for capturing existing environments and objects.
Simply put, Room Plan provides the flexibility, reliability, and efficiency.
To learn about the latest advancements in Vectorworks 2024 Update 5, click here.
Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc., part of the Nemetschek Group, has released its fourth update to the Vectorworks 2024 product line, granting customers access to AI and virtual reality (VR) technologies through two brand new tools. Additionally, the latest version update features an integration with L-Acoustics – leaders in sound-reinforcement technology and the Vectorworks Partner Network’s first platinum audio industry member – along with several other enhancements to provide faster design workflows from start to finish.
“This latest software update showcases our unwavering dedication to equipping our customers with cutting-edge technology to elevate their design processes,” said Vectorworks Senior Director of Rendering and Research Dave Donley. “By introducing these tools, we are taking a significant step forward in leveraging the power of AI and VR to enable users to explore their design concepts faster and with greater detail. We believe these features will assist our users in securing more work and ensure they can deliver projects with the highest level of precision and creativity.”
Combining the power of Vectorworks with the speed of AI powered by Stable Diffusion, customers have the limitless potential of AI at their fingertips with the new AI Visualizer. Directly available within the Vectorworks interface, this experimental tool uses Vectorworks Cloud Services for a zero-install, uninterrupted workflow to quickly ideate illustrative concepts or create refined images using Vectorworks models from text prompts at any design stage. Designers can amplify their ability to explore options and ideas faster, allowing more time to focus on their design concepts and win more work. Vectorworks’ AI Visualizer is processed on Vectorworks Cloud Services, ensuring that individual hardware limitations do not impact performance. Users can continue working on their designs uninterrupted while images are generated and private information is protected.
Vectorworks customers can now also use VR technology in their design workflows with the help of Vectorworks Odyssey, the virtual reality application based on Unity developed for Meta Quest 2 and beyond. With the app, designers and all stakeholders can experience immersive VR models with a bird’s-eye view and virtual walkthrough modes, helping them to gain better context and provide quick and thorough feedback on projects, especially during the early design phases.
Using Apple’s Room Plan framework, the Room Plan feature in Vectorworks Nomad is now even more advantageous, allowing customers to quickly and more easily create accurate 3D models directly from the iOS app. The new capability to scan multiple rooms and seamlessly combine them into a single model, plus the added support for round and slanted walls, provides significant time savings when surveying existing building or site conditions. Customers will also find a new intuitive and direct workflow in the desktop app for importing files from Nomad and Vectorworks Cloud Services. With a menu command directly in Vectorworks, files from 3D scans can be easily found and imported straight into design layers.
Furthermore, new advanced rendering technology in the Redshift Progressive Mode feature provides immediate feedback when finetuning 3D views directly in design layers.
In a continued commitment to delivering designers with first-class BIM collaboration capabilities, Update 4 makes sharing work with project stakeholders easier than ever. With the latest Information Delivery Specification (IDS) feature, customers can quickly validate project information, ensuring compliance with local and project requirements. A modern BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) interface makes issue management workflows a breeze, with support for seamless switching between server-based and file-based BCF Managers. Plus, IFC file export makes collaboration more effective by supporting sophisticated IFC assemblies and multiple buildings, along with certified quality of geometry and data, georeferenced positioning, and optimized file sizes.
Additionally, Update 4 includes increased flexibility, improved documentation, and customization capabilities for the recently implemented Cabinet tool.
For entertainment industry professionals looking to prioritize their audio design workflows, Vectorworks 2024 Update 4 brings a new integration with L-Acoustics that allows Spotlight customers to export their models to Soundvision. The geometry of Vectorworks objects can be simplified to export lightweight and responsive models into Soundvision. This simplification saves valuable time and streamlines the design process.
“We are committed to offering sound designers a seamless and efficient workflow,” explains Maxime Démurger, Application Design Engineer at L-Acoustics, who led the integration project. “Attaining platinum partner status through this Soundvision integration is the first step in a long-term partnership that will offer more interoperability between our tools and provide more precise 3D sound modeling.”
Customers from all areas of the entertainment industry will experience increased efficiency when creating custom reports with extensive and intuitive Equipment List worksheets that integrate data displayed on the Equipment List. With the new Equipment Summary Key feature, users can adjust the alignment and scale of individual equipment objects, thus enabling better control over their reports.
Professionals in the Landscape industry will benefit from the introduction of two new modes of the Hardscape tool, Site Model Contour Labels and new Site Model Contour Label workflows. The Style Pick-up and Convert modes of the Hardscape tool allow users to create a smart Hardscape object from a selected shape using the active settings from the hardscape, similar to the Plant, Landscape Area, and Irrigation tools. This saves time and provides workflow consistency. The Site Model Contour Labels feature offers superior control of the "Add contour labels" tool, allowing users to place custom labels in preferred units with fractional and decimal precision. Customers can now easily meet their drawing standards, confidently labeling contours and achieving neat and effortlessly placed labels at the intersections.
This update is available to download for all currently released English language-based versions of Vectorworks 2024 and is immediately accessible to subscription and Vectorworks Service Select customers. To install the update, select “Check for Updates” from the Vectorworks menu (Mac) or the Help menu (Windows).
Unleash your creative potential and unlock limitless design possibilities with a free 7-day trial of Vectorworks Design Suite. Visit the Public Roadmap to stay up to date on the future of Vectorworks, leave feedback on upcoming changes, or suggest something new.
What does designing a retail space in the modern era look like? Online shopping is at an all-time high, so how do you offer your customers the convenience they’ve come to expect with the human connection they so desperately crave?
The answer is balance.
And such balance is something being carefully created by the folks at River Island, a storied fashion brand that’s been delivering elevated looks to the streets of Britain for over half a century.
With roots on the prestigious Kings Road of London, River Island now has over 250 locations across the UK, and in addition to trending fashions, River Island also has its hand in trending technologies.
River Island’s solution to creating exciting in-person shopping experiences comes in the form of River Studios. This concept “introduces a modernised take on the retailer’s brand while paying homage to its craftsmanship and family business culture,” per Retail Focus.
The most interesting aspect of River Island is “Chloe,” an AI styling system that personalises customers’ shopping experience. The clothing found in River Studios will feature washable tags that will register with Chloe through mounted touch screens throughout the retail space and changing rooms, helping shoppers find more of what they love.
Additionally, a Digital Click and Collect point using Chloe’s computer systems creates a faster way for customers to find the exact pieces of clothing they’re looking for.
This technology, blended with the advantages of in-person shopping — being able to try on clothes, seeing fabrics in person, and participating in a curated space — will create a new feel for the brand’s retail locations.
“Retail is at its best when it’s evolving and adapting to best suit the needs of shoppers, and we’re no different. River Studios delivers a modern, seamless experience fit for the high street of today,” Will Kernan, River Island CEO, told Retail Focus.
Technology-focused storefronts for the River Island brand will be designed by Hannah Boulter using Vectorworks Architect. Boulter has long leaned on Vectorworks Architect to aid in her design work for River Island, mainly using 2D drawings to plan out new stores and renovations to existing stores, in addition to adding the Chloe system and changing room touch screens.
But as the company pushes to improve its retail offerings, she’s also looking to improve how she uses the software. Boulter is now working with Kesoon Chance, Vectorworks senior industry specialist – interiors, to use Vectorworks’ data-centric features for a more automated design process.
With tools like custom record formats, data tags, and reports, Boulter will be able to streamline how she designs in Vectorworks, just like how River Island is improving the shopping experience for their customers.
“Kesoon and I went over things like our merchandise fixtures around the store,” said Boulter, “and each fixture has a typical number of arms. Before, we’d send the design to our manufacturer, and they’d go around and have to count all the fixtures by hand. There’s so much room for human error.”
Now, Boulter and her River Island team have a formula that quickly calculates the number of arms for each merchandise fixture and automatically tabulates them into a table to share with manufacturers.
To learn more about how to use data management features in Vectorworks Architect, click here.
Want to design modern, engaging retail spaces like River Island’s? Look no further than this webinar, “Data-Driven 3D Modelling for Interiors.”
In this presentation — inspired by an elegant retail interiors project located in Tokyo by designers Mana & Takashi Kobayashi, IMA Inc. — Luis M. Ruiz, interior associate AIA, will discuss how you can increase your efficiency and win more work with an integrated data-driven 3D modelling process.
Your workflow is no longer just about providing 2D drawings and details; great visualisations and smart take-offs can all be a part of your design process. BIM for interiors is a more thoughtful way to design, organise, and face today’s challenges in the industry.
Click here to watch the webinar for free.
Clerkenwell Design Week returns to the streets of EC1 for another year of exciting product launches, talks, presentations, and exploration of a wide range of international designers, makers, and manufacturers.
As part of this year’s event, KI will be taking space in the grade II listed building and CDW 2023’s festival hub, Old Sessions House, on Clerkenwell Green. The main feature this year is KI’s latest innovation, Clubhouse, a flexible system of acoustic frames and panels that can create a variety of private and collaborative spaces. From individual phone-booths to larger meeting areas with advanced tech integration, Clubhouse has been designed to revolutionise the way we work and interact in shared spaces.
Clubhouse’s clean and contemporary design provides a modern and innovative solution that is both visually striking yet supremely functional. Situated in this traditional backdrop will showcase its versatility, demonstrating how it can be seamlessly integrated into any setting. The crisp lines of Clubhouse’s chamfered edges throughout the structured framework paired with 10mm glass panels will juxtapose uniquely against the rustic, raw plaster walls and original chandelier of the room, creating a spectacular contrast between old and new. Clubhouse’s innovative design will offer a glimpse into the future of workplace, displaying how traditional spaces can be transformed into practical and productive environments.
Speaking about the installation of Clubhouse in Old Sessions House, KI’s President for E.M.E.A, Jonathan Hindle, said, “We are excited to showcase Clubhouse in such a beautiful and historic space. The juxtaposition of the old and new will create a visually stunning statement that highlights its adaptability. We believe this installation will offer visitors a unique and engaging way of experiencing Clubhouse’s unique features.”
KI has collaborated with Designers Guild to use their fabrics throughout the installation; chosen for their beauty, durability, and sustainability. A wide range of tonal neutrals, putty pinks, and accent crimsons in fresh linens and sheers have been selected to complement the modern design while adding warmth, colour, and texture to the space. Designer Guild’s commitment to environmentally friendly practices make them an ideal partner for the show.
KI will also be launching a Bruce Kenneth reclining chair and ottoman. Inspired by Brutalist furniture and architecture, the products have been designed with intentionally opposing smooth, organic curves and unnatural edges. Its realistic design doesn’t try to be too ‘statement’, but instead creates a timeless and practical product with seamless one-piece frame and legs.
Alongside this exclusive showcase there will also be a selection of KI’s most popular products to complete the scheme including Take5 Ottomans, 800 series storage, Grafton collection chairs, and Athens tables.
KI’s one-piece polypropylene Postura+ chair will also have focus on it as visitors are invited to explore its new colour palette and ongoing sustainability efforts towards a circular economy. The small gallery will also feature KI’s process for a new bi-product wood chip mix for Postura+ stools that reflects their commitment to eco-friendly design.
Don't miss this opportunity to discover the future of open plan architecture and sustainable design with KI at Clerkenwell Design Week 2023.
About KI
KI’s furniture helps the world’s leading organisations create happy, healthy, high performing working and learning environments. Bringing together good design, advanced engineering and sustainable resources, KI’s products are durable, flexible and offer excellent value.
If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more.
Vectorworks is an award-winning design and BIM software provider serving several industries in 85 countries. Built with designers in mind, Vectorworks software offers the freedom to follow your imagination wherever it leads you and presents a platform built to deliver absolute creative expression and maximum efficiency. Globally, more than 685,000 users are creating, connecting, and influencing the next generation of design with Vectorworks on Mac and Windows.
Since its founding in 1985, Vectorworks’ software has always been a 3D modelling program devoted to helping designers express their visions more clearly to their clients and collaborators and to design without limits.
From the beginning, Vectorworks has played a critical role in the CAD field, having created one of the very first CAD programs, one of the first 3D modelling programs, the most successful CAD software for the Mac OS, and the first cross-platform CAD application to market. Vectorworks was also one of the first in the design industry to introduce BIM capabilities to our software offerings and was the first major BIM authoring platform to run natively on Apple’s M1 Family of Chips.
Today Vectorworks has evolved into a sophisticated suite of products that address a wide range of needs, from fundamental drafting and modelling to advanced design, documentation, and analysis.
Our product, Vectorworks Architect, allows interior designers to collaborate with other project stakeholders in one central platform, minimising errors that can occur when transferring between various platforms and software programs.
Vectorworks Architect also provides interior designers with built-in templates and reports to assist with not only commencing projects but also with the ease of extracting relevant and needed information.
The simplicity of the interface allows for the incorporation of plug-in tools from a wide range of partners to make the design process a complete one. From space planning layouts, design intent drawings, and construction drawings to spreadsheets and rendering capabilities, Vectorworks Architect includes a wide range of resources, ensuring you have the best possible opportunity to convey your design idea to your customer.
Vectorworks’ software offers designers new tools and resources built on cutting-edge technology. These advances allow users to showcase their designs to clients in new and exciting ways. For instance, our recently updated Nomad mobile app features Apple's room scanning framework, RoomPlan, allowing users to quickly scan an existing room layout using their iOS mobile device to create a robust reality capture that is accessible and easy to use. Plus, presentations for tours and boards created in Vectorworks Cloud Services can be shared with collaborators and clients with a QR code, link, or email.
Vectorworks offers improved accuracy throughout the full design process compared to older, traditional processes. Data management, visualisation, and revisions are all simplified by offering and centralising everything in one comprehensive program.
In addition, Vectorworks is known for its flexible approach to designing, with a wide range of modelling capabilities such as history modelling, Nurbs, subdivision, and parametric tools capabilities. Designers can spend more time designing without letting their software or tools hinder their creativity.
As a company, we work with interior designers in many ways, and as an industry specialist, I have the chance to speak to designers on a regular basis. We have online and in-person training opportunities from one on one to group sessions. Vectorworks University also allows designers to learn on their own schedule and obtain necessary certifications.
For companies that are transitioning to Vectorworks, we also over a tailored approach with support to get the workforce up and running in a very efficient way through consultancy.
By joining organisations such as SBID and attending tradeshows, we frequently network with designers from various sectors, such as residential, retail, hospitality, commercial, and more. It gives us a chance to hear feedback and ensures our software is always evolving to include new features.
To conclude, as one of our company’s core values, inclusion is something we continue to strive to promote and foster. As part of this, our DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee is dedicated to supporting the interiors sector by sponsoring or donating to charities and initiatives looking to improve access to this industry for all individuals. For example, so far, we have worked with the United in Design Charity, and we continue to remain open to additional opportunities to get involved and give back.
It’s very hard to select just one highlight as we’ve had many exciting developments over the past year. We launched the latest version of our software, Vectorworks 2023, which focused on reengineering some of the core architectural tools, expanding our interoperability with additional file format imports, and offering additional modelling capabilities for quicker design creation.
The launch of this release also included a customer Design Day event at Euston Square, London. This event offered designers the opportunity to speak directly to Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar and other executives about their experience with the software.
In addition, we launched our Vectorworks Embodied Carbon Calculator (VECC) to assist designers in their steps to design and execute more sustainable projects.
We also successfully changed our purchasing options to subscriptions, giving customers the freedom to manage their licences as their workload pauses or expands.
The list continues, however, the final highlight I would like to mention is our sixth Vectorworks Design Scholarship. There were over 1,000 submissions and scholarships were awarded to 30 students for 22 projects in the architecture, interior design, landscape, and entertainment industries.
The winning project of this year's grand prize was interiors focused, with Michelle Wanitzek taking home the coveted Richard Diehl Award for her project ‘Nomad Coworking.’
In the past year, there were a lot of requests for Crittall openings; doors and windows, and an increase in setting up company standards to improve efficiency.
However, one of the latest trends I have noticed this year is a demand for extracting data from a CAD/BIM model.
Once the designer has conceptualised their project within Vectorworks, with custom data attached and object parameters set, exporting the necessary information to create types or reports, schedules, and legends is fairly straightforward.
We currently have many tutorials and webinars focused on the topic of data within Vectorworks University for those who want to elevate to the next step.
There has been a lot of discussion regarding reducing our carbon footprint in all the various industries we support, and the interiors section is no different; whether it’s at a tradeshow or through a customer project – I can see that there is an emphasis on doing better for the planet and making a difference, with a circular design; reusing, recycling and innovating new products from waste. There is a sense of urgency regarding sustainability, and I believe this will continue.
In addition, we are still recovering from the pandemic and developing new ways of living and working. There is also a need to create spaces that sustain an excellent quality of well-being and wellness. So, whether the focus is on air, light quality or just making sure that there is a varied layout option to suit the different business and social needs, adaptability and flexibility are key.
We recently transitioned our purchasing options to subscription licences, which can be purchased directly from our website. This is extremely exciting because we have the opportunity to release new tools and features more frequently. Not only that, but this has been a popular request from freelancers and sole practitioners over the past several years. Now, these designers can factor the lower subscription fees directly into their business structure as they work on various projects.
Moreover, at the moment, there seems to be a real buzz around the hospitality and retail industries and using those industries to drive consumers back out. This is especially exciting for me as I will be creating a new example file for designers in these sectors with specific tips and tricks so that they can continue to design as effectively as possible.
For other sectors, there are also example files on Vectorworks University, so I encourage everyone to explore those resources.
As an individual and an interior architect, the SBID offers a wide range of network opportunities that allow me to be among like-minded people and discuss topics that affect our industry.
As a company, it means a lot to support and maintain the quality of the industry by offering high-caliber CPDs and training amongst the members.
Questions answered by;
Kesoon Chance
Senior Industry Specialist – Interiors, Vectorworks
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There’s a certain wisdom in trust — whether it be trusting a friend, trusting the weatherperson’s report, or in the case of Geneviève Raynauld of Nine Design, trusting the full capabilities of Vectorworks Architect.
Raynauld and her Montreal-based design firm have long used Vectorworks for their commercial and residential interior design projects. In fact, Raynauld has used Vectorworks since it was MiniCAD in the ‘90s.
Raynauld has decided that she and her firm will begin to adopt Vectorworks Architect’s BIM capabilities, a decision that’s offered the firm the ability to make more informed design decisions as well as engage in data-driven collaboration processes with consultants.
The decision to take a more wholistic approach to her firm’s design workflow was a result of Raynauld attending Vectorworks’ 2018 Design Summit, claiming that she realized she was only using about ten percent of the software. “I got frustrated not being able to use every aspect of Vectorworks.”
Now, Raynauld and her team are pushing the software where she wants it to go, creating 3D files with greater levels of detail, data, and documentation.
“Everything is so much easier in 3D,” said Raynauld, citing a desire to render beautifully and better sell projects to clients. “Not everybody has the capacity to bring a 3D model into their mind.”
Raynauld described the enhanced visuals of her new 3D models with colorful words like “warmth” and “candy.” No longer does she have to simply hope clients feel attached to a cold 2D floorplan.
These little bits of “candy” are added to viewports that are used to present all the visual and informational details that compose a design. Renderings, images, samples, tables, worksheets, and other forms of information can be added to these viewports — creating a fully-fleshed out version of Raynauld’s design intent.
“Key plans” also exist in Raynauld’s viewports, indicating which floor of a building the viewer is currently seeing. This is just another example of how you can add detailed, graphical information to your documents, and, as the designer points out, this kind of inclusion wouldn’t be possible without a 3D BIM model.
With their larger projects especially, Raynauld and her staff must collaborate with architects, engineers, and other consultants to deliver a coordinated interior solution.
And Raynauld is in good hands — Vectorworks Architect has a wide range of import options that includes DWG files.
Raynauld and her team reference DWG files into Vectorworks, using the reference as a background that informs their work. Once they complete the first design iteration, the team exports the file to DWG for use by consultants. The exported DWG file contains valuable project information and coordination markers.
The next step, she indicated, was maximizing the use of consultant files. “I wanted to get more from the models that [the collaborators] were sending me,” she said.
“I’m motivated by my work,” said Raynauld. “So, I’m motivated to advance and improve my BIM capacity. It has a direct impact on our rendering skills and everything that brings the ‘wow’ effect to the interior design.”
Nine Design’s most recent project is the eight-story, 120-unit DDO multiplex design in West Island, Montreal.
The design throughout the building is characterized by a neutral color palette and natural materials. Such a design choice was the result of the “social temperature” and her own personal headspace during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Raynauld. “It’s a contrast with all the controversy in society. It’s really to bring clarity and light when everything feels so confusing and shady.”
To take the socially conscious nature of the project one step further, Raynauld and Nine Design worked with an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral line of carpet. And, because they’re now using a BIM workflow, details like color and materials have associated data within Nine Design’s models.
With DDO, Vectorworks has helped Nine Design create beautiful presentations with efficient execution, as well as continue their mission: “we create designs that stand out for their harmony between audacity and elegance that will stand the test of time.”
Raynauld knows that there’s still room for her firm to grow in their implementation of BIM processes, saying that she’d love to use more IFC models to collaborate with other professionals and consultants. “Sometimes an engineer might change the thickness of a slab, for example,” said Raynauld. “That’s where I’d love to be able to work with BIM and an IFC model. I would be able to make sure all my other measurements and details are still good!”
“I’m really passionate about Vectorworks,” said Raynauld. And it shows; Nine Design are designing, documenting, and collaborating better than ever before.
Exceptional design demands exceptional tools – a platform built to deliver absolute creative expression and maximum efficiency. Vectorworks believe your design software should offer the freedom to follow your imagination wherever it may lead you, to seamlessly share your vision at any phase, and to easily interpret the information needed to make the smartest decisions every time.
No bathroom is complete without a mirror, and RAK Ceramics ensures that including this essential accessory as part of a purchase is no hard sale, with several new additions to its collection.
In a choice of stylish finishes to combine seamlessly with any décor, the new RAK-Art and RAK-Picture mirrors come with Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Nickel and Brushed Gold. This enables them to be chosen to match the bathroom’s brassware, extending the sale and ensuring retailers can value up.
Both ranges feature four shapes – Round, Square, Soft and Oval – and have LED lighting, a demister pad and touch sensor activation, bringing the latest bathroom technology into the home in a seamless way.
Also new to the RAK Ceramics mirrors collection is RAK-Ornate, available in the same choice of finishes and with the same technological features. The RAK-Ornate mirror has an integrated shelf for handy storage of bathroom essentials, making it the perfect addition to a master ensuite for a hotel-inspired look.
About RAK Ceramics
RAK Ceramics is one of the largest ceramics’ brands in the world. Specialising in ceramic and grès porcelain wall and floor tiles, tableware, sanitaryware and faucets, the company has the capacity to produce 123 million square metres of tiles, 5 million pieces of sanitaryware, 24 million pieces of porcelain tableware and 1 million pieces of faucets per year at its 22 state-of-the-art plants across the United Arab Emirates, India and Bangladesh. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, RAK Ceramics serves clients in more than 150 countries through its network of operational hubs in Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Asia, North and South America and Australia.
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