Architecture is a science that starts back in Prehistory, when the first monuments arose, and it has been improved until the present time through the construction of buildings, cities and diverse types of structures.
To carry out all these tasks, a team of people is needed, standing out the figure of the architect among them as the person in charge.
The architect uses a series of physical tools such as a sketchbook, pen, special types of paper, and also digital tools in the form of sophisticated software that helps him/her designing and recreating any type of construction in 3D.
Our modern and technological world, in which we are living, has gone a step further. Thanks to the possibility of using our smartphones and tablets everywhere, the need to create architectural Apps which enables the architect himself to design and manage the work on-site, or to create a modern portfolio arise, greatly facilitating his/her daily tasks.
We have compiled a list of Apps that we considered as the most useful for architects:
Since the 1980s, this tool is widely used by architects, engineers, industrial designers and other professionals. Nowadays you can use it from your smartphone or tablet.
Among its multitude of functions, we can highlight the creation and modification of drawings in an advanced way, making accurate measurements, and being able to share the designs. In addition, it can be used without an Internet connection.
For all its virtues, AutoCAD is one of the most used architecture apps worldwide, if not the most.
It is available for Android and iOS.
This App has the 'Hyper-model BIMx', an unique technology that allows the user to navigate through floor-plans and a 3D construction model in an integrated way. It is also suitable for displaying information of the building components.
It offers extremely smooth handling and exceptional performance, even for projects with complex 3D models and extensive 2D documentation.
BIMx allows project participants to access the full package of blueprints through the tap of a finger, even on the construction site.
It is available for Android and iOS.
With this App of architecture, you can instantly draw at the top of any image, preserving comments or ideas, in order to create easy sketches to be shared.
It is ideal for architects, designers, photographers or artists.
It is the only sketching app that allows you to easily develop ideas in layers, to communicate through the development of markings, and to connect fluidly with your global network.
Only available for iOS.
It allows you to create professional floor-plans, through photographs. This way, you can create floor-plans in a matter of minutes and easily edit them.
It also allows you to add objects, photos, annotations, price list of products, tasks and taxes with a single touch.
Available for Android and iOS.
It is one of the most used architecture apps. It allows you to create precise and detailed floor plans and visualize them in 3D or print them to scale.
It also allows you to add furniture to design the interior of your house, so you can have your floor plan with you while you are in a store, and check if you have enough space for your new furniture.
Available only for Android.
You can share plans, notes, photos, incident lists and daily reports with the entire project team, no matter where you are.
You will keep all your floor-plans updated to be followed up with reviews, check the progress of documents and manage problems in the building site quickly and easily, even without Internet connection.
Available for Android and iOS.
This App of architecture is different from the previous ones, since instead of a technical tool, it is an architecture guide. It includes more than 250 architectural works from various cities and regions.
With Archimaps, you can explore the map from your current location, check the list or follow its so-called "ArchiRoutes" to discover the most interesting buildings wherever you are.
It will also allow you to get information about the nearby buildings, being able to discover and download images and information about the most visited buildings and projects.
Available for Android and iOS.
This application was developed by COAM Colegio de Arquitectos de Madrid and it offers up-to-date information on the most recent and relevant buildings in the city.
It can be used while touring the city to obtain information about buildings, follow recommended itineraries, and also to consult data and plan routes from home. That makes it the ideal architecture App to get to know Madrid.
When you start the application, the nearest building and its related itinerary appear on the screen in order to quickly learn the details of the architecture that surrounds us. In addition, you can access information in different ways through the lower navigation menu: List, itineraries, map, augmented reality, and you can also make a selection of favorites.
Available for Android and iOS.
Nowadays, thanks to the evolution of technology, Architecture Apps have become one more tool, coexisting with their homonyms of physical format, greatly facilitating the work of the architect.
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Dr. José María de Lapuerta and Andrea Deplazes
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