Autodesk launches Forma Building Design for Revit links

Autodesk has launched Forma Building Design for schematic building design, aiming to link early-stage design work more closely with Revit.

The software is aimed at architects working in the phase when broad design choices are made before detailed documentation begins. Users can set up geolocated sites, create building options, adjust facades, floor plans and units, and assess factors including daylight, sun hours and carbon.

Once a design direction is chosen, projects can be transferred into Revit as geolocated native models with site context and building elements. This is intended to reduce the need to recreate work as projects move from concept development into detailed design.

Design link

The launch is part of Autodesk's wider effort to tighten links between its cloud products and desktop software used across architecture, engineering and construction. Forma Building Design is positioned for design exploration and decision-making, while Revit remains the tool for detailed design and documentation.

That approach addresses a long-standing issue in building design. Architects often use tools built for later project stages during schematic work, making it harder to test alternatives quickly before committing to a direction.

Autodesk also said Forma Carbon Insights is now available across Forma Building Design and Revit. The feature is intended to give project teams a clearer view of carbon effects in early design workflows and allow those assessments to continue into later design stages.

Revit preview

Alongside the new product, Autodesk introduced Revit as the first Forma Connected Client in a tech preview, marking closer integration between Revit and the Forma industry cloud.

According to Autodesk, the preview lets teams move data from Forma Site Design and Forma Building Design into Revit without manual file exchanges. It also enables users to add contextual data from the Forma Data Marketplace and carry out environmental analysis within Revit as design choices are made.

Autodesk described this as part of a broader Forma Connected Clients initiative expected to extend to other desktop products. It is also widening access to several Forma services for existing Revit users.

All Revit subscribers now have access to Forma Site Design, Forma Building Design, Forma Board and Forma Data Management Essentials. The change is intended to bring planning, early design, collaboration and data workflows into a more unified setup.

Standalone subscribers of AutoCAD, Revit and Civil 3D are also being given access to Forma Data Management Essentials. Autodesk said this is designed as a no-cost entry point for teams that need shared project data from the start of a job.

User view

Arcadis worked with Autodesk during development of the new design tool.

"Arcadis has been collaborating closely with Autodesk on the development of Forma Building Design, and it's showing real potential to connect early-stage and detailed design workflows," said Sandra Petkute Roberts, Solutions Consultant - Major AEC Platforms at Arcadis. "Forma Building Design is making it easier for us to explore more facade and layout ideas without heavy manual effort or in-depth expertise in more complex tools. With the potential to scale well across different teams and regions, Forma Building Design makes early design exploration more accessible for our designers during the schematic design process."

Broader update

The announcement also included new artificial intelligence functions and workflow changes elsewhere in Autodesk's AEC portfolio. Autodesk Assistant in Revit is now available and, according to the company, offers contextual guidance inside the software and can help users carry out tasks across products.

Tech previews for Autodesk Assistant are also available in AutoCAD, Civil 3D and InfoWater Pro. Autodesk said the tools are meant to provide in-context guidance within software already used by design teams.

In AutoCAD, a new Checkout feature adds a way to collaborate on shared DWG files in Forma Data Management by letting users reserve only the geometry they need rather than locking an entire drawing. Civil 3D is receiving updates focused on design automation and machine learning methods for alignment analysis in infrastructure projects.

Across Autodesk's water software portfolio, Esri now serves as the GIS system of record across Info360 Asset and Info360 Insight, according to Autodesk. In InfoWorks ICM, Network Design now brings catchment-wide design into the same environment as analysis for storm and sewer planning.

Those changes underline Autodesk's effort to connect planning, design and operational data more tightly across building and infrastructure software, with Revit positioned as the first desktop product to sit more directly within the wider Forma workflow.