THE LIGHTWAVE BLOG

The Age of Technology – apps for architects

In this age of technology help is just the press of a button away.  Architecture is one such profession benefiting from this as iPhone apps revolutionise the way we work. Drawing, calculating, organising, preparing and experimenting on a daily basis has never been easier. Our smart phones have become a handy and comprehensive little tool, which if loaded with the correct apps can help you do your job quickly and accurately.

On offer are several professional drawing and design tools, calculators, maps, encyclopedias and thesauruses, as well as architectural images for inspiration.

Here are four apps that Lightwave recommend:

1. Sunseeker – 3D Augmented Reality Viewer
   A flat view compass and an augmented reality camera 3-d view showing the solar path, its hour intervals, its winter and summer solstice paths, rise and set times and more, plus a map view showing solar direction for each daylight hour.
   
2. Theodolite
   A multi-function augmented reality app that combines a compass, GPS, map, zoom camera, rangefinder, and two-axis inclinometer. Theodolite overlays real time information about position, altitude, bearing, range, and inclination on the iPhone’s live camera image, like an electronic viewfinder.
   
3. Sketchbook Mobile
   The new way to sketch on a napkin – a highly creative tool that allows you to draw even digital sketches. It has the renowned SketchbookPro Software paint engine embedded, so you can achieve very high quality brush or fluid paintings. It has 45 preset brush types, like markers, pencils, texture brushes or felt pens. All the brush settings are fully customisable, so that you are allowed to express your drawings and sketches exactly the way you envision them.
   
4. Drawvis
   A highly useful application that allows architects and technical engineers to view technical drawings in AutoCAD DXF format. What is even better about it is that you are allowed you attach sticky notes to your drawings, so that you can always organise drawings well and get help from the reminder notes. Version 1.3 is currently updated and it allows voice, image and video notes as well.
   

While many of the above applications are intended for professional use,  you will also find a few that have simple recreational purposes, and some which everyone can enjoy. Best of all, some of these apps are free and while we believe there’s no substitute for sitting down with pencil and paper, these tools certainly assist in making life a little easier.