Understand the capabilities of Forma

00:01

So we covered the long-term vision for Forma as an industry platform for AECO.

00:08

But what is Forma currently?

00:10

Note that this recording was made in summer of 2023 and capabilities are subject to change.

00:20

Currently, Autodesk Forma is a cloud-based software for planning and early-stage building design

00:27

that provides decision support and conceptual design capabilities, for professionals working in early-stage projects.

00:38

We believe that planning and early design decisions have a large potential impact on project outcomes.

00:45

The stakes of these early-stage decisions are high with lasting impacts throughout the project's life cycle.

00:53

According to Skanska,

00:55

more than 50% of a residential project value can be realized in the early-stage design phase.

01:04

Key project decisions made at this point, such as massing and layout, have lasting consequences

01:11

and the design progresses into later phases of the project.

01:16

Those fundamental design choices become hard or impossible to change with current tools,

01:23

which are usually optimized for specific project phases.

01:31

The first Forma offering introduces the next generation design experience,

01:36

by bringing outcome-based design to planning an early-stage building.

01:41

Rather than evaluating one proposal at a time,

01:45

Forma will make it possible to work with many different proposals from different design solutions all at the same time.

01:53

The first offering offers a new user experience, making it possible to on-board,

01:60

and start using the capabilities without extensive upfront training.

02:05

Forma comes with automations and analyses straight out of the box,

02:10

making it possible for anyone to do parametric design, and analyze complex qualities like wind, microclimate, sun

02:20

and daylight without needing technical expertise.

02:25

And the offering is cloud native with browser based access and a file is Revit-synced,

02:31

to ensure data flows downstream, for continued detailed design.

02:38

We believe that this is all going to supercharge what architecture professionals will be able to do.

02:47

Let's have a closer look at the capabilities of the first offering. Forma delivers value in five key ways.

02:55

First, contextual data.

02:58

With Forma, architects can start a new BIM project with real world contextual data in just a few clicks.

03:06

Forma reduces manual effort allowing users to get datasets via the integrated data marketplace.

03:15

The availability of data varies across GEOs today, with higher quality data available in the United States and select European countries.

03:26

Next is conceptual design.

03:28

Once the project is set up, designers can explore their creativity with modeling tools,

03:34

based on Forma IP architects will be able to create complex 3D designs in minutes.

03:43

Automations. Through simple yet powerful parametric tools Forma helps automate repetitive tasks.

03:51

Examples include parametric design of different building typologies,

03:56

automatically adding circulation as well as generating parking.

04:01

In the same time it takes to draw one proposal Forma will make it possible to develop more than a dozen. Analyses.

04:11

And with the machine learning based analysis Forma reduces trial and error guesswork on project outcomes.

04:19

Architects will no longer be dependent on technical specialists or consultant reports,

04:24

but will instead get insights on project performance in near real time.

04:30

This outcome based design approach improves efficiency and builds confidence and justification for early stage design choices.

04:40

Interoperability.

04:42

And when an architect has selected the most promising design option, the Forma-Revit add,

04:47

in helps ensure a fluid transition to detailed design.

04:51

Architects can instantly continue their work without needing to remodel or exchange files.

04:57

The sync also works both ways so designers can send the detailed Revit model back to Forma for analysis,

05:04

making it possible to use Forma and Revit at the same time.

05:10

And lastly, we have the third party ecosystem called out on the bottom.

05:16

The open ecosystem is a core guiding principle for Autodesk as we develop Forma.

05:22

This includes the first offering where an initial set of APIs are already made available to PS certified developers,

05:30

to enable third party geometry generators in Forma.

05:35

The first offering also includes an extension marketplace where a few initial third party extensions related to parking generation,

05:44

and deployment of grasshopper scripts is enabled in beta.

05:48

We also have a Rhino integration as well.

05:57

There are six sustainable analysis tools currently available in Autodesk Forma:

06:02

Operational energy microclimate, noise, light, wind and sun hours.

06:11

And we are working on many more.

06:13

You can check the Autodesk Forma forum to see what's new and what's coming.

06:21

To summarize, Autodesk Forma can help accelerate site planning with ready to order contextual data.

06:28

It can improve collaboration and communication with stakeholders by its file lists and cloud native nature.

06:36

And most importantly, it can help you make better design decisions with database decision making at the center of every project.

Video transcript

00:01

So we covered the long-term vision for Forma as an industry platform for AECO.

00:08

But what is Forma currently?

00:10

Note that this recording was made in summer of 2023 and capabilities are subject to change.

00:20

Currently, Autodesk Forma is a cloud-based software for planning and early-stage building design

00:27

that provides decision support and conceptual design capabilities, for professionals working in early-stage projects.

00:38

We believe that planning and early design decisions have a large potential impact on project outcomes.

00:45

The stakes of these early-stage decisions are high with lasting impacts throughout the project's life cycle.

00:53

According to Skanska,

00:55

more than 50% of a residential project value can be realized in the early-stage design phase.

01:04

Key project decisions made at this point, such as massing and layout, have lasting consequences

01:11

and the design progresses into later phases of the project.

01:16

Those fundamental design choices become hard or impossible to change with current tools,

01:23

which are usually optimized for specific project phases.

01:31

The first Forma offering introduces the next generation design experience,

01:36

by bringing outcome-based design to planning an early-stage building.

01:41

Rather than evaluating one proposal at a time,

01:45

Forma will make it possible to work with many different proposals from different design solutions all at the same time.

01:53

The first offering offers a new user experience, making it possible to on-board,

01:60

and start using the capabilities without extensive upfront training.

02:05

Forma comes with automations and analyses straight out of the box,

02:10

making it possible for anyone to do parametric design, and analyze complex qualities like wind, microclimate, sun

02:20

and daylight without needing technical expertise.

02:25

And the offering is cloud native with browser based access and a file is Revit-synced,

02:31

to ensure data flows downstream, for continued detailed design.

02:38

We believe that this is all going to supercharge what architecture professionals will be able to do.

02:47

Let's have a closer look at the capabilities of the first offering. Forma delivers value in five key ways.

02:55

First, contextual data.

02:58

With Forma, architects can start a new BIM project with real world contextual data in just a few clicks.

03:06

Forma reduces manual effort allowing users to get datasets via the integrated data marketplace.

03:15

The availability of data varies across GEOs today, with higher quality data available in the United States and select European countries.

03:26

Next is conceptual design.

03:28

Once the project is set up, designers can explore their creativity with modeling tools,

03:34

based on Forma IP architects will be able to create complex 3D designs in minutes.

03:43

Automations. Through simple yet powerful parametric tools Forma helps automate repetitive tasks.

03:51

Examples include parametric design of different building typologies,

03:56

automatically adding circulation as well as generating parking.

04:01

In the same time it takes to draw one proposal Forma will make it possible to develop more than a dozen. Analyses.

04:11

And with the machine learning based analysis Forma reduces trial and error guesswork on project outcomes.

04:19

Architects will no longer be dependent on technical specialists or consultant reports,

04:24

but will instead get insights on project performance in near real time.

04:30

This outcome based design approach improves efficiency and builds confidence and justification for early stage design choices.

04:40

Interoperability.

04:42

And when an architect has selected the most promising design option, the Forma-Revit add,

04:47

in helps ensure a fluid transition to detailed design.

04:51

Architects can instantly continue their work without needing to remodel or exchange files.

04:57

The sync also works both ways so designers can send the detailed Revit model back to Forma for analysis,

05:04

making it possible to use Forma and Revit at the same time.

05:10

And lastly, we have the third party ecosystem called out on the bottom.

05:16

The open ecosystem is a core guiding principle for Autodesk as we develop Forma.

05:22

This includes the first offering where an initial set of APIs are already made available to PS certified developers,

05:30

to enable third party geometry generators in Forma.

05:35

The first offering also includes an extension marketplace where a few initial third party extensions related to parking generation,

05:44

and deployment of grasshopper scripts is enabled in beta.

05:48

We also have a Rhino integration as well.

05:57

There are six sustainable analysis tools currently available in Autodesk Forma:

06:02

Operational energy microclimate, noise, light, wind and sun hours.

06:11

And we are working on many more.

06:13

You can check the Autodesk Forma forum to see what's new and what's coming.

06:21

To summarize, Autodesk Forma can help accelerate site planning with ready to order contextual data.

06:28

It can improve collaboration and communication with stakeholders by its file lists and cloud native nature.

06:36

And most importantly, it can help you make better design decisions with database decision making at the center of every project.

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