Autodesk Forma, launched in 2023, is a cloud-based platform designed to revolutionise the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry by integrating advanced AI and data-driven insights into the design process. Forma is part of Autodesk's broader AEC Collection and builds on the capabilities of Spacemaker, which Autodesk acquired in 2020. The platform aims to enable architects, urban planners, and designers to create sustainable and efficient designs from the earliest stages of a project. Its primary users include architects, urban planners, and design teams focused on optimising building and site layouts.
Location
Headquarters: San Rafael, California, USA.
Operations: Global reach with users across multiple countries.
Strategic Reach: Focus on integrating with AEC professionals and technology. partners worldwide.
The Circular Vision
Design Principles: Promotes circular economy principles by optimising building designs for energy efficiency and sustainability from the earliest stages.
Resource Optimization: AI-driven analysis for energy consumption, daylighting, glare, and HVAC sizing to minimise resource use and maximise efficiency.
Life Cycle Considerations: Facilitates early-stage design optimization, potentially reducing waste in later stages of development.
Leveraging for Good: Enables creators to design high-performance buildings that minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout their lifespan.
Pioneering Solutions
Key Features: Conceptual design capabilities, predictive analytics, real-time environmental analysis, and automation for site layout and building design.
Unique Value Proposition: Integrates multiple analysis tools into a single platform, providing real-time feedback and optimization suggestions to enhance building performance while reducing design time and costs.
The Regenerative Future
Ecosystem Support: Supports regenerative design by enabling the creation of buildings that minimise environmental impact and potentially contribute positively to their surroundings.
Future Development: Continuous R&D efforts focus on enhancing AI algorithms to further improve sustainability metrics and expand the platform's capabilities.
Creative Empowerment: Empowers designers to create innovative, high-performance buildings by providing data-driven insights and optimization strategies.
Ethical Considerations
Data Usage: Ensures data privacy and security for sensitive project information.
Bias Mitigation: Implements measures to ensure unbiased analysis and recommendations across different project types and locations.
Transparency: Provides clear, data-driven insights and recommendations, allowing users to understand the basis for optimization suggestions.
Guardrails: Ensures compliance with building codes and standards while optimising for performance.
Challenges: Balancing automated optimization with the need for human creativity and decision-making in the design process.
Fact Sheet
Availability: Available globally through Autodesk's AEC Collection subscription model.
RIBA Stages: Useful across all RIBA stages, particularly impactful in stages 2-4 (Concept Design, Developed Design, Technical Design).
Circular Potential: 5/5.
Key Integrations: Compatible with Revit, Rhino, and other BIM and CAD software.
Cost Structure: Subscription-based pricing model; $1,445 annually or $180 monthly.
Carbon Impact: Significant potential for reducing building carbon footprint through optimised design; platform's own carbon impact minimised through cloud-based operations.
Key Takeaway
Autodesk Forma is at the forefront of integrating AI and data-driven insights into sustainable building design, offering a comprehensive platform that significantly enhances energy efficiency, reduces environmental impact, and promotes circular economy principles throughout the building lifecycle.
Explore Further
Autodesk Forma, launched in 2023, is a cloud-based platform designed to revolutionise the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry by integrating advanced AI and data-driven insights into the design process. Forma is part of Autodesk's broader AEC Collection and builds on the capabilities of Spacemaker, which Autodesk acquired in 2020. The platform aims to enable architects, urban planners, and designers to create sustainable and efficient designs from the earliest stages of a project. Its primary users include architects, urban planners, and design teams focused on optimising building and site layouts.
Location
Headquarters: San Rafael, California, USA.
Operations: Global reach with users across multiple countries.
Strategic Reach: Focus on integrating with AEC professionals and technology. partners worldwide.
The Circular Vision
Design Principles: Promotes circular economy principles by optimising building designs for energy efficiency and sustainability from the earliest stages.
Resource Optimization: AI-driven analysis for energy consumption, daylighting, glare, and HVAC sizing to minimise resource use and maximise efficiency.
Life Cycle Considerations: Facilitates early-stage design optimization, potentially reducing waste in later stages of development.
Leveraging for Good: Enables creators to design high-performance buildings that minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout their lifespan.
Pioneering Solutions
Key Features: Conceptual design capabilities, predictive analytics, real-time environmental analysis, and automation for site layout and building design.
Unique Value Proposition: Integrates multiple analysis tools into a single platform, providing real-time feedback and optimization suggestions to enhance building performance while reducing design time and costs.
The Regenerative Future
Ecosystem Support: Supports regenerative design by enabling the creation of buildings that minimise environmental impact and potentially contribute positively to their surroundings.
Future Development: Continuous R&D efforts focus on enhancing AI algorithms to further improve sustainability metrics and expand the platform's capabilities.
Creative Empowerment: Empowers designers to create innovative, high-performance buildings by providing data-driven insights and optimization strategies.
Ethical Considerations
Data Usage: Ensures data privacy and security for sensitive project information.
Bias Mitigation: Implements measures to ensure unbiased analysis and recommendations across different project types and locations.
Transparency: Provides clear, data-driven insights and recommendations, allowing users to understand the basis for optimization suggestions.
Guardrails: Ensures compliance with building codes and standards while optimising for performance.
Challenges: Balancing automated optimization with the need for human creativity and decision-making in the design process.
Fact Sheet
Availability: Available globally through Autodesk's AEC Collection subscription model.
RIBA Stages: Useful across all RIBA stages, particularly impactful in stages 2-4 (Concept Design, Developed Design, Technical Design).
Circular Potential: 5/5.
Key Integrations: Compatible with Revit, Rhino, and other BIM and CAD software.
Cost Structure: Subscription-based pricing model; $1,445 annually or $180 monthly.
Carbon Impact: Significant potential for reducing building carbon footprint through optimised design; platform's own carbon impact minimised through cloud-based operations.
Key Takeaway
Autodesk Forma is at the forefront of integrating AI and data-driven insights into sustainable building design, offering a comprehensive platform that significantly enhances energy efficiency, reduces environmental impact, and promotes circular economy principles throughout the building lifecycle.
Explore Further
