Modern architectural practice demands more than hand drawings and 2D plans. Today’s projects require intelligent 3D models, energy analysis, coordination with structural and MEP consultants, and documentation standards that satisfy planning authorities and contractors alike. The Autodesk AEC Collection is the toolkit that makes all of this possible — and for UK architects, it represents one of the most comprehensive software investments available. Here is how architects actually use it, from first concept to construction.
Stage 1: Early Design and Concept Development
Before detailed design begins, architects need to explore massing, orientation, and site relationships quickly. The AEC Collection provides two excellent tools for this stage.
Formit Pro: Rapid Massing and Early BIM
FormIt Pro is an accessible sketching tool that allows architects to create 3D building massing models rapidly — on desktop, tablet, or in a browser. Unlike traditional sketch tools, FormIt Pro connects directly to Revit, meaning your early massing studies can become the starting point for your full BIM model rather than being thrown away when detailed design begins. It also includes solar analysis and energy estimation, so you can begin addressing sustainability from day one.
InfraWorks: Site Context and Planning
InfraWorks allows architects to place proposed buildings within real-world geographic context, using terrain data and aerial imagery. This is invaluable for client presentations at early stage — showing how a development sits within its surroundings in a way that plan drawings simply cannot convey.
Stage 2: Developed Design with Revit
Once the concept is established, Revit becomes the central tool for the majority of the design process. It is the engine of BIM-based architectural practice and arguably the most important single application in the AEC Collection.
Building Information Modelling
Revit’s parametric modelling environment allows architects to create buildings as intelligent assemblies of components — walls, floors, roofs, doors, windows — each carrying information about its material, performance, dimensions, and cost. This intelligence means that changes propagate automatically: adjust a wall thickness in one view and every affected plan, section, and schedule updates instantly.
Coordinating With Structural and MEP Consultants
When structural engineers and MEP consultants deliver their Revit models, the AEC Collection’s tools enable seamless coordination. Architects can link external consultant models into their own Revit file, visualising how the structure and services interact with the architectural design in real time. This process — known as federated modelling — is increasingly required on larger UK projects and is straightforward within the Collection.
Energy Analysis with Autodesk Insight
Insight integrates directly with Revit and allows architects to run energy simulations on their building model. You can test the impact of different glazing ratios, insulation specifications, and orientations on a building’s predicted energy consumption — directly informing design decisions rather than treating energy performance as an afterthought.
Stage 3: Technical Design and Documentation with AutoCAD
Despite Revit’s dominance in 3D modelling, AutoCAD remains essential in architectural practice. Many architects use it for:
- 2D detail drawings that are more efficiently drawn than modelled
- Planning drawings where 2D presentation is preferred
- Working with consultants or contractors who supply DWG format drawings
- Producing and annotating site layouts, setting out plans, and demolition drawings
AutoCAD Architecture, included in the AEC Collection, adds wall, door, and room objects to standard AutoCAD, giving architects object intelligence without the full commitment to a BIM workflow. This can be useful for smaller projects or when working with practices that have not yet made the Revit transition.
Stage 4: Coordination and Clash Detection with Navisworks
On complex projects, the AEC Collection’s Navisworks Manage becomes the coordination hub. Architects aggregate their Revit model with structural and MEP consultant models, and Navisworks identifies clashes — places where components from different disciplines occupy the same physical space.
Finding a ductwork clash in Navisworks during the design stage costs a fraction of what it costs to resolve on site. Navisworks can also be used to run 4D simulations, linking construction activities to the model to produce animated construction sequences — a powerful communication tool for clients and planning submissions.
Stage 5: Specialist Applications
Depending on the project type, architects may also call on other Collection tools:
- Advance Steel — for projects with exposed structural steelwork, allowing architects to model connections and members with the detail required for fabrication
- AutoCAD MEP — when an architect needs to coordinate mechanical, electrical, and plumbing layouts without access to a specialist MEP consultant’s model
- Structural Bridge Design — for landscape architects and civil engineers working on footbridges and small structures within architectural projects
Why the AEC Collection Is the Right Investment for Architects
The reality of architectural practice in 2026 is that no single application covers every requirement. Projects demand BIM, planning drawings, coordination, energy analysis, and detailed documentation — often simultaneously. Buying each tool individually would be prohibitively expensive, but the AEC Collection from GetRenewedTech at £149.99 makes the full suite accessible to practices of any size.
For architects just starting out with Autodesk’s ecosystem, it also removes the need to make decisions about which tools to prioritise — you simply install what you need, when you need it. And for established practices looking to expand their capabilities, the Collection ensures you always have the right tool available the moment a new project demands it.
If you are an architect looking to equip your practice with industry-leading design software, the AEC Collection at £149.99 is the most comprehensive and cost-effective route available through GetRenewedTech. Individual tools like AutoCAD and Revit are also available at £39.99 each if your needs are more focused.
