Vectorworks 2011 for Landscape Designers
The whole 2D/3D integration is just fantastic. If you're used to working with a simple 2D plan, and all the lovely 2D graphics that Vectorworks has to offer, you can now switch your plan to a 3D Isometric or Perspective view and retain all those lovely graphics. Although your plan will still have no 3D depth, it is a great starting point for getting a client to visualise your plan in context.
The Hardscape tool has had a further makeover making it even easier to re-use saved definitions and swap finish styles for different materials. The new Tile fills are huge time-savers and will allow you to create any paving pattern you like with ease. No need to mess with the scary hatch editor anymore AND you can make your paving look beautiful too by combining many different graphic effects in your tiles.
Site modelling has taken yet another leap forward. You now have more control over the way the model looks, further 3D display styles to get an even more accurate visual representation of cut and fill areas. Walls can now modify sites too - making retaining walls much more intuitive. No more using my workaround! Think of all those times you've imported a survey which has all the height points displayed as simple points? Now you can convert them to Stakes so that they will show you their height in 2D. The model updates MUCH faster now too.
Scalable symbols will make your life MUCH easier. Take a bench or a pergola from the library and just stretch or shrink it to fit your design, without needing to be a free-form 3D modelling guru!
My book Residential Garden Design with Vectorworks Landmark, edition 3, for Vectorworks 2011 will be out shortly and has had a complete makeover to match the software AND all our training courses have already been updated to 2011. We're looking forward to showing you how to make the best use of it all!
