10 Programs for Facade Design

Here, we highlight software that, in our opinion, is the most suitable for both home design projects and for professionals, including large architectural and engineering firms.

This market is constantly evolving, with new modeling software being introduced alongside updated versions of trusted and proven CAD (Computer-Aided Design) tools.

For simple programs, a standard home PC is usually sufficient. However, if you are a professional architect or designer, you’ll need a high-performance computer with top-tier specifications: fast RAM, a large-capacity hard drive, a high-end graphics card, and a processor with a high response frequency.

In our program list, we aim to address the specific tasks you may encounter.

ArCon

For example, if you decide to build a house on your own, without involving a large construction company with designers and estimators, you can take a ready-made house project and modify it using ArCon. This program has a very simple interface, making it easy to learn by watching a few short tutorial videos.

From ArCon, for higher-quality rendering (visualization), you can save and import the 3D model of your house into programs like Blender or 3ds Max.

These programs allow you to easily create the interior layout and exterior configuration of your house. However, complex engineering systems—such as electrical wiring, ventilation, water supply, and sewage—require more advanced and professional software, such as CAD (Computer-Aided Design) systems. These programs organize all design stages, divide them into layers, and prepare them for printing blueprints and other design elements.

APPS FOR CREATING HOUSE LAYOUTS

While ArCon is a program designed for architectural planning, here we describe three apps that make it easy and convenient to build models of future homes, apartments, or exteriors.

PLANNER 5D (Mobile App)

Planner 5D shares similar functions with ArCon but is specifically designed for mobile devices such as tablets and phones. It allows you to create unlimited layouts for houses or apartments. The platform operates through an HTML 5 interface, providing access via a browser. Both free and premium versions are available.

With Planner 5D, you can design layouts from any device—even a smartphone—without any special training. The app includes features for creating exteriors with landscapes. It offers an extensive library of elements for interiors, exteriors, landscaping, and decor, with advanced customization options (e.g., scaling, color changes, and texture adjustments).

Planner 5D also supports designing two-story buildings and allows users to utilize pre-made layouts by uploading them into the app.

One particularly user-friendly feature is the ability to create a 3D model of the house with a viewing mode and a 3D virtual tour. This lets you “walk through” your future space, complete with arranged furniture. Additionally, the Planner 5D API allows for complete editing, including changes to the geometry of spaces.

The app is compatible with all operating systems, including iOS 11 and higher, Windows, and Android. It supports multiple languages, including Russian, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, and Chinese.

Drawbacks: Planner 5D has certain limitations, such as difficulties in designing multi-pitched roofs.

HOME PLAN PRO

An alternative to Planner 5D, albeit with a more complex interface and designed for computers, is the English-only application Home Plan Pro.

This program allows you to create designs using downloaded images and layouts in formats such as .jpg, .png, .bmp, and .tiff. It features schematic representations of building elements such as windows, doors, and beams. However, the collection of pre-made furniture and plumbing items (sinks, washbasins, toilets) may not always align with models available in local stores, even in terms of dimensions.

With Home Plan Pro, you can create multi-layered projects (e.g., floor plans) and adjust the dimensional grid for precise measurements.

The app is suitable for beginners as it is much simpler than advanced tools like AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, or Revit. However, it is not intended for complex architectural or interior design projects.

ENVISIONER EXPRESS V.9.11

If all you need is a simple 3D view—to rotate the model inside and out—the Envisioner Express app will work well for this purpose. However, you’ll need to have a clear idea of your house’s layout beforehand, as it may even require importing a house or apartment blueprint into the program.

The app allows you to adjust basic textures and colors and includes a pre-made library of furniture and walls.

Drawbacks: It can be challenging to export models from Envisioner Express into high-quality rendering programs like 3ds Max or Maya.

PROGRAMS FOR MATERIAL CALCULATIONS

Next on our list are programs for calculations. These are more suitable for foremen, estimators, team leaders, or clients to determine material costs.

These programs include PAHOMOV.PRO, which serves as a calculator for calculating volumes and elements of façade systems.

Also, there is the program “Arkulyator-7” (NFV), which is also used for calculating ventilated façades. This standalone program allows for the calculation of finishing areas, material volumes for walls, roofs, and floors. Additionally, based on these calculations, you can create material specifications and include them in project estimates.

The program also allows for creating layouts of walls, floors, and ceilings with material annotations and cost calculations. It can also calculate consumable elements (slats, fasteners). It is used for calculating suspended ventilated façades, stretch ceiling layouts, suspended and modular ceiling calculations, tiling, as well as for swimming pool construction and the calculation of windows and doors made from metal profiles.

Now we move on to the programs for façade design.

These two programs operate on the AutoCAD platform. The program “Cadet-Ventfasad” is also designed for calculating ventilated façades and fastening elements. This program is more professional than the previous ones, allowing you to perform layouts and accurately calculate the number of façade panels and fasteners for your pre-designed project saved in .dwg format.

For large projects with numerous drawings and sections, you will need a sufficiently powerful PC. In such cases, working with design and visualization programs will be much easier.

An alternative to “Cadet-Ventfasad” is the ALUM-3D program, which also works within AutoCAD from AutoDESK. It allows for quick cutting and the creation of complex curved elements. The ALUM-3D interface integrates into the AutoCAD toolbar with a “pop-up windows” feature. There is also a feature that allows you to break down a model into individual elements, refine small details, and then generate them into a complete project.

It also includes a static calculation feature (which accounts for profile deflections under load and pull-out forces on anchors). It is also easy to combine cassette façades with panel materials, optimizing joint alignment.

There is also a “perforation” tool that generates CNC machine-ready drawings for all holes in the façade panels.

A significant advantage is that all changes are immediately saved within the overall building project in AutoCAD.

PROGRAMS FOR ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS BASED ON BIM (BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL)

We have now reached the “kings” of programs for architects and designers — REVIT and ArchiCAD.

Both programs belong to the family of BIM (Building Information Model) software. These are object-oriented models of a building structure, created in 3D with all the elements that make up the object (foundations, walls, floor slabs, roofs, façades, windows, doors, stairs, ventilation systems, heating, plumbing, electrical systems, etc.).

In other words, these programs are created for professionals such as structural engineers, civil engineers, designers, architects, and others.

Of course, these programs require training and are quite complex to work with. But when you manage to create a project for a large house or an entire complex with visualization and all the necessary drawings and plans, the result will be satisfying not only for you but also for your clients.

The developers, AutoDesk and GRAPHISOFT, are constantly competing with each other, and as a result, the quality and ease of use of their software products improve year after year.

Even if you need to import an ArchiCAD file into the 3D-S-Max rendering program from AutoDesk, you can easily do so by saving the file in the required format.

ArchiCAD also has its own rendering application, but when it comes to photorealistic projects with detailed realism, 3D-S-Max is still the leader.

We hope that our article on these programs will be useful to you, and that you will design your homes more professionally and beautifully.