3D Home Architect

Requires: P166 MHz+, Win 95/98/ME/00/NT 4/SP 4, 32 MB RAM; 150 MB HD

Description:

The 3D Home Architect includes 2 CD's: the 3D Home Architect, and Home Styles 1500 Best-Selling Home Plans. Start the Home Architect with the Cabin Design Tutorial in the User Guide. This walks you through the design of a 2-room cabin (there are other tutorials on Basic Techniques and Roofing Techniques). Then try the 'Build House Wizard'. It can be used in three different ways: modifying an existing plan, generating and arranging rooms, or using the wall tool to lay out rooms. I found the first one handy for initial planning and thinking about layouts. The wall tool approach was more useful for filling in the details on an existing plan. Controls allow you to adjust wall dimensions and rotate rooms, and are fairly intuitive.

Once you have a plan with rooms laid out, furnish them by placing (and rotating) items like tables, chairs, beds, fixtures and cabinets. Then decorate with finishing touches like pictures for the walls, an aquarium, wine rack, or outside landscaping. Electrical items such as switches and light fixtures can also be placed. Then comes the part that I enjoyed - the camera tool can be used to select an area of the home to visit in 3D. Rotate the view and assess the space along with the furniture placed in it, to see if it is adequate. If not, adjust the plan. As well as the plan and camera views, the home can be looked at in a cross-section view, floor and framing overviews, and final 3D view.

The Home Styles CD permits browsing through 1500 different home plans. Zero in on those of interest using the Search feature. Specify any of House Style, Size, Garage or Roof type, Rooms or other features. When I asked for 1 1/2 story A-frames, the program came up with 7 plans. Browse through them, looking at different floors and from different perspectives. There are also Feature Articles - 'Building Your Home', 'Realize Your Dreams' and 'Kidproofing Your Home' - with tips ranging from how to select a builder to financing or acting as your own contractor (much of this information has a U.S. flavor). Home Styles is a great place to start, to come up with some ideas of what you want to build.

Features:

• 2 CD's
• 150 customizable plans
• 3D Walk Through
• Record and play back Walk Through
• Multiple floors
• Scan in plans, textures, fabrics, colors
• Materials list and budget
• Cabin design tutorial
• 299 page User Guide

Technical Aspects:

The usefulness of the 'Build House Wizard' was limited by the fact that many of the choices made using it came up with zero plans. Overall, the package is suitable for someone with auditory difficulty as interaction is visual.

Report and Conclusions:

As in any other design software, it takes some time to understand all the features of this program, though they are generally easy to use. The 3D Walk Through brings the plan to life and makes it easier to spot any flaws. If you are planning an extension or would like to lay out (and walk through) your dream home, then 3D Home Architect would be a wise investment of your time.