Following on from my reflections on this year’s NXT BLD and NXT DEV events, I wanted to take a moment to look more broadly at the new generation of tools shaping the future of digital design in architecture and construction.
It’s been fascinating to watch a wave of new platforms tackling many of the same long-standing industry challenges—collaboration, data connectivity, performance feedback, and ease of use—through fresh, web-first approaches. Whether you call it BIM 2.0, cloud-native design, or simply the next chapter of AEC tech, there’s an undeniable sense of momentum.
These products share a few common threads: they’re built in the cloud, they’re collaborative by default, and they’re unapologetically focused on design iteration rather than documentation. They approach the idea of a “model” less as a static deliverable and more as a living dataset—something that can be shared, analysed, and evolved in real time.
Below are a few of the names I’ve been keeping an eye on. Each brings its own flavour to the conversation, but together they hint at where design technology is heading.
Arcol — Real-time collaboration for early-stage design
Often described as a “Figma for buildings,” Arcol is rethinking BIM as a modern, browser-based tool for early feasibility and design iteration. Real-time 3D editing promotes rapid feedback between teams, reducing design waste and the long hand-off cycles we’ve grown used to.
Its visual “boards” help align decisions across disciplines—a subtle but powerful nod to how communication can make or break a project. Arcol’s simplicity hides a strong focus on geometry, data, and performance, promising a smoother bridge from concept to construction.
Motif — Aligning design and decision-making
Motif sits in the same emerging space but puts collaboration and workflow alignment at the centre. Its interface encourages shared understanding across stakeholders and promotes faster iteration at the earliest design stages.
By focusing on connected decision-making, Motif shows how digital design tools can help align aesthetic ambition with sustainability and performance goals—a theme running through many of these next-gen platforms.
Qonic — Data-rich modelling done differently
Qonic takes a more technical stance, aiming to build data-rich models that stay coherent from concept to delivery. Built-in clash detection and a strong materials framework suggest a future where coordination and lifecycle analysis become part of everyday modelling, not specialist add-ons.
Its direction points to a world where BIM finally fulfils its promise of being both intelligent and efficient—automating what should be automated and surfacing insights when they’re needed most.
Skema.AI — Generative exploration meets integration
Skema.AI pushes into generative territory, exploring forms and layouts through algorithmic design. Compatibility with tools like Revit gives it a bridge to current workflows, but its value lies in how it automates exploration—daylighting, orientation, and spatial efficiency all at once.
It’s an encouraging sign that generative design is evolving from novelty to genuinely useful, repeatable methodology.
Snaptrude — Accessible BIM for the cloud era
Snaptrude has gained traction as a clean, browser-based modelling environment that embeds BIM data directly into the design process. It’s fast, visual, and surprisingly mature, allowing teams to collaborate remotely without the heavy infrastructure of legacy software.
The platform’s real-time feedback loop—on space use, carbon impact, and efficiency—feels like a taste of how everyday architectural design could work once data becomes a natural companion rather than a hurdle.
Hypar — Generative systems and automation
Hypar occupies a slightly different niche, offering a framework for automated and generative workflows. Rather than another modelling tool, it acts more like an engine—teams can encode logic and rules as reusable functions. The result is a kind of programmable design intelligence, enabling rapid layout generation, environmental analysis, or even custom sustainability workflows.
It’s early days for this new approach, but Hypar’s emphasis on openness and scripting shows how computational thinking is moving closer to mainstream practice.
Giraffe — Urban-scale design in real time
Giraffe scales the conversation up to the city level. Its cloud platform lets planners and designers model, test, and communicate urban strategies using live data and open APIs.
Whether for density, solar access, or transport efficiency, the ability to iterate at urban scale is a genuine leap forward.
It’s also one of the most open of the group—integrations and scripting make it a useful bridge between design, planning, and policy.
That Open Platform — A community-driven alternative
That Open Platform deserves special mention for taking an open-source approach. Instead of locking users into a single product, it provides a set of tools and libraries anyone can extend. It’s a refreshing counterpoint to the SaaS model dominating the space, reminding us that collaboration and transparency are also forms of innovation.
Its progress is slower by design but could offer a more sustainable foundation for long-term digital workflows.
Reflections — What BIM 2.0 Tells Us
What stands out across these platforms isn’t just the technology—it’s the shift in attitude. These teams aren’t trying to rebuild the past in the cloud; they’re rethinking the fundamentals of how design information is created, shared, and used.
There’s a visible convergence happening:
- Cloud-native collaboration is replacing file-based coordination.
- Generative and analytical feedback are moving to the front of the design process.
- Open ecosystems and APIs are allowing custom workflows without waiting for monolithic software updates.
Having spent years immersed in this space, it’s rewarding to see these ideas maturing. Building a robust, user-friendly design platform is hard—balancing flexibility, performance, and data integrity rarely comes easily—but this new wave is learning fast and pushing boundaries.
BIM 2.0 isn’t a single product; it’s a mindset shift. The promise lies in connected design intelligence, where the digital model becomes a living partner in the creative process rather than a static record of it.
Closing thoughts
It’s an exciting time for AEC technology. We’re finally seeing tools emerge that reflect how architects and engineers actually work—iterative, collaborative, and data-aware.
No single platform has it all yet, but collectively they’re pointing us toward a more open, flexible, and intelligent design ecosystem.
I’ll be watching closely to see which of these ideas gains traction, but one thing is clear: the energy around BIM 2.0 is real, and it’s driving the industry forward faster than it has in years.
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