Vectorworks Architect

Vectorworks (part of the Nemetschek Group, alongside Archicad) is an incredibly powerful, highly visual BIM platform that has historically been the absolute undisputed champion of the Apple Mac ecosystem. Long before Revit or AutoCAD ran smoothly on a Mac, Vectorworks was the native, go-to CAD tool for highly creative, design-focused architects using Apple computers. Its absolute biggest differentiator from Revit is its massive focus on highly graphical, beautiful 2D presentation drawings natively within the software. Revit's 2D outputs often look clinical and highly technical. Vectorworks operates almost like Adobe Illustrator mixed with a BIM engine. An architect can add beautiful watercolor textures, gradients, and drop shadows directly to the 2D floor plans without ever exporting to Photoshop. It is also highly dominant in the Landscape Architecture and Theatrical Lighting sectors (via Vectorworks Landmark and Spotlight). A firm designing a massive urban park can use Vectorworks to accurately model the topography, place 500 trees, and the software's massive internal database will mathematically calculate the exact irrigation water requirements for those specific plant species.