LibreDWG 0.12 is released. LibreDWG is a free C library to handle DWG files, the native file format from AutoCAD. This library aims to create an API to support softwares to work with DWG. It is currently in the beta stage, so it doesn’t have all the features implemented. However, it already handles reading, converting and writing files from scratch. It also features “SVG and Postscript conversion, converters from and to DXF and JSON, dwggrep to search for text, and dwglayer to print the list of layers.” ...

OpenProject 11.1 has recently been released. OpenProject is an open source and free web application for BIM project management. It includes most typical features you might expect from project management services, like task management, milestone planning, gantt charts, team collaboration, and issue management. There are also additional features relevant to AEC including cost reporting, time tracking, and a shared project wiki. OpenProject supports a variety of project management ideologies, like kanban, agile and scrum. It is unique compared to other open source offerings in that it also has a BIM module. The BIM module allows you to view your model, and integrates with technologies like BCF. ...

IFC.js is an open source project created by Antonio Gonzales Viegas. It is a new JavaScript library that turns any browser into an IFC viewer. It is a quick and easy way to visualize your IFC files. In addition, as it is browser based, you can also use this in mobile devices. ...

The Krita team released the first beta of their new version 4.4.2. It comes with a lot of bug fixes but also with a few new interesting features. Krita is a software for digital painting, but its features make it a good alternative to work with architectural visualization. ...

Archipack has now a new release which is compatible with Blender 2.91! Archipack 2.3.3 brings a few bug fixes and enhancements. According to its developer, Stephen Leger, the highlights of this new version are: “Auto-synchro” feature now is a global parameter so you are able to disable once for all objects. Triangular top shape for windows through “top circle” and 2 segments. Archipack is an add-on that focus on creating archviz solutions to fasten architectural modeling inside Blender. With Archipack you have access to a set of parametric tools for modeling architectural elements. Instead of creating a plane, scale it and then extrude it to create a wall, you can simply use the wall tool from Archipack. It’s not only faster to create, but the most powerful feature is the editing capability. For that, you can type in the wall dimensions, create new segments and automatically join them. All of this in a non-destructive way. The same logic applies to other tools like slab, door, window, fence, stair, roof and so on. ...

There’s been a new BlenderBIM Add-on release! The BlenderBIM Add-on v0.0.201207 comes with 50 new features and fixes. The BlenderBIM Add-on is 100% free and open source software that lets you author and document BIM data fully to ISO standards. Highlights include drastically improved material, geometry, and context IFC round-tripping, and stabilisation of the new material system. ...

The Blender development team has a project called Everything Nodes, which consists in creating a node based workflow for each of Blender main functionalities. One of the most exciting, the Geometry Nodes, is currently under development. This week they announced that it will be available for Blender 2.92. The official release is scheduled for February 2021, but they already released its alpha version. You can check it here! ...

Alessandro Zomparelli just released a new version of his Tissue for Blender add-on. Tissue v.0.3.48 is now available for Blender 2.91 and features a new tool and a few fixes. Tissue is an add-on for computational design in Blender developed by Co-de-iT. With this add-on, you can easily create tessellations based on a mesh and get creative. All you have to do is make a component object that will be repeated over the faces of a base object. It has a straight-forward workflow that allows you to explore several possibilities of complex shapes in a quick way. ...

OSArch is a community of those who believe in creating a built environment with free software , increased transparency , and a more ethical approach. For 10 months, we’ve been helping build free software, writing tutorials and documentation, provide discussion forums, and host a wiki of everything you need to know about free software for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. ...

Blender 2.91 has just been released! The fourth major release in 2020 is here to further improve the user experience, adding powerful new booleans, better cloth sculpting with support for collisions, volume objects modifiers, improved animation tools and so much more. ...