Create up to 50 buildings on a single plan

The concept of utilising multiple buildings within a single project file enables Arcon to provide superb level of flexibility for all your design requirements. Within a single project the Architect Edition can cater for up to 50 buildings. This enables large scale designs to be created including domestic and commercial estate developments.

In Arcon we can often use the concept of multiple buildings to enable complex structures to be created which provides maximum flexibility for all types of design.

Create buildings of up to 100 floors

Unlike many smaller software packages we understand that our users will often be faced with the design and creation of apartment blocks or commercial office suites. Within Arcon, designing multiple storey buildings couldn't be easier as entire floors (including fixtures, fittings and furniture) can be copied to form the rest of the building. This enables a 100 storey design to be created simply by drawing a single floor.

The Architect Edition comes complete with an allocation limit of 100 floors per building to allow for large scale designs to quickly be created.

Quickly enhance existing walls with bay windows

Within the Arcon system, creating walls is very simple and they can be drawn to any shape and angle, even including circular and curved walls. In addition we provide a full suite of tools to easily edit existing walls within a project. In the Architect Edition this includes the ability to quickly place an alcove or bay window into a wall already placed within the project. Simply set the bay dimensions and style, drop into place and Arcon will make all of the necessary amendments to the wall structure to accommodate your design changes.

Advanced guideline management

Guidelines are an efficient and simple way to ensure your project is drawn accurately and consistently. They enable you to define dimensions, angles, mid-points and parallel surfaces and can be used to align any construction item or furniture object. The advanced guideline manager provides additional levels of control over your guidelines, ideal for larger or more complex projects.

Advanced control over ceiling detailing

Adjust the shape and style of ceiling cut-outs and recesses including those around stair wells to provide further control over your 2D plan views.

Advanced roof editing and enhancement tools

Create even more unique or complex roof designs with the advanced tools. Easily edit roof overhang profiles, insert additional polygon points for greater flexibility of design and automatically add guidelines in attic rooms for any specified head height.

Chimney stack positioning tools

Ensure chimney stacks are positioned correctly with the appropriate height settings. Apply the known measurement from a variety of reference points including roof apex and roof surface.

Framework and support editor

Create steel framework supports and cross beams for enhanced visuals, particularly useful for commercial spaces such as offices, depots and retail spaces.

Automatic advanced downpipe editor

Adding finishing touches to your designs often increases the realism of your 3D models. In Arcon guttering is automatically added to roof designs. The downpipe macro enables you to quickly place additional drainage items which can be calculated to the correct floor to roof height. Enables choices of finish and materials including pvc, copper and zinc.

360 degree panoramic background maker

An advanced option for adding a background image to your 3D model. Using a panoramic image, it can be wrapped around the building and aligned to ensure that the correct views are visible from windows on a 3D walkthrough or from any angle during when saving a viewpoint. This enhances the realism and enables easier visualisation of the design in situ.

Custom cabinet designer

Enhance your designs and increase your object library with custom made content. The simple to use cabinet designer is ideal for creating your own bespoke designs including cupboards, shelving units, kitchen cabinets, storage units and wall units. Easily configure the number of doors and shelves, add handles, feet and other detailing. Then place your custom objects into you project or save them to your library for future use.

Extended object catalogue including swimming pools

Add from a selection of swimming pool styles from the increased object library.

Modify 2d object representation

Each furniture item and 3D object used within your designs is crafted as a full 3D object. When in the normal plan view your objects are represented by a 2D symbol (i.e. a top down view). The symbol editor enables you to change the 2D representation and customise it for your own requirements. This can help easily identify objects of different heights, different finishes or even use the symbol editor to add an item reference or catalogue number for space planning.

Design custom doors and windows, complete with parts lists

The standard door and window libraries within Arcon contain substantial numbers of different styles and types of door and window fixtures. Each can be amended, re-sized and re-textured. Within the Architect Edition, we also include a macro feature to enable you to design your own doors and windows from scratch.

Each element can be designed pane by pane, enabling full control over size, style, opening methods, handles, hinges and locks. Your designs are then added to your library for use on any future project.

Once your building has been completed and your created doors and windows added, easily produce a parts list to display the information for each fixture and the total number of each type within the build.

Import image overlays for construction design

A common request is to be able to use existing plans in Arcon as the basis for your drawing. With it's ability to import DXF files, Arcon is great if you have access to CAD drawings. However often, especially for older properties, plans are only available on paper. The Architect Edition now comes with a background import feature to enable you to use common image types (JPG, BMP etc.) and set the scale. This opens up the possibilities of using scans of older plans as the basis of your new designs.

Navigate complex designs quickly with room viewer

With larger scale projects comprising multiple floors or multiple buildings it can be difficult to keep track of individual room layouts, decorations and viewpoints. Whilst it is simple to navigate around your plans, often when demonstrating to clients you may need to be able to easily toggle to specific areas within a build to demonstrate design ideas. Using our Room Viewer and our Project View Manager enables you to create waypoints of chosen views and specific rooms of interest to automatically select the same viewpoint each and every time.

Export directly to Real Time Renderer with full lighting

Arcon Real Time Renderer is the latest development in our 3D visualisation range. Using the Real Time Renderer enables you to add greater detailing to your 3D models with enhanced texturing and materials, greater control over shadows and reflections and full scenic image integration. The export feature provides the facility to format your 3D models from Arcon with all the relevant lighting detail ready to enhance your models in Real Time Renderer*

*N.B. Real Time Renderer available seperately. Not included in this edition.

Export to VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)

VRML is a modeling language for specifying interactive animation. Text descriptions of geometries are downloaded and those geometries are created locally.

VRML allows Web developers to create three-dimensional (3D) space and 3D objects in full color with special texture, animation, and lighting effects. This means you can move in three dimensions on a VRML Web page as you do with a video game or flight simulator.

The VRML export feature enables you to share your 3D information with other applications using this method.

Export projects to 3DS

Used in the majority of high-end 3D modelling and CAD tools, 3ds is one of the industry standard file formats for the creation and sharing of 3D models. Used widely within many software applications, the ability to export your designs to 3ds format enables greater opportunity to share your designs.

Export 3D DXF files

The ability to export DXF files in 3D increases the flexibility when integrating with other CAD software packages. In a traditional CAD environment creating 3D designs can be exceptionally time consuming. Creating the 3D in Arcon is quick and simple and now enables you to export this 3D model back to other compatible CAD packages.

Export direct to o2c with lighting (for Real Time Renderer)

Our Real Time Renderer add-on is designed for those who want to get more out of their 3D visualisations enabling you to enhance the level of detail with unique textures, materials and effects. Our Architect Edition contains a useful export option to carry over lighting detail from your models into the Real Time Renderer to save time when lighting the project for shadow calculations.

To find out more about o2c technology click HERE

Includes fast and easy visualisation tool for conservatory design

A simple and flexible solution to creating conservatories, summer houses and even greenhouses. Create your own designs for your conservatory or outbuilding by using a simple sectional construction method.

Import HPG files

Plotter files created in the Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language HPGL) can be imported into Arcon.

Import PLT files

Vector-based plotter files created by other CAD drawing software can be imported into Arcon.

Import 3DS files

Import 3DS format files of 3D models to add to your object library.

Define worksheet display

All our Arcon software titles come with multiple display types and options. Within the 2D construction mode, choose between the standard 2D floorplan view or a more traditional architect style view. Set up your projects to your preferred standard and style when creating a new project or toggle the view types as you progress.

Manipulate objects and furniture in construction mode

Arcon home design software has two distinct modes for working, each with it's own toolset. For creation of the building we use the 2D 'Construction Mode'. This enables all of your construction drawing elements to be created and is used to design your building. 'Design Mode' is specifically for reviewing, manipulating and decorating with full 3D visualisation.

In design mode we can add, adjust and position objects, furniture and decorative items including re-sizing and rotating. New in Architect Edition comes the ability to also manipulate object alignment and positioning in construction mode.

Select and edit multiple construction elements over multiple floors

Using this new feature enables instant editing of multiple instances of an object. Ideal should you realise that you've placed a window in the wrong position and subsequently copied it across fifty floors. This function enables you to select all instances of the same element and simply delete them from all floors at the same time.

Enhanced wall editing tools

All walls within Arcon visual architecture are fully customisable, enabling you to edit wall structures right down to each individual layer, create custom wall types and of course set dimensions and joints. Our enhanced wall editing tools provide greater flexibility than ever before to enable walls which have already been placed in a project to be manipulated quickly to acheive your design requirements.

Modify ceiling cutout display

Ceiling cutouts, whether created manually to provide gallery landings double height rooms or automatically for staircase designs, can be difficult to convey in a 2D drawing. With the new modification options, ceiling cutouts can be identified with their own unique fill pattern and line style to help quickly identify these features on your 2D plans.

Multiple point section tool

A key feature in all Arcon software titles is the ability to quickly and automatically generate elevations and cross-sections by using the 'section tool'. Simply drop a section line across the viewplane see the results quickly and to scale. In addition to the existing section line options, the new multi-point section line enables greater flexibility of the view to provide greater selection over the items that should be included in the view. This tool enables you to create composite elevation/cross-sections for different parts of the building.

Edit construction elements in 3D

Each element within Arcon is editable and customisable. Often however you need to ensure you are in the correct mode (construction mode or design mode) in order to make the necessary changes. However with the release of the new Arcon versions the majority of construction elements of your building can now be accessed and edited from within the 3D design mode.

Height point 2D display

One of the most useful tools for those creating accurate landscaping designs is the ability to insert individual height points within the plot area to create realistic terrain contours and plot designs which closely mirror your real world scenario. The height points tool has been refined to improve the process of editing and amending your landscape contours.

Windows within curved and rounded walls

Insert windows within any curved wall to generate a stylish and contemporary design. The flexibility to add windows into curved walls enables modern designs to be created where non-traditional materials are being used. This feature also makes bay windows and older period property designs much simpler.

Includes Creative Lines 3.5

Included as standard in all our new Arcon visual architecture range is the latest version of Creative Lines. Creative Lines is our stand-alone 2D drafting tool that is an ideal companion to Arcon. Simply export your completed drawings to Creative Lines with the in-built automatic transfer button and you can add enhanced detailing, experiment with different layouts or breakdown all elements into individual line items for complete control

Convert Arcon drawings directly to Adobe® PDF files

Arcon now includes pdfMachine by Broadgun Software allowing you to create, save and send PDF files directly from Arcon. pdfMachine is the perfect complete solution for anyone that often sends drawings and other documents to clients, colleagues, business partners and plan printing companies.

Compatible with Real-Time Renderer

A perfect addition to your ArCon software, our Real-Time Renderer further enhances your 3D visual buildings by providing enhanced texture and materials management, 2D scenic layered detailing and Adobe Photoshop® plugin compatibility. The image below shows a before and after example of our standard 3D rendering and a model enhanced in Real-Time Renderer.

Create professional drawings ideal for planning applications

With fast and accurate drawing tools, creating scaled floor plans, elevations and cross-sections is one of the key strengths of the Arcon system. All plans and elevations are produced to scale with flexible control over scale, paper size and measurement units. All of our Arcon home design software packages also come complete with our built-in Creative Lines package. This provides even greater control of your layouts, enabling you to produce single pages containing multiple views and floorplans. Ideal for planning applications, floorplan presentations to clients or service information for each trade.

Used by architects & building professionals worldwide

For over 15 years, Arcon has been the choice home design software system for thousands of building professionals, architects and self-builders. Working closely with our users we continue to develop and support our Arcon system to ensure it can be adapted to even the most demanding design project.

No CAD knowledge required

One of the main advantages of the Arcon system over a traditional CAD system is the use of a modular toolset. Designed specifically for building design we have been able to create an intuitive set of modules to guide you logically through the design process. This means it's simple for anyone to learn, both experienced professionals and novice amateurs embarking on their first self-build project.

Easy to use interface for planning and design

The modular toolset enables us to provide tools and icons for specific elements of the design in a logical manner. Easily identifiable, each tool will guide you through a particular part of the design process and will be familiar to anyone having used Windows based software. Each tool can be customised and adapted to your preferred drawing style with full flexible options, easily accessed at any time.

2D plans to 3D models in a single click

Creating realistic 3d models for visualisation couldn't be simpler. Draw your floorplans in a traditional 2d plan view and your 3d model is created automatically at the same time. With a single mouse click or key press you can then enter the 3d mode to view your design, modify finishes and fittings and take a virtual tour of your building.

Drag & drop or numeric input methods

Everyone has their preferred working methods and styles and so in Arcon we reflect this by providing multiple methods for achieving construction tasks. Use simple drag & drop to insert objects, point and click to place walls or use numeric input methods to enter dimensions such as wall lengths.

Metric and imperial measurement units

Unlike similar systems, Arcon is created to cater for either metric or imperial measurement units. Define your preferred units for each project whether it's metres, millimetres or feet and inches. Even swap from metric and imperial and back again at anytime.

Powerful measuring and ruler tools

For simple design ideas, drawings in Arcon can easily be created freehand. However for the majority of projects you will need to know that your plans are accurate. Arcon software contains many tools to ensure that your drawing elements are spaced and aligned correctly. With powerful guidelines, rulers, origins, grids and measures you can be certain that your plans will be correct every time.

Automatic and manual dimensions tools

2d plans and elevations in Arcon are always drawn to scale (which you have full control over) and accordingly there are many ways of displaying important dimensions and measurements. Set automatic dimensions to display as you draw, choose from many styles of dimension line to add manually, use height point dimensions on elevations and cross-sections, easily add room areas and volumes and even angle dimensions.

Customisable wall construction types, including cavity walls

Walls come complete with a number of standard settings in the library. These wall settings can be completely customised to change the library or create your own for future projects. Walls can be completely customised right down to specifying each individual layer of a wall. This makes the walls tool easily able to cater for cavity walls, sips, solid stone or even straw bales.

Stairs editor

Generate complex stair forms. You can adjust the parameters and see the changes instantly in 3D. Supports many stair types. When placed, stairs will automatically create a ceiling cutout for the stairwell..

Produce simple or complex roof designs

For simple roof constructions you can select from any of the standard roof types in the library and simply drag and drop into position and amend pitch etc. as required. Alternatively use the free form roof editor to create complex roof designs for more unusual shaped buildings. Easily edit the roof settings from pitch and eaves height right through to wood construction details. Then modify the roof easily with dedicated tools for dormer windows and skylights.

Create split level buildings

Not all building plots are level and often a design will need to include split levels within the building. This could range from a simple step-down kitchen through to a hillside home staggered with the slope of the site. By using the 'multiple building' concept within Arcon it is simple to overcome these design issues enabling you to create design solution perfectly suited to your plot requirements.

Create estates and multi-building developments

With the ability to create multiple buildings per project file, Arcon is flexible enough to enable you to design entire developments and plan estates. Easily save a design and load multiple copies into your project to create a complete development.

Integrate balconies and railings

Balconies can be attached to your floorplans using the simple balcony outline tool. Define the size and placement of the balcony and it will automatically integrate with your existing walls, placing parapet walls and/or railings where needed. Take full control of the railings to change style, size, and shape right down to specifying the fitting method. Use the independent railing tool to manually add rails around decks, walkways or gallery landings.

Advanced wall outline editing

Take full control of the profile of your walls for maximum design flexibility. Decide how and where walls interact with features such as stairs and roofs. Manually edit individual wall profiles to recreate unusual shapes, architectural features of even garden walls.

Modify existing walls with flexible editing tools

The Arcon system provides you with the flexibility to produce drawings in your own way and when you need to change your plans, nothing could be simpler. With a complete suite of wall editing options available, amending, modifying or adding to your drawings is quick and intuitive. Simply select the tool that matches what you want to change and edit the wall. With options to enable you to change lengths, angles, wall ends, splitting walls, merging and trimming walls you can always ensure your designs can evolve with your requirements.

View 2d & 3d views simultaneously

Whilst it only takes a single key press or click of the mouse to toggle between the 2d construction mode and the 3d design mode, there are occasions when you may want to see both at the same time. Simply enable the 3d preview and watch everything you draw in 2d replicated in 3d as you design.

Define the site, plot or landscape

Use the define landscape tool to mark the boundaries of your building plot or site. Break the area down into individual gardens, driveways and paths using the ground area tool. The add contours using the land topography tools or even individual height points for a realistic visualisation of your building plot.

Generate elevation views automatically

By using the section tool to designate the start and end viewpoints, an elevation can be generated automatically for everything visible within the boundaries of the section. The section tool enables you to define the scale of your elevation (which can be different for the floorplans) and specify whether to include one or more buildings or just an individual floor. Multiple sections can be added within a project to easily provide the standard front/rear/side elevation views.

Create 2d & 3d cross-sections

Our section tool enables you to create both elevations (by placing the section line outside the building) and cross-sections (by placing the section line through the building). With the same control over scale and the ability to include or exclude interior furnishings and objects. Combined with the architectural mode display, cross-sections will show detailed wall construction detailing. With cross-sections in place, toggle into design mode to display the cross-section in 3d.

Over 7000 furniture items and objects included

The standard library contains over 7000 3d models for the furnishing and fittings of your project. Included are objects for bathrooms, kitchens, living areas, dining, gardens, offices and many more. All objects can be amended and modified, resized and adjusted as required.

Over 1300 textures and materials for decoration

Apply textures to surfaces, objects, fixtures and fittings to change their appearance and style. The add materials to provide reflective surfaces, glass properties and mirrored finishes.

Increase your library with import options

Need a specific texture or object? Can't find anything suitable in the library? Easily add to the library to increase your options. Textures can be added in the common bmp format, enabling you to take images from the web, catalogues or you own images. Furthermore add more 3d objects to your catalogue by using the import feature to import files in the widely used 3ds standard.

Enhance your 3d scene with picture backgrounds

Select from one of the photographic backgrounds included or use your own to provide a greater insight into how your design will look in situ.

Create tiling plans on walls and floors

Use the tile planner macro to define unique and complex tiling patterns to decorate both floors and walls.

Check lighting and shadows

By selecting to use the variable daylight settings to light your 3d model, you are able to select your location anywhere in the world by entering your latitude and longitude (or pick your closest town/city). Then choose a date and time and see the impact of the lighting from the sun. Calculate where shadows are cast from all elements within the project. Alternatively use artificial lighting in night time mode to light your interiors.

3D virtual walkthrough

Analyze your design in detail with the 3d walkthrough function. Enter and explore your 3d model to check for space issues and practicality of design. With animated door and window information, check your plans will work for you.

Share information with advanced export functions

Arcon provides many ways to share your plans, drawings and models. Create image files of your 2d and 3d views, save your plans as pdf files, produce a 3d model in o2c format to share with clients or export your plans in CAD formats compatible with other software systems.

Import/Export DXF & DWG files

Many alternative CAD systems will produce files in the common DXF/DWG file types. Arcon is no exception and will enable you to produce 2d plans and elevation in DXF or DWG format. Additionally, some versions will also enable you export your 3d models into the 3d DXF format. It is also possible to import DXF/DWG files into your Arcon projects, enabling you to use them as the basis for creating your project.