Turn Grasshopper-Archicad parametric studies into clear architectural visuals.
Visualization workflow for algorithmic Archicad BIM studies connected live with Rhino and Grasshopper.
Visualization workflow for algorithmic Archicad BIM studies connected live with Rhino and Grasshopper.
Grasshopper for ArchiCAD links Grasshopper's visual scripting with Archicad BIM elements, allowing designers to explore building variations without repeatedly exchanging files. A team may begin with Rhino geometry and use Grasshopper rules to generate or update Archicad construction elements, or begin with Archicad reference points, curves, properties, and building elements as inputs to a Grasshopper definition. This suits design work where the visual result matters as much as the parameter set: a freeform shading system, a patterned facade, curtain wall logic, repeated modules, a structural rhythm, a massing option, or a detail that changes across many instances.
For RENDERCAD, the most useful input is a clean perspective, elevation, or close architectural viewport that makes the selected option easy to read. Capture the Archicad view when native BIM elements, scale, and adjacent building context are important; use the Rhino view when its freeform geometry or composition better explains the proposal. RENDERCAD can develop that selected study into a more persuasive concept visual with material character, lighting, landscape or urban context, and a presentation-ready atmosphere for client reviews, option comparisons, planning conversations, or early marketing boards. It is not a replacement for validating the Grasshopper definition, quantities, geometry, or Archicad documentation. Keep the live model and definition as the source of truth, and use the enhanced image to communicate an option rather than to approve technical construction decisions.
Open the Archicad project, Rhino model when used, and the Grasshopper definition, then solve the definition for the design option to present. Confirm that the live connection has updated the intended Archicad elements, especially when the study uses reference geometry or data drawn from the BIM model. Choose one clear camera: an overall perspective for massing and site relationships, an elevation for a facade pattern, or a closer view for a shading, curtain wall, or repeated-component study. Hide Grasshopper preview helpers, guide geometry, selection highlights, annotations, and interface clutter, while retaining enough neighboring geometry to establish scale. Capture the viewport and use RENDERCAD to test material direction, daylight or evening mood, planting, and contextual cues. Compare the visual treatments against the same chosen option, then return to Grasshopper and Archicad for any actual design, BIM, or documentation changes.
Modeled by CADSharp in Onshape. Rendered with RENDERCAD.
Add | Change | or Remove referenced objects with the stroke of a brush.
RENDERCAD uses a maintained selection of image-generation models for different rendering tasks. Results can vary by model and input, so compare generated output with the source design before relying on geometry, materials, or dimensions.
| Feature | RENDERCAD | Competitor |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Generative AI | Varies by tool |
| Output | Images + Video | Varies by tool |
| Resolution | HD / 4K | Varies by workflow |
| Image Speed | Image renders complete in 60 seconds. | Varies by scene/tool |
| Video Speed | Videos complete in 2-5 minutes. | Varies by workflow |
| Scene Set Up | No separate local scene | Varies by workflow |
| Input | Screen Snip | Varies by tool |
| Hardware | Cloud GPU | Often local GPU/CPU |
| Install | None | Varies (web or app) |
| Cost | from $9/mo | Varies widely |
Read the numbers. We trust you to know theirs.
Skip a separate local scene build. Pick a condition, material, and background while RENDERCAD handles the image-generation step. Image renders complete in 60 seconds.
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RENDERCAD™
Use the browser workflow directly, capture a selected view with the desktop app, or start from the browser extension.
Get StartedCommon solutions for Grasshopper for ArchiCAD users
It guides the video toward a looping transition. Review continuity after export because the first and last frames may still need editing.
Yes, if you are authorized to use its contents. A mood board can guide palette, lighting, and atmosphere; generated interpretation varies.
Mask visible components separately when they need different material or color direction. Keep the source model or drawing beside the output because generated boundaries and part relationships can drift.
Share only reference images your team is authorized to use, together with the instructions and review criteria that produced a useful result. Reusing a reference can guide consistency but does not guarantee identical output.
Upload a CAD screenshot, real photo, or hand drawing and describe condensation or water droplets in the custom prompt. Generated placement and appearance vary, so iterate or mask a region when needed.
Choose the Dusty condition and describe the intended atmosphere. Generated dust is illustrative, so review how it affects important product details.
Choose the Orbit camera preset in the Video panel. Review the generated clip because viewpoint changes and product details can vary from a single-image input.
Use the RENDERCAD Overlay to capture a clear viewport without rebuilding a separate render scene. Image renders complete in 60 seconds.
Yes. A current desktop capture app and browser extension are available, and the browser upload workflow remains available without either tool.
Start with a clear, well-framed viewport and describe the intended material and lighting. Image renders complete in 60 seconds, and you can iterate or mask a region when an artifact remains.
Generation runs on cloud infrastructure, so a local rendering GPU is not required. The laptop still needs a supported browser, network access, and enough resources for the source application and image upload.
The core workflow is available in a supported browser and accepts a selected 2D image, so it does not require a rendering plugin in the source application.