This post is brought to you by Enscape

Architects and designers can enjoy a more refined design workflow thanks to the creators of the popular real-time visualization plugin, Enscape. New features including Site Context and Alpha Channel Export plus support for SketchUp 2022 have just been released with the latest version, Enscape 3.3.

A recognized leader within the AEC industry, Enscape is renowned for being a fast and simple rendering plugin for modeling software such as Revit and Rhino. The tool supplements the design process, empowering architects to rapidly test ideas, walk through their rendered project, and show clients exactly what is being proposed in a comprehensible format. With Enscape 3.3, the new features and functionality are set to improve both the design and the client experience.

“We’re always looking for new ways to support our customers’ design workflows,” said Petr Mitev, VP of Visualization Product Group at Enscape. “With our latest release, we’ve automated some processes so designers can spend more time making the right decisions and less time gathering the data needed to do it. We will also continue to improve our core visualization and sharing platforms based on community feedback.”

Let’s look at the new features and improvements architects and designers can find with Enscape 3.3. 

Site Context

Now architects can see their project in relation to its environment in the earliest stages of design, without having to create the surroundings themselves. With the new Site Context feature, it’s possible to import a building’s surroundings into a rendering through utilizing OpenStreetMap data. This saves considerable time and reliance on third-party tools — everything can be managed within Enscape and the modeling software itself.

Site Context can be opened by clicking on the building button in the Enscape viewport toolbar, or by using the shortcut key [O]. 

From there, simply select an area by inserting an address or specific coordinates. Then a user can decide what they’d like to import into their rendering — whether it’s buildings and landmarks, streets and sidewalks, topography, or all surroundings. 

Alpha Channel Export

There may be times when an architect wishes to set the scene and change the background of their rendered images. Enscape already provides a handful of ready-to-use HDRI backdrops, but now, with the Alpha Channel Export, it’s easier to add alternative ones.

By rendering an image and applying the Alpha Channel Export option, a transparent background is automatically applied. A different background can then easily be added — such as a photo, or an image of a certain location or environment. This new addition to Enscape 3.3 not only simplifies workflows but also saves architects time by reducing the reliance on post-processing tools. 

Support for SketchUp 2022

Enscape has updated its software to ensure compatibility with SketchUp 2022. Upgrading to Enscape 3.3 is free to existing customers, who can enjoy the new enhancements within their favorite modeling application, be it SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, Archicad, or Vectorworks.

Pin Enscape on Top

Not everyone works with two screens, and for those moments when it’s only possible to access one, you need to be able to work as cohesively as possible. With the new ‘Pin Enscape on Top’ function, it’s possible to fix the rendering window to the top of your modeling window. Any changes to the model can instantly be visualized in Enscape, without having to minimize and open multiple screens.

To activate this, go to Enscape Window Settings > Preferences > Window > Pin Enscape window on top of the host application. 

Additional Updates to Enscape 3.3

Transparent materials now appear in reflections if you have a graphics card that supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing (NVIDIA RTX series and the AMD RX6 series). This provides visualization improvement to rendered glass and water surfaces.

Reflections play an important role in rendering software, raising the level of realism within a scene. Enscape has been optimizing the performance of lighting and reflections for some time now, making use of both ray tracing and NVIDIA’s RTX technology.

Other elements that help bring a rendered scene to life are 3D models (assets) and materials. With every new version of Enscape, new assets and materials are released. This time, 280 education-themed assets, including classroom furniture, playground equipment, musical instruments, and over 30 new materials have been added to the Asset and Material Library. Materials can also be easily changed with the new Material Overwrite functionality.

And last, but not least, Enscape’s real-time rendering plugin is now available in Japanese, bringing the total number of supported languages to nine. 

Design Beyond Boundaries with Enscape 3.3

As the adoption of real-time visualization continues to accelerate amongst architectural and design firms worldwide, the value it provides is significant. It saves time and money, and increases communication and collaboration both internally and with clients and stakeholders. And tools like Enscape, which work from within your modeling tool, are becoming the new normal.

To learn more about Enscape and the additional improvements released with version 3.3, click here.