Autodesk, a software company serving the architecture, engineering and construction sectors, has launched Forma Building Design, a cloud-based tool for developing and assessing building concepts during schematic design, before moving them into Revit.
Architects can use the software to test building forms, façades, floor plans and unit mixes while a scheme is still under development. Teams can set up geolocated sites, generate options and assess their performance before moving into detailed design.
Once a design is selected, teams can import it into Revit as a geolocated native model, preserving site context and building elements.
Autodesk extends Forma into building design
The launch follows Autodesk’s earlier move to broaden Forma beyond its initial planning focus.
In February 2025, the company said it was bringing together FormIt Pro and Forma capabilities and concentrating its development investment on Forma. Autodesk said Forma would initially focus on the planning phase of building projects, with its capabilities expanding over time.
By then, FormIt Pro’s conceptual modelling features were part of Forma, combining 3D modelling with design analysis in the same environment. Autodesk also said Forma had gained more than 200 features and capabilities since its May 2023 launch, along with connections to Revit, Rhino and Dynamo.
Forma Building Design adds tools specifically for schematic building design. It works alongside Forma Site Design, which addresses broader site conditions and feasibility studies, while Revit is used for detailed design and construction documentation.
Building performance analysis starts at schematic design
Forma Building Design includes analysis tools that architects can use when developing concepts.
Designers can assess sun hours and daylight potential for façades and windows while comparing alternatives. Total carbon analysis is also available, although Autodesk says this capability is currently limited to the US.
Design automations cover floor plans and modular façades. Changes update plan, elevation, and perspective views, while automatic area metrics and schedules can track unit mixes.
Forma Building Design can also be used alongside Forma Site Design, allowing architects to work across the wider site and individual building scales.
Forma-Revit connection moves into schematic design
Connections between Forma and Revit predate the new product. Autodesk documented Forma-Revit interoperability in 2023, allowing proposals to transfer from Forma to Revit and Revit changes to return to Forma for further analysis. The integration subsequently received further updates.
Forma Building Design brings that connection to its new building-level schematic design workflow. A Building Design project can be transferred to Revit as a geolocated native model, including site context and building elements such as windows, slabs and walls.
Revit has also become the first Forma Connected Client, initially in Tech Preview. The new connection enables data from Forma Site Design and Forma Building Design to flow into Revit without manual file exchanges.
Users can add contextual data from the Forma Data Marketplace to projects and run environmental analysis directly in Revit.
Autodesk has also made Forma Site Design, Forma Building Design, Forma Board and Forma Data Management Essentials available to Revit subscribers.
Arcadis tests the new design workflow
Arcadis worked with Autodesk during the development of Forma Building Design.
Sandra Petkute Roberts, Solutions Consultant – Major AEC Platforms at Arcadis, said the software showed potential to connect early-stage and detailed design workflows. She highlighted its ability to explore more facade and layout ideas without extensive manual work or deep expertise in more complex tools.
Autodesk says architects have helped shape and test Forma Building Design, and their feedback continues to inform the product as it develops.
The company is also exploring Building Layout Explorer for Forma Site Design, an AI capability designed to help teams generate and evaluate floor plan options more quickly. Autodesk is accepting applications for a closed beta.
