by Madis Pihlak, ASLA

Last year, Nemetschek North America, maker of VectorWorks Architect, came out with a companion system, VectorWorks Landmark. I have incorporated this into my teaching at the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Pennsylvania State University with great success.

Since its origins in the early 1980s as MiniCAD, VectorWorks has integrated 2D drawing with increasing degrees of 3D modeling. A designer can draw in plan, numerically specify a height, and be creating a three dimensional model. This capability is invaluable for design development.

Built on VectorWorks, Landmark is similarly 2D/3D. A digital terrain modeling tool performs cut-and-fill calculations for site grading. A new tool grades a simple low-speed roadway with curbs and sets the road into the terrain model.

Landmark incorporates other profession-specific tools for landscape architects such as a parking lot layout tool, which helps the designer create the geometry for a variety of parking configurations.

In my experience, it also does well in handling the large files required for detailed site-level landscape work. There are other software packages that support some of these design activities, but I believe Landmark is unique in its combination of simplicity, reliability, and elegant graphic quality.   >>>

University of Maryland student project using VectorWorks Landmark. Image: David King Topographic map imported from AutoCAD. Image: Madis Pihlak   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.