Forma Building Design Interface

Here are the key features of the Forma Building Design interface surrounding the canvas:

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A: Product Switcher and Proposal List

  • To navigate to other Forma products available with your subscription, click the dropdown in the upper left corner.
  • List of the various proposals available in your Site

B: Layers Panel

  • The Layers panel lets you control the visibility of different element categories in your project.
  • You can show or hide categories such as buildings, terrain, context, and annotations to focus on what matters for your current task.

C. Analysis Panel

  • The Analysis panel provides access to performance analyses that support your design decisions and are visualised directly within the design canvas.
  • You’ll findcontext-specific analyses for different design states, including:
    • Sun Hour Analysis
    • Daylight Potential Analysis
    • Total Carbon Analysis
    • Detailed Area Metrics Analysis

D: Top Toolbar Menu

  • The top Toolbar menu contains the design tools available in your current workflow.
  • The tools displayed are context-sensitive, meaning they change depending on what you are working on or which element is selected.

E: Properties Panel

  • The Properties panel displays settings and parameters for the currently selected element.
  • The available options are context-sensitive and update based on your selection, allowing you to modify relevant properties quickly and efficiently.

F: Visualization Toolbar

  • The Visualization toolbar allows you to adjust how the scene is displayed. These settings help you customize the view to suit your workflow.
  • You can:
    • Toggle between perspective and orthographic camera views
    • Switch between elevation, floor plan, top view, and 3D view
    • Choose your preferred unit system
    • Specify a selection filter to control which elements can be selected.