WESTMINSTER, CO, Feb 27, 2025 – Trimble has announced new visualization and interoperability capabilities in its latest software release for SketchUp. The 3D modeling software provides designers with photorealistic materials and environment lighting options, along with smoother transitions between SketchUp and other industry tools. With enhanced visualization features and improved interoperability, the release helps designers create, manage and share complex projects in a better way,, enabling them to do better work faster, with less effort and rework.
“SketchUp’s 2025 release introduces a new generation of visualization,” said Sandra Winstead, senior director of product management, architecture and design at Trimble. “These accessible yet powerful tools help designers visualize and understand their projects using more realistic materials, enabling them to make better informed material decisions and produce outstanding visuals — all without leaving SketchUp. In addition, designers can now more easily move in and out of SketchUp thanks to advanced interoperability updates with Revit and IFC files for streamlined design workflows, improved collaboration and greater accuracy in project execution.”
The new visualization capabilities allow designers to use photorealistic materials, activate environmental lighting, and observe real-time interactions without needing to hit ‘render’ button or delay seeing updates. The features enhance from basic massing studies and stylized visuals to realistic imagery, environmental lighting scenarios, and fresh background options, providing a comprehensive view of a project’s materiality.The latest visualization features include:
- Environments: 360-degree HDRI or EXR image files act as a light source, reflecting off photoreal materials.
- Photoreal Materials: Dynamic materials more accurately convey texture and represent how real-world materials absorb and reflect light, producing richer, more realistic visuals within SketchUp.
- Ambient Occlusion: Adds visual emphasis to corners and edges, increasing perceived depth and realism with or without having materials applied.
“Accessing high-quality, realistic materials directly within the platform has made it so much easier to quickly present designs that resonate with clients,” said Kate Hatherell, director of The Interior Designers Hub. “This feature is a game changer for accelerating workflows, and I’m excited to see how it continues to evolve.”
The new release features enhanced interoperability with Revit and IFC files, allowing for consistent IFC roundtrips, improved management of imported Revit elements and 3D views, and better support for photorealistic materials when exporting to USD and glTF file formats. The stronger interoperability facilitates an easy data exchange among various software tools and enables collaboration among different team members throughout all phases of project development, from the initial design to construction completion.
“The IFC import feature is incredible,” said Lucas Grolla, architect and owner of Grolla Arquitetura. “It has greatly improved the coordination of different project models with the architectural design. Plus, the new material editor and HDRI styles open up countless possibilities for the visual representation of projects.”
In addition, LayOut, a tool for creating documents from your SketchUp model, has been updated to provide a user experience consistent with SketchUp. 3D Warehouse, offers curated photoreal materials, environments and configurable 3D assets in the SketchUp content library, which can support a wide range of use cases and workflows. 3D Warehouse allows designers to work effectively by offering pre-made, customizable objects that meet their design requirements, eliminating the standard time commitment needed to create custom 3D assets.
Availability
Visualization updates are viewable across the SketchUp ecosystem, offering consistency regardless of platform: SketchUp for Web, iPad, and Desktop, LayOut, 3DW, and viewers. Those interested in subscribing to SketchUp can select a plan here or start a free trial by visiting https://www.sketchup.com/try-sketchup. SketchUp’s new capabilities will also be explored via three webinars that will take place on March 11, 18 and 25th. More details are available here.
Source: Trimble
About Trimble
Trimble Inc., founded in 1978 by Charles Trimble, is an industrial technology company headquartered in Westminster, CO. The company specializes in providing advanced hardware and software solutions that connect the physical and digital worlds, enhancing productivity, quality, safety, transparency, and sustainability across various industries. Trimble’s core sectors include agriculture, construction, geospatial, and transportation. Their offerings encompass positioning technologies, modeling, connectivity, and data analytics, enabling professionals and field workers to transform their work processes. As of 2023, Trimble employs approximately 12,700 people worldwide and reported an annual revenue of $3.8 billion in 2022. The company’s products are utilized in over 150 countries, supported by a robust network of global dealers and distribution partners.