opensource design apps
http://tjfree.com/ graphic design and animation software list
Gimp — Bitmap image editor similar to Adobe Photoshop
Inkscape — Vector image editor/ creator similar to Adobe Illustrator
Scribus — Desktop publisher similar to Adobe InDesign or QuarkXPress
FontForge — Font creator/ editor and can change font formats
Dia — Diagram creation tool. Flow charts, circuit diagrams, etc …
gPick — Color scheme generator and palette editor
Blender — 3D Modeling software similar to Maya or 3ds Max
Sweet Home3D — 2D & 3D interior design software
BRL-CAD — Solid Modeling Software
DraftSight—Access existing DWG files create new ones
FreeCAD — General purpose 3D CAD Program
SketchUp — Easy to learn and use 3D modelling program
Sculptris — Digital 3D drawing/ sculpting software
LibreOffice — LibreOffice is a powerful office suite similar to Microsoft Office
edit 23/04/2016 _ An hindrance to using opensource design workflows is educational systems and their enforcement in using propitiatory software. It's required by industry to produce candidates who know how to use the tools they use. A production knowledge is embedded which gets difficult to override since relearning becomes an investment again. With architectural studios, it’s almost mandatory to have entry-level know-how of Autocad — Rhino/ Sketchup — Adobe to even apply. Going opensource in the construction industry is still not considered feasible. A possible case study showcasing the viability of developing a Linux infrastructure mostly as an institutional directive is the KRVIA (Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies) GIS Program. Structured within their research, consultancy wing Design Cell and allied BArch/ MArch planning electives the project has facilitated an interest within the school on the viability of trying out opensource apps. Elemental in options and low on resources opensource as a model tool for instruction works as far as exercises produced from the institution is concerned. Active faculty interest in developing coursework has to receive due credit for its success. KRVIA tests, which are directed towards planning should potentially be seen as an initiator. The architectural design variant DraftSight — Blender — Gimp/ Inkspace holds ground if there is a promotion of the traditional workflow, which unfortunately again is in principal becoming outdated. Reasons for it are argued for drawing tools used against design development phases of projects, which was earlier physical exercises. A gap to bridge is how to make up of this technology lag becoming evident between proprietary and opensource apps. The case for this discrepancy becomes glaring among Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications where there is close to none consumer-oriented opensource solutions. Based on the required products produced from academia or private practices, tools of trade selected bases itself on the kind of investment one should apply for a cost-efficient and sustainable provision of a design service.
All screen grabs are courtesy Hussain Indorewala, wherein the work-space record is against the YUVA Urban/ KRVIA Malvani People’s Plan, A Study and Physical Plan for Development of Malvani, Mumbai. The report was co-authored by Shweta Wagh and further assistance on mapping was provided by Abhijit Ekbote who is the current faculty in charge of KRVIA GIS coursework.
