Introduction: The Philosophy of a Multi-Model Workflow
Founded in 2003 by three partners, ENIA Architectes has grown into a dynamic agency of 120 professionals handling a highly diverse portfolio—ranging from university campuses and industrial projects to major transit hubs like stations and airports. Across all these projects, the agency maintains a deep interest in the complex flows of people, materials, and data. In the architectural industry, there is a common myth that a single Building Information Model (BIM) must serve every single project need. For ENIA Architectes, reality dictates a different approach: different phases and tasks require different, highly specialized models. This
philosophy forms the foundation of their hybrid workflow, seamlessly pairing the volumetric freedom of SketchUp with the robust data management of Revit.
@Enia Architectes - Aeroport Bordeaux, France
The Evolution of the Design Workflow
During the era of traditional CAD, the agency designed initial volumes in SketchUp and managed technical documentation in 2D using DWG files. As the industry transitioned to BIM, 3D solutions naturally replaced their 2D predecessors to handle data, BIM modeling, and technical deliverables. However, ENIA Architectes made a deliberate decision to preserve SketchUp for upstream conceptualization and validating design choices. Described as an incomparable volumetric "sculpting" tool, SketchUp provides architects with an easy-to-use, highly agile platform to test and iterate ideas instantly during team meetings.
The Solution: Trimble’s "Revit Importer"
To bridge the gap between creative exploration and technical production, Trimble developed the Revit Importer plugin. This tool was engineered to provide a fluid, intelligent gateway for agencies using Revit as their primary production engine but requiring SketchUp’s agility. The plugin automates and optimizes the transfer of data:
● Automatic Conversion: Revit families are instantly converted into clean SketchUp
components.
● Preserved Structure: Objects are organized automatically into corresponding
SketchUp Tags.
● Metadata & Materials: Textures and critical building metadata (such as dimensions,
construction phases, and structural characteristics) are fully preserved.
● Extreme Performance Optimization: The importer drastically optimizes geometry.
In one notable project, a heavy 326 MB Revit model was optimized into a highly fluid,
48 MB SketchUp file. The conversion process took only 40 to 60 seconds.
Real-World Impact and Key Use Cases
1. Fluid Design Updates and Selective Imports
During the design of a corporate restaurant, ENIA Architectes leveraged the plugin to handle ongoing model updates. As the master model evolved in Revit, the team regularly re-imported the model into SketchUp to validate interior perspectives and refine furnishings. Because the plugin aligns the updated geometry perfectly with the original insertion point, the team could instantly apply existing textures and export the updated scene to rendering engines like Enscape and Twinmotion.
On more complex projects, the team utilizes selective importing. Instead of loading an entire building, they isolate a specific 3D view in Revit (e.g., technical kitchen equipment) and import only those components into SketchUp, saving significant time and computer processing power.
2. Rapid Architectural Iteration: The Airport Emergency Stairs
When designing an exterior emergency staircase for an airport project, the initial Revit model failed to convince the agency's partners. Modifying freeform or complex geometries directly in Revit can be a slow, labor-intensive process.
Using the Revit Importer, the architect exported the building section to SketchUp. In just one and a half hours, the design team was able to sculpt, refine, and generate three distinct architectural variants of the staircase. This speed enabled immediate rendering and decision-making among partners, providing a level of design agility that would have been impossible within a single software environment.
Benefits and Future Outlook
The hybrid workflow has delivered clear advantages for ENIA Architectes:
● Unprecedented Transfer Speed: Models are moved and optimized in under a
minute.
● Geometrical Fidelity: High accuracy is maintained without manual remodeling.
● Lightweight Performance: Ultra-fluid 3D navigation enables seamless client
presentations.
● Operational Autonomy: Designers can iterate freely in SketchUp without needing to
utilize complex Revit licenses.
Closing the Loop: Bidirectional Workflows
Historically, the primary challenge of this hybrid workflow was the "return journey." Once a design was validated in SketchUp, architects had to manually redraw or re-import the changes back into Revit.
ENIA Architectes is supported by Trimble reseller NTI Eurostudio.