Bridging Creativity and BIM: How ENIA Architectes Transforms Workflows with SketchUp and Revit
See how ENIA Architectes uses SketchUp and Revit together to streamline BIM workflows, accelerate design, and bring flexibility to architecture...
Your favorite 3D design tool just got even better! SketchUp 2027 brings powerful new features to help you design faster, explore more ideas, and bring your vision to life with less effort.
SketchUp and LayOut now provide a unified interface to both Windows and MacOS users, providing the same customizable workspace, toolbars, and interface options while interacting with the modeling window.
For years, SketchUp worked the same on both MacOS and Windows, but had very different user interfaces. Switching operating systems, or trying to collaborate with someone on a different operating system, could be challenging. SketchUp’s 2027.0 release consolidates the desktop user interfaces, providing a unified user experience in both SketchUp and LayOut when using either Windows or MacOS.
![SU26-Launch-2027-hero-ui[macqt]](https://www.aeco.space/hs-fs/hubfs/SU26-Launch-2027-hero-ui%5Bmacqt%5D.png?width=2000&height=1000&name=SU26-Launch-2027-hero-ui%5Bmacqt%5D.png)
The new unified interface is based on how SketchUp works on Windows. Users on Apple products running MacOS can now take advantage of the features Windows users have had for a while like:
Both Windows and MacOS versions of SketchUp now have a dockable Ruby Console and updated toolbar styling.
For a more in-depth tour of the updated interface, see Navigating the SketchUp Interface or MacOS and Older Versions of SketchUp.
You can now open and modify multiple models or documents within the same instance of SketchUp or LayOut using tabs and floating model windows.
If you’ve ever had to work on two or more models at the same time, you know it can be a challenge. Existing workflows to work with multiple models can be inefficient, use a lot of system resources, or be just plain annoying. With SketchUp 2027.0, you can now open and modify multiple models or documents in the same instance of SketchUp or LayOut using the following features:

For more information, see Navigating the SketchUp Interface.
An improved engine for Hidden Line Rendering (HLR) provides a drastic reduction in the time it takes to generate vector linework for complex models while maintaining or improving drawing fidelity.
Refactoring HLR is a major step forward for improving performance in both SketchUp and LayOut. SketchUp 2027.0 introduces a new HLR rendering engine that reduces the time it takes to generate vector linework while maintaining or improving drawing fidelity in complex models.
The new engine is a SketchUp Public Labs feature enabled by default in the Performance section of Preferences in LayOut, or the Graphics section in SketchUp. If you experience issues using the new engine, you can choose to use the classic rendering engine instead.

For more information about this new option, see Graphics or Performance.
In alignment with Apple ending support for future MacOS versions on Intel-based Macs, SketchUp 2027.0 requires Apple silicon.
In 2020 Apple announced the transition from Mac computers with Intel processors to Mac computers with Apple silicon. To keep SketchUp’s high performance standards and focus on development for modern hardware, SketchUp 2027.0 is only available for Mac devices with Apple silicon.
For more information on SketchUp’s End of Support policy, see End of Support Policy.
As part of Trimble’s continued commitment to improving SketchUp’s interoperability, SketchUp 2027.0 introduces more controls to DWG and DXF imports and exports, advanced IFC workflows with CRS-aware exports, improved TrimBIM and IFC parity, and USD enhancements.
DWG and DXF imports and exports received the following improvements:



IFC and TrimBIM Received the following improvements:
USD now adds to the USDZ support all other extensions: USD, USDA and USDC.
For export you have the following new UI options:
For import you will be able to choose the Up Axis of the file (Auto, Y-Axis or Z-Axis), Units and the type of Edge visibility (Auto, visible or hidden).
For more information, see Using SketchUp with Other Applications.
SketchUp Procedures take workflows you already know and make them more powerful by introducing Procedural Tools. Follow Me, a selection of Solid Tools, and the new Copy Along tool provide native, non-destructive Procedural Components that are easy to edit and interact with.
SketchUp Procedures are an evolution of existing workflows within SketchUp. These new procedural workflows are made possible through Procedural Tools. The geometry created or edited using these tools result in non-destructive Procedural Components. You can edit, nest, and reuse the components created with Procedural tools in the same way you would other components in SketchUp.
In SketchUp 2027.0, a new Procedure toolbar is available with the following tools:



Controls for Procedural Tools appear in Entity Info. A new context menu option, Explode to Inputs, removes the procedural component but keeps the geometry in the model.
More Procedures are in development for future releases.
For more information, see SketchUp Procedures.
Section Fill Hatch Patterns are now available to better represent solid objects diagrammatically. You can manage these fills and patterns in the new Hatch Patterns panel, Entity Info, Materials, or the Styles panel.
Section Fills represent the inside of a solid object when cut with a section plane. SketchUp 2027.0 introduces the ability to enhance section fills with Hatch Patterns. Hatch Patterns are adjustable vector lines combined with a background color or a tileable raster image.

The new Hatch Patterns panel is where you can view, import, create, and manage hatches in your model. SketchUp provides a default library of standard Hatch Patterns in the .skh file format. If you would like to import your own, you can import an .skh file, use an image, or a .PAT file. SketchUp imports only one pattern per .PAT file. If the .PAT file contains multiple patterns, you’ll need to upload each pattern separately.

You can also set section fill Hatch Patterns in the Materials panel or in Entity Info in the same way you would add a texture map. When you choose to edit a material a Section Fill option is now available.

Click the Section Fill swatch to open the Choose Section Fill window where you can link a hatch pattern with a material. Use a section plane to cut any solid groups or components painted with a material-linked section fill and you’ll see the hatch pattern linked to the material. Painting individual faces of an object will not affect the section fill but it may override the material painted on a component or group. We recommend keeping the default material on faces and painting whole components or groups - one material per component.

You may also set a group or component’s section fill independent of a material. Doing so will override a material-linked section fill if it’s applied to the group or component. Click the section fill swatch under the material swatch in Entity Info to set a section fill hatch independent of a material.

Section fills can also be set and modified in the Styles panel using the Section Fill option. Turning off this option completely hides section fills, including vector patterns.

The new Override Section Fill by Style option sits just below those familiar controls and uses the following logic:
If a group or component has no assigned hatch, the assigned style’s section fill will be used by default.
For more information, see Hatch Patterns.
AutoFit is a new, interactive placement method that automatically configures a Live Component when you drag and drop it onto a face in your model.
The new AutoFit feature for Live Components bridges the gap between early massing and detailed designing, speeding up and simplifying configurable modeling. The new AutoFit feature includes:
For more information on using AutoFit Live Components, see SketchUp Live Components.
New sort options in Outliner can help you organize component instances by tag in addition to the regular model hierarchy.
The Outliner now contains a new Sort By field. With Sort By, you choose between Hierarchy, the default sort method, or Tags. Sorting by Tags lets you view in-model objects by tags, organizing component instances by how they’re tagged in the models.

Sorting by tags still works if IFC Classifications are used. Classified components are sorted under their definitions and tagged objects are grouped under their respective tags. Components without a classification or tag are designated Untagged or Unclassified.
For more information, see Organizing a Model.
Both Windows and MacOS versions received improvements to existing touchpad support through the use of additional modifiers.
MacOS devices have had touchpad support in SketchUp for a while. SketchUp 2027 extends this same functionality to Windows while providing additional improvements to both platforms.
With touchpad controls, you’ll use a one-finger gesture on the trackpad while inputting a modifier on the keyboard for the following SketchUp actions:
For more information, see Navigating the SketchUp Interface.
Add Location now supports Coordinate Reference Systems (CRS), allowing you to accurately geolocate a SketchUp model using the coordinate system and project coordinates used by your project.
Coordinate Reference Systems provide a standardised way of describing real-world positions using specific project coordinates. CRS helps precisely align survey, civil engineering, GIS, and architectural datasets alignment across various software platforms.
When geolocating a model using Add Location, selecting Coordinate Reference System opens a modal where you can import your preferred CRS or calibration file.

From there, you can specify the exact Project Base Point using Easting and Northing values.

Once a CRS file is loaded, Add Location automatically calculates elevation data while allowing manual adjustments to the Project Base Point altitude. SketchUp leverages these parameters to properly orient and align your geometry, adjusting for True North automatically. This means you can build models next to the internal origin without sacrificing real-world geographic context.
For more information, see Geolocating with Add Location.
LayOut now includes Image Adjustments controls for viewports, allowing you to fine-tune raster or hybrid renders or image file assets without using an external editor.
The new Image Adjustments panel contains several non-destructive controls to help you better fine-tune images in your document:

For more information see Adjusting Images.
The new Draw Mode for Scaled Drawings in LayOut provides a paperless canvas, allowing you to focus on design and drafting rather than page management.
In the Scaled Drawing panel, a new Enter Draw Mode option is available. Clicking Enter Draw Mode begins your paperless session.

The canvas features red and green axis lines originating at 0,0, mirroring the SketchUp modeling environment. You can then draw at full, 1:1 scale, using real-world coordinates. You can also change paper color and grid settings.
If you click Exit Draw Mode in the Scaled Drawing panel, LayOut converts your work into a group using ¼” = 1’ for Imperial and 1:50mm for Metric. You can change this scale either before entering Draw Mode or after exiting.
Selecting a SketchUp model viewport pre-populates the scale of the Scaled Drawing context, expediting detailing on top of the SketchUp model. Hide and Fade are also available in the Scaled Drawing panel for even more control of your drawing.

For more information, see Creating a Scaled Drawing.
See how ENIA Architectes uses SketchUp and Revit together to streamline BIM workflows, accelerate design, and bring flexibility to architecture...
The basic principles into 3D Modeling in SketchUp and how easily and quickly we can create 3D models, related with interior design and architecture.
Are you a design professional trying to win more projects? We'll show you how to successfully use Sketchup to come up with the best design ideas.
We'll send you useful articles, notifications for competitions & courses, and job ads for AEC professionals.