2025 Year in Review: From Drafting to Data-Driven Mastery

As we close out 2025, it’s incredible to look back at how far our community has come. This year, our focus wasn't just on "how to draw" in Vectorworks, but on how to work smarter by leveraging the "I" in BIM: Information.

❤️ A Heartfelt Thank You

I am incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received this year. To those of you who read my newsletters, watch my YouTube videos, and engage in my community: Thank you. Your questions and feedback keep me motivated. It is a privilege to help you master your craft.

🚀 2025 Milestones: A New Home for Kinship

The biggest evolution in our community this year was moving our home from our traditional WordPress site to the Skool.com platform.

This wasn't just a technical upgrade; it was a shift toward kinship. Our members no longer learn in isolation. We now have a living, breathing community where designers troubleshoot in real-time and share the "small wins" that lead to big productivity gains.

🏗️ Technical Highlights: Systems Over Guesswork

If you’ve been following our weekly newsletters, you know that 2025 was about moving away from "drafting" and toward "systematic management":

• Data Mastery: We leveraged Database Worksheets and Data Visualization to manage information visually.

• File Health: We killed the "silent killers" of speed using the Invert Selection cleanup method.

• Precision: We stopped "nudging" and started using Move by Points (Duplicate & Distribute) for instant accuracy.

• Coordination: We mastered Design Layer Viewports (DLVPs) to create live, error-free references.

• Profitability: We introduced Document Content Analysis (DCA) to ensure every project remains profitable.

🚀 Looking Ahead: Your 2026 Roadmap to Mastery

If 2025 was the foundation, 2026 is about high-speed execution. Here is our scheduled Masterclass lineup for the first half of the year:

March: The Plant Database Duel

Landscape and site designers often struggle with which database to use. We will dive deep into both:

• FileMaker Pro Engine: How to set up and connect to this graphically-rich database.

• Text-Based Database: Exploring the faster, streamlined engine for high-speed documentation.

• The Workflow: How to connect your Vectorworks plants to these sources correctly.

April: Drawing Production 2 (Systematic Modeling)

This session focuses on pure modeling speed. We will master:

• Smart Styles: Efficiently creating Wall, Door, Window, Roof, and Slab Styles.

• Project Grids: Setting up projects using Grids to anchor your design from day one.

June: Drawing Production 3 (Professional Output)

The "production" finale where we bring the documentation to life:

• Viewport Mastery: Setting up Site Plans (and finally solving where to put annotations!), Floor Plans, and Sections.

• Linked Details: Creating Elevation and Detail Viewports that are perfectly coordinated and linked throughout the set.

Lock in Your 2026 Growth Today

To support this expanded curriculum and our new community platform, membership rates will increase by 5% on January 1, 2026.

Sign up or upgrade this week to lock in your current rate. If you move to the VIP Tier, you'll also save $40/month compared to booking individual coaching—the perfect way to have an expert by your side as you implement these 2026 workflows.

Thank you for an incredible 2025. I wish you a peaceful holiday season and a productive start to 2026!

#Vectorworks #BIM #SkoolCommunity #Architecture #LandscapeDesign #DCA #Vectorworks2025 #ProfessionalDevelopment #ThankYou

The Last-Minute Title Block Panic

We've all been there: it's the last day before the office closes for the holiday break, and you're racing to issue a final drawing set. You realize you need to change the issue date, project number, and revision index across 40 different sheet layers. That last hour turns into a panic-induced administrative disaster. Your title block should work for you, not against you.

Quick Fix: Standardizing Your Title Block

The first step to efficiency is using the standard Vectorworks Title Block Border tool. This allows you to manage fundamental data (like Sheet Title and Sheet Number) from the Object Info Palette (OIP), ensuring that data is consistently linked to the sheet.

• Select the Title Block

• Go to the Object Info palette
• Click on Edit Title Block Settings...
• Edit the settings
• Click OK.

The Premium Advantage: The Title Block Manager

The Title Block Manager command allows you to control the data for every single title block in your project from one central spreadsheet-like window.

Advanced Tip Preview (Community Exclusive): The Title Block Manager allows you to select 40 sheets and enter a new Issue Date once, updating all 40 title blocks instantly.

• Go to the Menu Bar.
• Click on File
• Click on Title Block Manager...
• Click on Load all opened files.
• Click on Select Sheets to Use...
• Select the required sheets
• Click on Sheet Data
• Click on Today's Date to update the drawing date
• Click on the OK button to finish.

Did You Miss Our Masterclass? We covered this essential workflow in-depth recently in our recorded session 'Drawing Production and Masterclass for Controlling Revisions.' Premium members can watch it right now!

We've all been there: it's the last day before the office closes for the holiday break, and you're racing to issue a final drawing set. You realize you need to change the issue date, project number, and revision index across 40 different sheet layers. That last hour turns into a panic-induced administrative disaster. Your title block should work for you, not against you.

Quick Fix: Standardizing Your Title Block

The first step to efficiency is using the standard Vectorworks Title Block Border tool. This allows you to manage fundamental data (like Sheet Title and Sheet Number) from the Object Info Palette (OIP), ensuring that data is consistently linked to the sheet.

• Select the Title Block

• Go to the Object Info palette
• Click on Edit Title Block Settings...
• Edit the settings
• Click OK.

The Premium Advantage: The Title Block Manager

The Title Block Manager command allows you to control the data for every single title block in your project from one central spreadsheet-like window.

Advanced Tip Preview (Community Exclusive): The Title Block Manager allows you to select 40 sheets and enter a new Issue Date once, updating all 40 title blocks instantly.

• Go to the Menu Bar.
• Click on File
• Click on Title Block Manager...
• Click on Load all opened files.
• Click on Select Sheets to Use...
• Select the required sheets
• Click on Sheet Data
• Click on Today's Date to update the drawing date
• Click on the OK button to finish.

Did You Miss Our Masterclass? We covered this essential workflow in-depth recently in our recorded session 'Drawing Production and Masterclass for Controlling Revisions.' Premium members can watch it right now!

Building the Effective Architect: Why AI, Textures, and Libraries Must Be Systemic

 

The Principle: The Difference Between a Quick Fix and a System

This past week, the Vectorworks Training School focused on a vital truth for design professionals: Fast is useless if it's flawed. We believe in Effectiveness over Efficiency—meaning every action must serve the long-term integrity and profitability of your project.

We explored this principle across the spectrum, from the visionary use of AI to the meticulous organization of your digital assets. Here are the system-focused takeaways from our major sessions:

Mastery 1: The Human Element in the Age of AI (AI for Stairs Masterclass)

In our session on AI for Designing Stairs, we addressed the future of architectural technology. Tools like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Grok are undeniably powerful.

The key finding: AI is a revolutionary research assistant, but not yet a designer.

• AI's Effectiveness: It excels at streamlining research, gathering local building codes, and assisting with project visualization (rendering).

• The Human Effectiveness: AI currently lacks the nuanced understanding to interpret aesthetic subtleties or make crucial design judgments—such as deciding the why behind a gentle stair design.

The Systemic Lesson: Effective professionals use AI to handle the volume of research, but apply their own expertise to make the definitive design decisions. You become the editor, not the drone.

Mastery 2: The Foundation of Visual Integrity (3D Modeling & Textures)

If your 3D model looks great but breaks down when you try to edit it, you have achieved speed without effectiveness.

Our 3D Modeling and Textures class focused on building robust, high-integrity models:

• Seamless Editing: We tackled complex topics like creating Auto Hybrids and correctly using the push-pull toolto ensure that models remain seamless and editable without causing errors.

• Visual Precision: We focused on the effective application of texture alignment and hatch management—small details that are crucial for a professional, precise final presentation and preventing visual discrepancies in documentation.

The Systemic Lesson: A robust model is an effective model. Prioritize structural integrity over quick fixes.

Mastery 3: The Collaborative Workflow (PDF Referencing)

In a multi-user environment, effectiveness hinges on consistent information flow. Our session on Mastering PDF Referencing tackled the modern reality of collaborative design.

We demonstrated best practices for:

• Setting up reliable reference paths to ensure linked documents remain consistently updated across all machines.

• Integrating external high-quality graphic files from software like InDesign and Affinity Designer to enhance presentation quality without bloating the core Vectorworks file.

The Systemic Lesson: Effective workflow is about seamless integration. Referencing, rather than copying, is the key to minimizing manual updates and maintaining data accuracy.

Mastery 4: The Core of Landscape Systemization (Plant Library)

Finally, our Landscape Classroom provided the ultimate example of systemized effectiveness: building an efficient Plant Library.

• Strategic Organization: We detailed the importance of categorizing resources into symbolic structures and maintaining a single master library. This eliminates the time wasted searching or dealing with multiple, outdated versions of assets.

• Enhanced Assets: We showed how to implement external tools like Google Gemini and Nano Banana to refine and enhance image props (especially for complex elements like climbers and espaliers), ensuring your visual assets are both beautiful and up-to-date.

The Systemic Lesson: Time spent organizing your library is an investment. A well-organized library is a master key to streamlined project management throughout the year.

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Conclusion: Preparing for an Effective 2026

As Jonathan reflected on 2025's massive transition—the launch of our new website and the organization of over 700 videos—the focus for next year is clear: further integration of AI and deep dives into drawing production methodology.

The message is the same: Embrace the system. Master the nuance. Be effective.

Ready to elevate your practice in the New Year?

• Join the community to access all class replays: [Link to Your Community]

• Start your mastery journey: [Link to Course Sign-up]

The Future is Here: AI in Stair Design (And Why It Still Needs You)

 In our special session last week, we explored the cutting-edge role of AI (including Google Gemini and ChatGPT) in architectural design, specifically focusing on stairs and rendering.

The key takeaway? AI is an unparalleled research assistant, gathering codes and visualization ideas instantly. But it still lacks the nuanced understanding needed for aesthetic subtlety or interpreting local building codes correctly.

AI enhances efficiency, but the architect provides the effectiveness.

➡️ Watch the engaging discussion on AI's current capabilities and future potential: https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/about

Multi-User Nightmare? Master PDF Referencing for Seamless Project Updates.

In collaborative design, the most effective skill isn't drawing—it's managing version control and keeping data updated across multiple platforms.

Our session last week dove into Mastering PDF Referencing:

• Setting up reliable reference paths for complex, multi-user projects.

• Strategies for integrating high-quality graphics from external software like InDesign or Affinity Designer.

• Ensuring document versions remain updated with minimal effort.

Stop wasting time manually updating files. Start using effective, linked workflows.

➡️ Learn the best practices for collaboration and file management...

The Ultimate Test of 3D Effectiveness: Mastering Textures and Hybrids.

 

Fast modeling is easy. Effective modeling means your 3D structure is clean, editable, and visually accurate.

In our session last week, we focused on foundational mastery:

• Achieving precise Auto Hybrid creation to streamline 3D processes.

• Mastering texture alignment and use of the push-pull tool to maintain consistency.

• Articulating roof profiles accurately to ensure structural fidelity and visual precision.

Effective 3D modeling is about integrity, not just speed.

➡️ Refine your skills and watch the full 3D modeling session: https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/about

ArchiCAD - Fix Missing Windows

 

The Cost of the "Quick Copy"

The Cost of the "Quick Copy"

I recently helped a client dealing with a major coordination error. They were working on a large hotel project and had two similar wings that needed to reference each other's layouts. To speed things up, a junior designer simply copied the plan of Wing A and pasted it onto the Design Layer for Wing B, then manually made the necessary changes.The result? Weeks later, when Wing A’s structural layout changed, the copied geometry in Wing B was completely forgotten and remained outdated. They caught the error just before construction documents were issued, narrowly avoiding a massive, expensive mistake.

The desire for a "quick copy" had cost them hours of checking and caused huge stress.

This is a classic problem: when information needs to be repeated or referenced across a file, manually copying geometry is the fastest way to guarantee an error.

The Tip: The Safe, Live Reference with Design Layer Viewports (DLVPs)

The professional way to reference geometry from one part of your file (or even another file) without ever making a static copy is by using a Design Layer Viewport (DLVP).

Think of a DLVP as a live mirror of the source information.How it works: Instead of copying the geometry of Wing A, you create a DLVP on Wing B's Design Layer that views the geometry of Wing A.

The Benefit: The DLVP is a live link. If the original geometry in Wing A changes (e.g., a structural wall moves), the DLVP on Wing B updates automatically and immediately. You never have to worry about static, outdated copies causing coordination errors again.

This is the single most reliable method for referencing common details, neighboring buildings, or repeated floor plates across your entire project file.

The Next Level: Mastering the Multi-Layer Reference System

The simple act of placing a DLVP is easy, but managing a large file with dozens of DLVPs requires systematic mastery of organizational tools like Layers, Classes, and Viewport Overrides.

Without a strategy for controlling what you see and when you see it, your file quickly becomes a confusing mess of overlapping references.

Choose Your Path:

Standard Tier: Our courses ensure you understand the difference between Design Layers and Sheet Layers, which is fundamental to using DLVPs correctly.

Premium Tier (Systematic Mastery): This is where you master complex file coordination. Our live and recorded webinars building on the courses to teach you the systematic use of Layers, Classes, and Viewports to control the appearance of DLVPs (e.g., viewing the referenced geometry in gray only) and the best practices for setting up master reference files.

VIP Tier (Personalized Acceleration): If you are setting up a large, multi-building project that relies heavily on repeated DLVPs, the VIP tier gives you 1 hour of private, one-on-one coaching with Jonathan per month. We can design the entire live referencing system for your specific project to guarantee error-free coordination from day one.

Ready to Eliminate Costly Coordination Errors and Guarantee Accuracy?

Choose Your Tier: https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/about