Home of OSArch

We help create the built environment with free software, increased transparency, and a more ethical approach.

On this wiki, we collect and share everything we know about the free technology in our industry. Every page on this website was written by people just like you.

Get Involved

Interested in OSArch initiatives, and why OSArch is so important to the design, construction, operation, and recycling of the built environment? See an introduction to what OSArch is all about. We are a strong and growing community.

• Post questions in our Community Forum
• Meet us at our online Monthly Meetup
• Donate to sustain some of the project we support
• See and add yourself to our list of OSArch supporter
• See past projects using free software and see Featured images
• See more ways to contribute to OSArch

Right now, we're looking in particular for volunteers to help with these things. If you're up for it, post on the forums and let us know!

• We need people to help get the word out and manage the OSArch accounts on Twitter, LinkedIn, Mastodon account & Youtube.
• We need people to help design a curriculum to teach about AEC tools and OpenBIM concepts.
• We need help with important unfinished wiki pages. Anybody can edit!
• And help with developement! Drop by the community forum or chat to learn what projects are being talked about right now.

Explore Free Software

Did you know there's a growing list of over 100 free tools to help you do your job? Unlike proprietary software, free software will never make your digital work incompatible, obsolete, or force you into subscriptions. See the AECO Free Software Directory.

Begin your journey:

• Switch to QCAD and LibreCAD for 2D CAD drafting instead of depending on AutoCAD
• Learn OpenBIM authoring with The Bonsai Add-on (formerly known as BlenderBIM) Add-on
• Learn solid 3D modeling and BIM model creation with FreeCAD
• Learn structural analysis with_Code Aster
• Learn about environmental analysis

Join us on the forum so we can start these pages together:

• Learn 2D architectural visualisation with Krita and The GIMP instead of Photoshop
• Learn freeform 3D modeling and visualisation with Blender
• Learn lighting simulation with Radiance
• Learn geospatial analysis with QGIS
• Manage a project with OpenProject
• Get started with OpenStreetMaps for open GIS data

Do you want to dig deep in to AEC tech?

• Learn visual node-based parametric design with Sverchok
• Learn OpenBIM & IFC programming using IfcOpenShell

Use Open Standards

Open technology and standards helps our digital tools interoperate and protect you against data expiry. See what's available at the Open Data Standards Directory.

• Learn about OpenBIM
• Get sample files of Open Data
• Learn about relevant Standards organizations
• Read Academic Papers and external articles

Learn about IFC - Industry Foundation Classes data concepts.

Delivering OpenBIM for facility management?

• Learn about how COBie works
• Read the COBie definition of a maintainable asset
• An introduction to Brickschema

Learn how to specify data requirements with MVDs and MicroMVDs (all articles).

Stuck with proprietary software? Learn best practices and workarounds to produce industry standards compliant data. Read about how to setup Revit for better OpenBIM

To see a complete list of articles, check out the directories and categories.

"Open-source software (OSS) is a type of computer software in which source code is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose." -Wikipedia