SOFTWARE making and reduces on-site surprises. By using VR, AR and interactive 3D, Vectorworks lets stakeholders virtually experience circulation, grades and sightlines at full scale before any installation or major purchase, turning abstract plans into something clients can immediately understand.
With tools like Vectorworks Odyssey, Nomad and Cloud Services, teams can publish a model once and then offer virtual tours in a browser, on-site AR previews on a phone or tablet, or full VR walkthroughs on a Meta Quest headset— all from the same design file.
In landscape and outdoor environments, that means stakeholders can stand virtually in a plaza or garden, test sightlines, and understand grading and circulation in real time, rather than trying to interpret everything from flat plans. This“ virtual pre-build” helps catch issues early, speeds up approvals and builds client confidence, because everyone sees and experiences the same design rather than guessing from static images.
The focus should be on how effectively it supports end-to-end workflows, not just pretty pictures.
OPE +: What should landscape design / build firms know when it comes to selecting / implementing new software? Kostreski: The focus should be on how effectively it supports end-to-end workflows, not just pretty pictures. Powerful yet user-friendly tools are what let teams truly design without limits. Unified site, planting, and hardscape tools reduce rework between teams. Our tools address that by combining site modeling, planting, hardscape and irrigation into a single model and drawing set. Accurate quantities and reports directly influence bids, margins, and purchasing. As you design, data-rich objects – combined with Data Tags and Worksheets – automatically generate live plant lists, hardscape schedules and grading, keeping your drawings and reports in sync with the model.
Open collaboration is also critical because dealers, consultants and clients often use different platforms, so Landmark supports robust import and export for DWG, Revit, IFC, SketchUp, Rhino and more to keep everyone connected. Scalability and performance matter as projects range from small residential sites to complex campuses. Vectorworks Cloud Services steps in to handle heavy processing and storage. Teams can offload renderings and publishing tasks, review and markup documents from a browser or mobile device and keep shared files in sync— helping offices stay responsive while supporting flexible, hybrid workflows.
OPE +: For those landscape industry professionals who don’ t have a background in landscape design or landscape architecture, how challenging is it for them to learn the software, or is it imperative that companies have a landscape designer or architect on staff to handle these tasks? Also, what kind of training is available to help you learn how to use Vectorworks software? Kostreski: Vectorworks Landmark is comprehensive enough for landscape architects and designers, but approachable for contractors, estimators and project managers who may not come from a design school background. Most field-experienced staff who understand grading, plants and construction details can become productive in core Landmark workflows with focused training and a structured onboarding period rather than a full design degree.
To close the learning gap, Vectorworks offers courses, learning paths, webinars and an extensive library of landscape-specific training materials through its learning platform, Vectorworks University, that walk through everything from basic drafting to advanced site modeling.
www. OPE-Plus. com April 2026 OPE + 23