The evolution of design tools has followed two distinct paths – the parametric and the freeform. For years, these have existed as separate worlds, creating an artificial divide between creativity and precision, between expression and data.

Seven years ago, when we started Snaptrude we thought to challenge this dichotomy. We asked: Why must we choose? Why can't a design tool offer the freedom of artistic expression while simultaneously capturing the intelligence of parametric data?

I used to ask everyone I met: "What's your definition of BIM?" The answers varied wildly. My definition was simple: adding information to a building model, any information. By that definition, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Rhino could all be BIM tools, as any geometry can have associated data. Revit brilliantly solved the data problem, but at the cost of the design experience.

I've long admired the intuitive modeling of SketchUp and Rhino, tools that prioritize vision. And I respect what Revit accomplished, fundamentally changing how buildings are conceived. But these pioneers were constrained by the technology of their time.

Today, we have the opportunity to build without these limitations. Proud to be introducing our new Design Canvas - reimagined for modern designers but infused with familiar tools you've mastered over years. The sketching tools, snaps, offset, erase, split, and extrude functions, rebuilt with modern capabilities.

By creating our own geometry kernel, we weren't restricted by legacy constraints. We examined each interaction and asked: "How can this better serve the designer?" Connect two spaces, and shared edges become parametrically linked, make edits and areas, cost & quantities live update. Craft a building envelope, and daylight simulation runs in real-time.

Design is sacred, it's how our visions become reality. We've crafted this canvas with patience and reverence. Is it perfect? No, design tools never are. But it represents our commitment to a future where creativity and data aren't adversaries but allies.

Welcome to the new Design Canvas: where the freedom you love meets the intelligence you need.

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Join us on this journey. Sign up for early access and discover a world where constraints become possibilities and every stroke is an opportunity to innovate.