Planary: Simplifying Site Feasibility and Massing Studies in Revit and AutoCAD

AI for Architecture | Architecture | Interior | Revit | Space design

Planary: Simplifying Site Feasibility and Massing Studies in Revit and AutoCAD

1. Introduction – What Is Planary?

Every architect knows that early design decisions shape everything that follows. Before sketching facades or planning interiors, you must understand what’s possible on a site—its capacity, height limits, and green-to-built ratio. This is where Planary comes in.

Planary is a powerful architectural plugin developed by AgileForm that integrates directly with Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD. It’s designed to simplify site feasibility studies, massing exploration, and zoning calculations. Instead of switching between software, spreadsheets, and hand-drawn diagrams, Planary keeps everything in one environment—your BIM workspace.

Think of it as your digital design assistant that handles the math while you focus on form, space, and creativity.

2. Why Feasibility Studies Matter in Architecture

Before any construction begins, a project must first be proven feasible—legally, spatially, and economically. A feasibility study determines how much can be built, where it can be placed, and how efficiently the land will be used.

Traditionally, this process is slow. Architects calculate Floor Space Index (FSI) and Ground Coverage Ratio (GCR) manually or use different software to estimate areas. Errors are common when moving data between tools.

Planary eliminates this friction. It connects directly with the design model, allowing you to visualize the relationship between built form, open space, and site boundaries in real time. Instead of drawing and calculating separately, you now see everything update instantly.

This saves hours on feasibility reports and lets architects test more design options early in the process—before investing time in detailed modeling.

3. Getting Started with Planary

Planary is lightweight and easy to install. Here’s how most architects begin:

Download Planary from AgileForm’s official site.
It’s available for Revit and AutoCAD, compatible with major versions.
After installation, you’ll find it under the Add-Ins tab.

Plan and analyze your site directly inside Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD.

No switching platforms, no manual calculations

Feasibility studies using filled region.

Quickly generate massing and levels.

Create a full report.

Before staring in Planary we can create out site and building profiles in Revit using filled region.

Planary can be downloaded as trial version using

https://agileform.ca/products/planary/

It's available for Revit and AutoCAD.

Once downloaded can find inside Add-Ins.

Click Planary.

Add Site – New site will be added by selecting the filled region created for site

Add Building to the Site – Select the filled Region for building

Type – Residence, Commercial

Height offset from ground

No of Floors

Floor height

Once we enter in the data's the Site area, GFA, TFA, FSI etc. Can be manipulated automatically.

Add Land– Greenery to the site

Thickness can be given

As the input is given it can be visible in the 3d view shown on right plane.

Height, Type of building can be manipulated.

Location of the site

- Search your address on the map and set base point for it.

Can view the various tabs and its function.

Can import the mass into Revit.

Can Import the Report as Excel data.

From here, you can begin defining your project site using filled regions or boundary lines. Planary then recognizes the selected area and generates a dynamic 3D representation of the site.

The interface is intuitive. It features side-by-side panels—one for input parameters and one for real-time 3D visualization. You don’t need advanced scripting or data setup; a few clicks get you started.

4. Creating a Site in Planary

To begin any feasibility study, you need a site boundary. In Planary, this step is seamless.
You select the region representing your site footprint, and Planary automatically identifies its area and dimensions. You can name the site, assign parameters like setbacks or height restrictions, and preview it instantly in 3D.

The best part? Planary dynamically calculates the total site area, built-up potential, and coverage percentage. You see the metrics update as you make adjustments.

This feature helps architects visualize scale before moving into complex modeling. It’s especially useful for urban plots or multi-building projects where every square meter counts.

5. Adding Buildings and Defining Parameters

Once the site is defined, Planary allows you to add buildings on top of it—each with its unique characteristics.

You can:

Choose the building footprint (a filled region or imported geometry).
Define building type—residential, commercial, or mixed-use.
Input parameters like the number of floors, floor height, and setback margins.

Planary then generates the 3D massing model and calculates key metrics automatically:

Gross Floor Area (GFA)
Total Floor Area (TFA)
Floor Space Index (FSI)

This automation replaces manual Excel calculations. Within seconds, you can test multiple massing alternatives—taller buildings, more compact volumes, or reduced footprints—without starting from scratch.

6. Integrating Green Spaces and Open Land

Today, sustainability isn’t optional—it’s essential. Planary helps architects include landscape and green zones in their studies through its “Add Land” feature.

You can define open land areas, green buffers, or landscape zones, and the plugin visualizes them as shaded regions within the 3D model. It even tracks the ratio of green-to-built area, helping ensure compliance with local regulations or sustainable design targets.

By visualizing both built and unbuilt elements together, Planary makes it easier to design projects that balance density with livability.

7. Manipulating Building Geometry

Architectural design is an iterative process. Planary embraces this by letting you manipulate building geometry in real time.

Want to increase height? Simply adjust the floor count or height offset slider. Need to rotate a block for better orientation? Just drag and update. Planary recalculates every dependent metric instantly, showing how your changes affect FSI, coverage, or GFA.

This flexibility allows for quick design testing and comparison. It’s ideal during concept stages or client meetings when ideas evolve fast.

8. Geolocation and Contextual Analysis

Architects often need to ground their designs within real-world coordinates. Planary lets you geolocate your site by searching for an address or setting a base point directly within the interface.

Once geolocated, you can align your model to the actual north direction, making it easier to assess sunlight, shadow paths, and orientation-based performance later in the workflow.

This ensures that feasibility analysis isn’t just abstract but grounded in the project’s real context—a critical step for environmental design accuracy.

9. Reviewing Results in Real-Time

One of Planary’s standout features is its real-time feedback. As you define or modify elements, key metrics—like FSI, total floor area, and site utilization—update instantly in the side panel.

You no longer have to cross-check between models and spreadsheets. Instead, your design becomes data-driven yet visual and intuitive. This saves enormous time and improves decision-making accuracy.

The combination of visual 3D massing and live numerical output is what makes Planary an architect’s analytical companion.

10. Exporting Data and Reporting

After completing your analysis, you can export Planary’s data for presentation or documentation.
It supports two major workflows:

Import the generated mass directly into Revit for further modeling.
Export analytical data as Excel files for feasibility reports or client submissions.

This bridges concept and documentation seamlessly. Instead of re-entering values into spreadsheets, everything stays synchronized, ensuring consistency across the project lifecycle.

11. Comparing Planary to Traditional Methods

In traditional feasibility studies, architects often toggle between CAD drawings, Excel sheets, and manual notes. The process is repetitive, error-prone, and time-consuming.

Planary transforms this workflow. It centralizes everything within one visual environment—draw, calculate, and visualize simultaneously. The difference isn’t just efficiency but also confidence. Architects can now justify their proposals with precise, automatically updated metrics.

Firms working on tight deadlines or complex urban sites find that Planary reduces study time by more than 50%.

12. Advanced Tools and Customization

Planary isn’t limited to simple feasibility studies—it also supports more advanced scenarios.
Architects can:

Generate multiple design iterations using different FSI targets.
Use sliders for visual control of height, footprint, and setback adjustments.
Isolate building types for focused evaluation.

These tools allow for a deeper understanding of how design variations affect performance, cost, and compliance. Students can use them for academic projects, while professionals can produce multiple feasibility options for clients.

13. Planary in Educational and Professional Practice

Architecture schools increasingly teach data-informed design, where analysis guides form-making. Planary serves as an excellent educational tool for demonstrating urban density, spatial hierarchy, and massing logic.

For professionals, it integrates directly into everyday BIM workflows, ensuring that early design insights continue influencing detailed models. Whether in urban design, housing layouts, or mixed-use developments, Planary helps bridge creativity with feasibility.

14. The Future of AI-Assisted Architectural Design

Planary represents a growing shift in architectural tools—from static modeling to intelligent design assistance.
As more plugins integrate data analytics, AI, and automation, architects can focus more on spatial quality and less on manual data handling.

Imagine future versions that combine Planary’s feasibility analysis with energy modeling, daylight simulation, or carbon footprint estimation. That’s where digital design is heading—integrated, adaptive, and sustainable.

15. Conclusion – Designing Smarter, Not Harder

Architecture is about vision—but also about validation. Tools like Planary make that validation process simpler, faster, and more reliable.

By merging feasibility analysis with real-time visualization, Planary enables architects to make smarter decisions at the concept stage.
It’s more than just a Revit plugin—it’s a mindset shift toward data-informed creativity.

Whether you’re a student learning about site studies or a professional designing complex urban sites, Planary ensures your ideas remain both beautiful and buildable.

16. FAQs

Q1. What is Planary used for?
Planary helps architects perform quick, data-driven feasibility studies, building massing, and site analysis inside Revit or AutoCAD.

Q2. Does Planary support all Revit versions?
Yes, it supports major versions of Revit and AutoCAD, but you should confirm compatibility on AgileForm’s site before installation.

Q3. Can Planary be used for landscape or green space design?
Absolutely. Its “Add Land” feature lets you define and visualize open or landscaped areas to maintain balanced development ratios.

Q4. How accurate are Planary’s calculations?
Planary uses model geometry directly from Revit or AutoCAD, ensuring high accuracy in area, volume, and FSI results.

Q5. Who benefits most from using Planary?
Urban planners, architects, and design students who frequently conduct feasibility studies, zoning analyses, or early-stage massing.