Civil 3D: It's not just for Engineers

Many years ago I was fortunate to have the opportunity to fill a space for Civil 3D training left vacant by a Civil Engineer. Since then I have been blown away by how useful this tool is for landscape design. Sure it looks complicated and the tools are designed for Engineers. However, I've gotten use to using tools designed for other professions. Site survey tools, digital terrain modeling, terrain analysis, corridor alignments, horizontal and vertical profiles, exporting 3D mesh... the list goes on. Also, I believe that using a common language in the design process makes coordination amongst other disciplines more seamless. I love working with Engineers. Using the same software has provided countless opportunities to refine our designs, find and solve problems and provide a better product to our clients and the public. Finally, everyone loves a pretty photorealistic image. However, creating an accurate 3D model is the foundation for these images. When collogues ask for training in creating photorealistic visualizations I often start with an introduction to Civil 3D. Now for Revit and BIM... there's another story.