Chief Architect helps educators focus on teaching concepts and less on teaching software. Chief Architect includes a complete curriculum with a digital reference manual and tutorial guide as well as access to interactive training videos making it easy to learn and teach your architectural or interior design classes.
We are offering a free Student License to allow more flexibility for students to complete coursework outside the classroom. Licenses will be valid March 17–June 30, 2020.
"I teach Chief Architect to high school students and have never seen them more excited about any other program."
–Jon Jones, Teacher
Along with a User Guide and Reference Manual, Chief Architect also provides web-based knowledge base articles and training videos, as well as contextual, searchable help to get you started.
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Learn about Chief Architect files and file structure as well as recommended saving practices.
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Become familiar with the User Interface so you can quickly find tools and navigate your plan.
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Preferences are global settings you can customize to set up your preferred working conditions.
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Review these particular defaults before starting any plan to avoid frustration later.
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Drawing and editing CAD based objects is an essential skill to learn as the edit tools and methods are used for virtually all objects in Chief Architect.
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Draw walls and rooms then use dimensions to move the walls into place.
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6121-exterior-walls-rooms-dims
Specify which walls are bearing walls and use the Build Foundation dialog to create a variety of foundations.
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6122-foundation-bearing-walls
Create a pitched hip roof using the Build Roof dialog.
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6123-6128-automatic-roofs
Create a gable roof by choosing the Gable Wall setting within the Wall Specification and then building the roof.
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6123-6128-automatic-roofs
Use the High Shed Gable Wall setting in addition to Full Gable Walls to create a stand alone shed roof or just the Full Gable Wall setting to create a lean-to style shed roof.
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6123-6128-automatic-roofs
Use the Upper pitch setting in the Wall Specification to set upper and lower pitch options to create a gambrel style roof.
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6123-6128-automatic-roofs
Use the Dutch Gable Roof setting in the wall specification to create this kind of roof automatically.
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Use the Upper pitch setting in the Wall Specification with the pitches opposite that of a gambrel roof to create a gull wing roof.
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6123-6128-automatic-roofs
Using the Upper Pitch setting on a gable wall allows you to create a half hip or clipped gable style.
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6123-6128-automatic-roofs
Generate a roof on the top of the second floor as well as over the single level garage.
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6129-multiple-levels
Use the Ignore Top Floor setting in the Build Roof dialog to have the roof sit down on the first story walls.
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6130-story-and-a-half
The Auto Dormer tool has different requirements than the Auto Floating Dormer tool.
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6131-automatic-dormers
Draw in walls and then use dimensions to move them into place.
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6132-interior-walls-dims
Add doors, windows, pass-throughs, and niches to your plan.
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6133-doors-and-windows
An introduction to placing and modifying cabinets and becoming familiar with the Cabinet Specification dialog.
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6134-cabinets
Appliances and Fixtures can be placed into cabinets or external to cabinets. Learn how to place and position Appliances and Fixtures precisely inside cabinets
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6135-appliances-and-fixtures
Custom countertops, backsplashes and material regions are all polyline based objects and basic cad tools can be used on them.
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6136-custom-countertops-backsplashes
Place items in your plan and customize them, turn them into architectural blocks and add them back to the library.
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6137-library-objects
Use the Material panel in the Specification or use the Material Painter to apply textures and colors to the objects in your plan.
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6138-materials
Use the different stair tools to create stair cases in a variety of shapes.
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6139-stairs
Add electrical fixtures using the Electrical tools or by selecting them from the library.
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6140-outlets-switches-lighting
Bearing walls, beams and joist direction lines help you control the automatic generation floor framing.
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6141-floor-framing
Automatically generate studs, trimmers, headers and other wall framing using the Build Framing dialog.
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6142-wall-framing
Use the Build Framing dialog or the Build Roof dialog to generate your Roof Framing.
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6143-roof-framing
When you use the Deck Railing tool your deck framing will generate automatically.
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6144-deck-framing
Import the Site plan image and trace over it or use the Input Line tool to input lines according to their quadrant bearing data and lengths.
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6145-site-plan
Insert elevation data, terrain features and plants to add interest to your plan.
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6146-landscaping
Use the Orthographic View tools to create exterior and interior elevations, cross sections and details.
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6147-orthographic-views
Use these tools to create quick views of your project.
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6148-perspective-views
Use the different render techniques to create marketing materials.
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6150-rendering-techniques
Take views of your 3d model and organize them on a layout sheet to create your construction documents.
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6149-working-drawings
There are 3 main parts to a ray trace, the ray trace settings, the materials and the lighting.
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6151-ray-trace-basics
