Simple AI rendering Addon

[Miha Nahtigal]

After getting tired of the numerous commercial AI rendering services out there, I decided to create my own.

The goal is simplicity. The add-on captures a snapshot of your current 3D view when you click "Capture Current 3D". Simply enter your prompt below the captured image and click Send. Not satisfied with the result or want to make some adjustments? Just enter another prompt, and the AI will continue working on the last generated image.

The add-on is quite flexible and supports multiple AI engines, including Google's Nano Banana (Gemini), BFL Flux, or even your own locally hosted models through Forge (e.g., Stable Diffusion, Flux, and others).

The easiest way to get started is to create an account in Google AI Studio (https://aistudio.google.com/), generate an API key, purchase some credits, paste the API key into the settings dialog, and you're ready to render.

Best of all, the Addon is completely free and open source. The source code is available on GitHub: https://github.com/malamalca/BIMrender

Contributors are welcome!

Pre-built add-on releases can be found in the Releases subfolder (download the add-on from there).

Enjoy, and please send your feedback.

Operating system used: Windows

[Miha Nahtigal]

The animation below is made with locally installed AI model Flux-2 (running on RTX 5070Ti).

It is not as good as commercial AI models but for quick renders, it does its job.

 

[GDS_LG]

Hi Miha,

Very interesting tip. Please can you explain how I can run this plugin in archicad. Apologies, I'm not great with Github etc. 

[Botonis]

Doing this API enabling in Gemini NOT FOR THIS ADDON I was charged 150 euros.Obviously I should had read

more about the terms.I did it to try another addon.This GEMINI intergration obviously is reaaly promising

As long as this Archicad 's AI Visualizer is not moving forward Gemini will prevail.

[Miha Nahtigal]

Hi, Botonis. I agree that allowing unlimited Gemini token usage can be problematic. However, you can always set a spending limit in your AI Studio dashboard, so you'll only use the tokens you've already paid for.

[Miha Nahtigal]

Hi, installing the add-on is quite simple.

Download the appropriate version of the add-on from the Releases folder:
https://github.com/malamalca/BIMrender/tree/main/Releases

Choose the file that matches your Archicad version. (The file without an appended version number is for Archicad 29.)

You can install the add-on in one of two ways:

• Copy the add-on file into the Archicad Add-Ons folder and restart Archicad:
  C:\Program Files\GRAPHISOFT\Archicad 29\Add-Ons
• Or copy the add-on anywhere on your computer and add it manually in Archicad via Options → Add-On Manager → Add...

Getting started

1. After installation, the add-on will appear in the main Archicad menu. Open a 3D view, then go to BIMrender → AI Render to open the palette. Click Capture Current 3D to capture the current view.
2. Click the Settings button (to the left of the Capture button) and choose the AI engine you want to use. The easiest option is Google Gemini (Nano Banana). Before using Gemini, create an API key in Google AI Studio (https://aistudio.google.com/) and purchase some credits/tokens. Then copy and paste your API key into the settings dialog.
3. Enter your prompt, for example:
   Create a photorealistic render of a family house. Add landscaping, trees, people, cars, and realistic lighting.
4. Click the yellow Send button. Your AI-generated render should appear shortly.

[graava]

This Addon looks quite promising! Are you planning to release a Mac version?

[GDS_LG]

Hi Miha,

Thanks for this. I run on Mac but will try this on a desktop that I also can get access to at some point. 

[Miha Nahtigal]

I have implemented a few really great features:

- user can use the newest AI model gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image (RELEASED TODAY)

- I've added prompt template suggestions - users uses dropdowns with render settings, moods, ... and the prompt auto generates (eg Photorealistic architectural photography of brutalist concrete architecture, bright clear midday sun, dramatic cloudy sky, standard 35mm lens. Keep all architectural geometry exactly as in the input image.)

- one click AI prompt enhancement (prompt above becomes "Photorealistic architectural photograph of raw, board-formed brutalist concrete under harsh, direct midday sun, casting deep, crisp shadows. Dramatic, heavy storm clouds dominate the sky, with piercing shafts of sunlight breaking through. Captured with a sharp 35mm prime lens, wide depth of field.")

- prompt history

Wanna se the result of the above prompt 🙂 ?

This image...

renders into...

[Miha Nahtigal]

Two more examples from the same 3d model. Different prompts using prompt templates.

Modern classic, rainy eveneing

 

Scandinavian vibe, foggy blue hour.