Architextures (https://architextures.org/create) is a web app that lets architects create seamless textures, bump maps and CAD hatches. The project was started by architect Ryan Canning in 2014 and began as a library of high quality photo textures which could be quickly filtered and sorted. The idea for the interactive editor came from experiences working in architectural practice. When working on live projects it can often be difficult to find suitable textures to represent our designs.
Although there are numerous texture websites, in many cases images found online require additional editing to correct the pattern or appearance of the material before importing into a BIM model. The editor was launched in early 2020 and has received an overwhelming response from designers around the world since.
The web app works with a simple control panel which allows you to set various parameters for the texture such as the pattern, dimensions and material. There are a number of options available for each of the settings leading to an almost infinite number of combinations letting you create bespoke materials for your project.
The website also contains a library of premade textures which can be downloaded and edited in the app making it even easier to create a new texture if you find one similar to what you want. Just click on any texture from the library on the home page and click the Edit (https://architextures.org/textures/201) button.
All images created on the site are free to use for personal and educational projects with Pro accounts available for a small fee for those who wish to use images for commercial work. The Pro subscription offers access to additional features such as high resolution downloads, bump maps and CAD hatches. Head over to Architextures (https://architextures.org) to try it out and follow @_architextures (https://www.instagram.com/_architextures) on instagram to stay up to date with new features.
Ultimately it is hoped that the project will have a positive impact on the way designers approach materiality as well being a useful time saving tool.
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