SketchUp 2027 adds new modeling and Revit import tools

Key Takeaways

• Procedures in SketchUp 2027 deliver a non‑destructive workflow, letting designers experiment without rebuilding models.
• Section Hatch Patterns and Paperless Canvas streamline 2‑D drafting and technical drawing production.
• AutoFit Live Components automatically scale to host surfaces, cutting manual resizing time by up to 30 %.
• Spatial Preview streams live SketchUp geometry to Apple Vision Pro via USD, eliminating export steps.
• The new SketchUp Importer for Revit maps SketchUp tags to native Revit categories, reducing the estimated 40 % re‑work time reported by Dodge Data & Analytics.
• Trimble Connect Design Hub centralizes communication, model files, and project metadata in a single, searchable record.

SketchUp 2027: A Leap Toward Seamless Modeling

Trimble unveiled SketchUp 2027 and its companion Revit importer at the Trimble Dimensions User Conference and 3D Basecamp. The headline feature, Procedures, introduces a non‑destructive modeling layer. Designers can toggle, edit, or discard entire procedural branches without altering the base geometry, preserving every design iteration for later review.

New & Enhanced Toolset

These tools are woven into existing SketchUp menus, meaning teams can adopt them without retraining on a new interface.

Spatial Preview: From Desktop to Headset

Using Apple’s USDPreviewSession and the new SketchUp‑USD converter, designers on a Mac equipped with Mac Virtual Display can modify geometry or material assignments and instantly see the result inside a Vision Pro headset. No intermediate files are written; the model streams directly, preserving material IDs and lighting information.

SketchUp Importer for Revit: Bridging Concept to Documentation

The SketchUp Importer for Revit targets the long‑standing pain point of moving conceptual models into a BIM environment. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, up to 40 % of design time in the schematic‑to‑construction phases is spent re‑entering, cleaning, and re‑building geometry after export. The new importer tackles this by:

1. Tag & Class Recognition – SketchUp component tags are automatically mapped to Revit families (e.g., walls, doors, structural columns).
2. Native Element Conversion – Exported geometry becomes editable Revit objects, fully schedule‑able and parametric.
3. Data Retention – Project metadata (layer names, material assignments, and custom attributes) travel with the model, preserving design intent.

A disciplined pre‑export organization—grouping components by intended Revit category—can slash manual re‑work by 20‑30 %, according to internal Trimble testing.

Comparison: Traditional Export vs. New Importer

Trimble Connect Design Hub: One‑Stop Collaboration

Built on the Trimble Connect ecosystem, Design Hub aggregates all project communications, 3‑D models, and file versions into a single searchable record. Every comment, change request, and revision is time‑stamped, enabling audit trails required for regulated industries (e.g., AEC, infrastructure). The hub also supports role‑based access, ensuring contractors see only the data they need while designers retain full model control.

Bottom Line

SketchUp 2027 delivers a robust suite of productivity‑boosting tools—most notably the non‑destructive Procedures engine and real‑time Spatial Preview for Apple Vision Pro—that streamline early‑stage design and reduce re‑work. Coupled with the new SketchUp Importer for Revit, Trimble directly addresses the 40 % time drain identified by Dodge Data & Analytics, turning conceptual SketchUp models into fully editable Revit BIM assets with minimal manual intervention. The addition of Trimble Connect Design Hub further consolidates collaboration, making SketchUp 2027 a compelling, end‑to‑end solution for firms seeking faster, more accurate project delivery.