How is AI in Motif Design different to AI in other BIM tools?

Legacy tools were built before cloud collaboration and AI were part of the picture, so those got added on top of a product that wasn't designed for them. Motif Design starts from the other direction: the data model, real-time collaboration, and AI layer were designed together.

How is Motif's AI different from using ChatGPT or Claude alongside my model?

A general AI tool starts over every conversation, so you're re-explaining the project and re-uploading files each time. Motif's agents already live inside the model, with full context of the project and your firm's standards built in, and they're built specifically for architecture rather than general-purpose tasks.

Do I need to learn special commands to use the agents?

No. Describe what you want in plain language, the same way you'd explain it to a colleague. There's no syntax to learn and you don't need to be a prompt engineer to get results.

Which AI models do you use?

We work with leading AI providers and continually evaluate new models to balance quality, speed, and cost for architecture-specific tasks. We aren't locked into a single vendor, so we may use different (or multiple!) models depending on what performs best for a given job. We only work with AI providers who have contractually agreed to never train on your data.

How much does AI cost in Motif? Will I be charged every time I use it?

AI credits are included in your plan based on your number of active users, so there's no separate charge every time you use the agent. If your team needs more, you can add credit packs to your plan. Talk to our sales team to find the right amount for how your team works.

Will the AI change my model without me reviewing it first?

You're always in control. Agents make changes when you ask them to, and every action is logged in the model's version history, so you can see exactly what changed and roll it back if you need to.

Keep an open model.

We know every firm and project operates differently, uses different software, has different needs. Motif adapts to you, not the other way around. It’s time for architecture to open up.

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Putting your project (not our product) at the center.

We don’t need – or want – to be the center of your software universe.
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Instead of demanding all your work move into our platform, Motif connects to where it already lives.

Instead of forcing every firm to work in the same way, Motif is extensible. It’s built to change, so your team can literally create the features you need.

Open, in every direction.

INTEROPERABILITY

Bring in your models.

It doesn’t matter if you start in Motif, or bring in a Revit, Rhino, or IFC file: you’ll get all the same features. Export to IFC or RVT so your work stays usable wherever it goes next (coming soon).

OPEN DATA MODEL

Describe buildings your way, not ours.

Motif’s data model is open and queryable. Use our API and SDK to define your own object types, properties, and behaviors as your firm’s standards evolve (coming soon).

INTEGRATIONS

Connect all the dots.

Share context to and from the other tools you use for projects, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and more. Use AI agents to check your design against the brief, verify it against customer requirements, or send your team an update.

EXTENDABLE PLATFORM

Make it your own.

Save any workflow as a skill and share it across your firm. Use the API and SDK to build your own applications, connectors, and define custom logic.
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Two firms using Motif for six months end up with to different tools, each shaped to how they work.

Leaving should be easy. That’s why you’ll want to stay.

No one will lock you into this software. No closed formats, no one using your data for AI training, no one charging you for seats you barely use. If Motif stops being worth it, you can take your data and go. We think that's the only honest way.

Read your Bill of Rights

Proven in practice.

Motif is working to solve some near-term problems for us in terms of how we work and the efficiencies within our industry, but also opening up new ideas and new opportunities for how we might explore design in the future.

Shane Burger

Chief Design Technology Officer, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Motif came to us asking questions, not bringing solutions – which piqued our interest. That’s someone we can partner with. They’re very focused on the design process. Not trying to change it, but bringing technology to it.

Nick Cameron

Principal, Director of Digital Practice at Perkins&Will

Talking with a group that just wants to help and understand what we’re doing – it’s been a breath of fresh air.

William Carney

Design Technology Leader, Principal at DLR

FAQs

Does Motif Design replace my existing tools?

Motif Design works alongside the tools you're already using: bring in models from Revit, Rhino, and IFC, and pull in context from tools like Slack, Teams, and OneDrive.

Is my project data used to train AI models?

No. Every AI provider we work with is contractually committed to never train on your projects. Your data stays yours, and it's never used to train third-party models.

What tools does Motif Design integrate with?

Motif Design imports live models from Revit, Rhino, and IFC, and connects to the tools your team already relies on for communication and files, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Email, Notion, OneDrive, and SharePoint. Context flows both ways: pull it in from those tools, or have the agents send it back out, instead of it staying stuck in someone else's file.

Do we need to install anything, or get IT involved?

No. Motif runs in the browser, so a principal, a junior designer, and a client can all open the same project and be productive right away.

What makes Motif Design different from other BIM tools?

Motif Design is a modern, browser-based BIM platform designed for how teams work today. Here's what makes it different:

Agent-native: Unlike legacy BIM tools that have bolted AI on top, Motif Design was built with AI at its core from the start. That means agents are able to take action and answer questions across your model, with full context.
Open: Motif Design is connected to the other tools you use, and is built on top of an open and extensible platform that allows you to customize the product based on your needs.
Collaborative: Everyone works in the same file, at the same time. Your team's changes sync in real time on the same model, instead of merging files or waiting on a handoff.

What does Motif mean by "open"?

Most software wants to be the center of your practice: the system everything else has to route through. Motif was built to work alongside the tools you already use instead. In practice, that means no closed formats, no data held hostage, and no walled garden you have to move into.

Can I bring in models from Revit and Rhino?

Yes. You can bring in models from Revit or Rhino, or import IFC files directly. However a model got into Motif, it's treated with the same respect as anything modeled natively. And export to IFC and RVT is coming soon, too.

Can I export my work back out of Motif?

Export to IFC and RVT is coming soon, so your work stays usable wherever it needs to go next.

What happens to my data if I stop using Motif?

You can take it and go. We don't lock your data into a proprietary format – that's part of our Bill of Rights.

Can I customize Motif's data model to match my firm's standards?

Motif's data model is open and queryable rather than fixed. With our API and SDK (coming soon), you'll be able to define your own object types, properties, and behaviors as your firm's standards evolve, instead of adapting your standards to fit ours.

Can I build my own tools or workflows on top of Motif?

Yes. You can save any workflow as a skill and share it across your firm, build custom tools and interfaces for your projects, and extend the platform further through our open API (coming soon). Two firms using Motif for six months tend to end up with two different tools, each shaped to how they actually work.

Design differently with Motif.

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Or learn more about our AI agents and BIM features.