At the media/press day at Autodesk University 2012, held this year in Las Vegas, AEC Conceptual Design Manager Matt Jezyk provide a preview of Autodesk FormIt, a freely downloadable app designed to bridge the gap between mobile computing and building information modeling (BIM) and design.

FormIt is a 3D solid modeling app that enables a tablet form factor like the iPad to support designers who want to work more freely in a mobile environment, both connected and disconnected.

The goal behind FormIt, according to Autodesk, was to give designers who sketch in 2D a pathway to see their designs in 3D. Some of the key product features are the ability to capture information about the project, add contextual features like gross area and location. Users can also share sketches using ADSK 360, a cloud environment.

The app can connect to Apple Map services as well as Google Earth. Users might start in Apple Maps and sketch a model so that it is first georeference and then store the model in a library.

Using on a tablet, users can use a stylus or hand gestures. And how does it compare to Trimble's (formerly Google's) SketchUp? FormIt is designed to take conceptual design farther by adding more and more information about the BIM model. FormIt can read Revit (.rvt) files natively and work in the Autodesk Vasari environment as well for more advanced modeling.

Watch the video below for a brief preview of FormIt's capabilities.

Editor's Note: Autodesk partially funded travel to Autodesk University 2012.