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Design freely. Visualize instantly.
Lumion View is a real-time rendering plugin that runs directly inside SketchUp. View every model in realistic detail, live as you work. Instant visual feedback. Intuitive controls. No breaking your flow. Architects who want quick iterations and renders without the full creative toolkit of Lumion Pro can use it to explore, refine, and share early ideas as they design. This lightweight design companion makes visualization a natural part of the creative process rather than a separate step.
Until now, this workflow was Windows-only. 4D Pipeline helped bring it to Mac.
The Challenge
Lumion/Act-3D wanted to reach the Mac architecture market with Lumion View. But this wasn't a simple port. The existing Windows implementation relied on proprietary technology that couldn't run on macOS. Bringing Lumion View to Mac meant rebuilding core rendering and synchronization systems from the ground up while maintaining full feature parity and the real-time performance users expect.
The technical scope was significant: migrate the rendering pipeline to a cross-platform architecture, build a shared memory system for real-time communication between SketchUp and Lumion View, and ensure sub-second sync times even for complex architectural models.
“Mac architects have been asking for Lumion solutions for some time, but we needed to find a partner that could help us execute our vision for View and bring it to the Mac architecture market faster than we could have on our own. Throughout all interactions, 4D Pipeline demonstrated their ability to handle complex cross-platform challenges. Their deep understanding of 3D engines and 3D DCCs was very valuable and allowed us to focus on what we do best. The collaboration delivered exactly what our Mac users have been asking for."
- David Weir-McCall, Head of Product | Lumion (Act-3D)What Made This Project Unique
This was a complete platform migration, not just a port. 4D Pipeline rebuilt the rendering engine on cross-platform technology while preserving the instant feedback that makes Lumion View valuable. The shared memory architecture enables real-time sync between SketchUp and Lumion View, so camera movements, geometry changes, and material assignments update instantly.
One notable challenge: SketchUp has no native lighting system. 4D Pipeline built a complete custom lighting solution where architects place visual gizmos in SketchUp that render as fully functional lights in Lumion View. Point, spot, area, and directional lights with real-time updates for color, intensity, and position, plus a sky light and cloud system for natural lighting exploration and time of day studies.
The material system required a version-aware approach, adapting to different SketchUp releases and their advancements in PBR material models while maintaining consistent output quality. Advanced PBR capabilities give architects professional material options regardless of which SketchUp version they're running. The solution also includes a Conceptual mode where materials get replaced with simple, abstract versions to generate a clay-style view with outline rendering, all while maintaining lighting and shadows for design validation.
What We Delivered
- Full cross-platform migration with feature parity
- Real-time SketchUp sync (sub-second for typical models, under one minute for large projects)
- Native, tightly integrated SketchUp user experience
- Version-aware PBR material system
- Conceptual rendering mode for clay-style design validation
- Integration with Lumion's user and license management system
- Image render feature for final high-quality output
- Complete Lumion View UI design and implementation
- Custom SketchUp toolbar and interface extensions
- Large model optimization and performance tuning
The Result
Mac architects now have the same real-time visualization workflow as Windows users. Design decisions that used to require render-and-wait cycles now happen instantly. Architects can explore ideas, test materials, adjust lighting, and validate designs in real-time without leaving SketchUp. The feedback loop that slows down early-stage design is gone.
"We're very proud of the collaboration with 4D Pipeline and of the speed we were able to bring Lumion View to the Mac market.
Their deep knowledge of 3D engines and DCC applications, combined with technical expertise and a clear understanding of what architects need from visualization tools, delivered full feature parity, real-time performance, and a smooth collaboration throughout. This is only the first step in Lumion's Mac journey."
- David Weir-McCall, Head of Product | Lumion (Act-3D)
Lumion View for Mac is live on the SketchUp Extension Warehouse with a 14-day free trial. With Lumion View also available for other modeling software, the SketchUp integration served as an important first step toward supporting Mac users. Future updates aim to expand Mac compatibility to additional platforms.
Try Lumion View for SketchUp →
How 4D Pipeline Can Help
This project demonstrates our expertise in cross-platform development, rendering engine migrations, and CAD integrations. We help software companies expand to new platforms while maintaining the performance and quality their users expect.
Whether you're looking to bring your product to a new platform, modernize legacy rendering technology, or build real-time integrations with design tools, we bring hands-on expertise that translates into shipped products.
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