Getting Started

What you need before Lesson 01

1. Download and install Blender 4.2 LTS or newer from blender.org.
2. Lesson 01 walks you through the download and first launch — you can start the course with nothing installed.

The Bonsai add-on is installed during Lesson 04. You do not need it for Lessons 01–03 (Blender fundamentals).

Inkscape (free, open-source vector editor) is used in Lesson 12 for editing drawing sheets. Installation is covered in that lesson.

How the workshop is delivered

This workshop consists of 18 lessons with a total of 131 video topics across 20 hours and 31 minutes of hands-on instruction. Each topic is a focused screen recording that walks through a specific task. You watch, then replicate on your own machine.

Recommended path

New to Blender: Start at Lesson 01 and work through sequentially.

Already know Blender: Skip to Lesson 04 (Getting started with BonsaiBIM). Lessons 01–03 cover Blender fundamentals you likely already have.

For all students: Do not skip Lessons 04–06. Even experienced Blender users need to understand IFC data concepts — elements, types, spatial containers, property sets, quantities — before the authoring and documentation lessons will make sense.

Complete Lesson Outline

Lesson 01 — Blender Basics for Architecture (1h 12m)

1. Introduction to the course and Blender version (4 min)
2. Downloading Blender (12 min)
3. Opening Blender for the first time (8 min)
4. The Blender UI (12 min)
5. Working with Add-ons in Blender (11 min)
6. 3D Navigation for architectural modeling (13 min)
7. Selecting objects (11 min)

Lesson 02 — Managing Objects and Precision Controls (1h 10m)

1. How to create new objects in Blender (15 min)
2. Transformations and numeric input (14 min)
3. Duplicating objects (10 min)
4. Managing transformation snapping (12 min)
5. Object origins and the 3D Cursor (9 min)
6. Using the 3D Cursor snapping (11 min)

Lesson 03 — Mesh Modeling for Architecture (1h 47m)

1. Using work modes in Blender (13 min)
2. Extruding and wall modeling with a Mesh (19 min)
3. Adding volume to the base walls (7 min)
4. Modeling doors and windows with a Mesh (16 min)
5. Working with curved walls and floors (15 min)
6. How to import AutoCAD files to Blender (11 min)
7. Importing SketchUp files to Blender (11 min)
8. Using reference files for 3D modeling (15 min)

Lesson 04 — Getting Started with BonsaiBIM (58 min)

1. How to install BonsaiBIM (10 min)
2. Bonsai UI (13 min)
3. Saving projects in Bonsai (6 min)
4. Understanding the IFC Element and Element Type (6 min)
5. Using the Project Wizard (11 min)
6. Managing Spatial Containers (13 min)

Lesson 05 — Parametric Modeling with Bonsai (2h 6m)

1. Parametric Modeling with Bonsai (14 min)
2. Parametric walls in Bonsai (17 min)
3. Working with curved walls (8 min)
4. Modeling slabs (16 min)
5. Editing parametric types — Thickness (9 min)
6. Custom Wall Types (13 min)
7. Adding doors and windows (8 min)
8. Parametric doors and windows (13 min)
9. Adding and fixing external doors (9 min)
10. Fixing external doors with IFC Edit Mode (6 min)
11. Fixing external windows with arcs (14 min)

Lesson 06 — Working with IFC and BIM in Bonsai (40 min)

1. Working with spatial containers (12 min)
2. Using Attributes and Psets in objects (6 min)
3. How to assign Attributes and PSets to types (5 min)
4. Using Quantity Sets or Qtos (9 min)
5. Working with Aggregates (6 min)

Lesson 07 — Wall Properties, Stairs, and Roofs (1h 4m)

1. Working with layered walls (5 min)
2. Materials and Styles (7 min)
3. Working with wall priorities (6 min)
4. Stairs and railings (20 min)
5. Creating parametric roofs (9 min)
6. Single slope roofs with polylines (9 min)
7. Connecting roofs and walls — Extend (9 min)

Lesson 08 — Furniture, Arrays, and Mirror (47 min)

1. Using IFC furniture (11 min)
2. Fixing IFC furniture (7 min)
3. Working with the IFC Array (6 min)
4. How to use the IFC Mirror (12 min)
5. Creating custom furniture for Bonsai (12 min)

Lesson 09 — Managing Templates and Reusable Files (46 min)

1. How to manage templates in Bonsai (8 min)
2. Editing a custom template for new projects (8 min)
3. Adding walls with multiple layers to the template (4 min)
4. Using windows and doors to the template (11 min)
5. Adding furniture and assets to templates (5 min)
6. Editing hardcoded names in Bonsai code (10 min)

Lesson 10 — Custom Instances and Aggregates (57 min)

1. Creating a base for replication (13 min)
2. Setup aggregates for replication (8 min)
3. Adding new objects to aggregates (9 min)
4. The problem with aggregates and voids (8 min)
5. Adding windows and removing the aggregate (14 min)
6. Using groups to optimize selection (4 min)

Lesson 11 — Creating a Base Project (1h 15m)

1. Preparing the template and adding walls (15 min)
2. Adding reference planes and voids to walls (15 min)
3. Updating wall openings with mesh based voids (6 min)
4. Working with doors and activating 2D views (10 min)
5. Smaller doors and 2D views (8 min)
6. Reference planes for windows (10 min)
7. Adding windows and types (9 min)
8. Slabs and updating the project (2 min)

Lesson 12 — 2D Documentation in Bonsai (57 min)

1. How to create 2D Documentation (16 min)
2. Setup details about views in 2D Documentation (13 min)
3. Using visibility filters for 2D Documentation (5 min)
4. Adding a sheet with multiple views (9 min)
5. Downloading and installing Inkscape (6 min)
6. Editing a sheet with multiple views in Inkscape (7 min)

Lesson 13 — Working with Annotation Tools (1h 39m)

1. Adding new paper sizes to the Sheet panel (12 min)
2. Working with annotations and dimension lines (14 min)
3. The line tool (9 min)
4. Adding and formatting text (11 min)
5. Editing text attributes (9 min)
6. Using architectural symbols with multiple views (9 min)
7. Custom symbols with multiple views (16 min)
8. How the drawing scale affects annotations (6 min)
9. Copying annotations between different drawings (9 min)
10. Managing dimension lines format and settings (4 min)

Lesson 14 — Expanding Annotation Tools (1h 33m)

1. How to use any 2D shape as an annotation in Bonsai (11 min)
2. Using IfcSpaces to mark your layout (12 min)
3. Working with the spaces tag (9 min)
4. Editing symbols in the drawing (5 min)
5. Working with leaders (8 min)
6. Connecting annotation to IFC objects (6 min)
7. Extracting data from IFC objects (16 min)
8. How to create new tags and symbols (15 min)
9. Creating a custom titleblock (12 min)

Lesson 15 — Linetypes and Styles with CSS (1h)

1. Anatomy of a CSS file (9 min)
2. Editing the Default CSS (9 min)
3. Using the browser to edit CSS (12 min)
4. Using predefined patterns or hatches (7 min)
5. Adding new dashed lines (9 min)
6. Selecting objects with metadata (9 min)
7. Automatic patterns from material names (5 min)

Lesson 16 — Sections, Elevations, Roofs, and Footing (1h 30m)

1. Exploring ways to create the footing (11 min)
2. Modeling the footing (14 min)
3. Connecting the footing with the slab (6 min)
4. Adding categories or attributes for selection (9 min)
5. Modeling the roof (10 min)
6. Working with sections (10 min)
7. How to identify sections in the drawings (7 min)
8. Creating elevations (8 min)
9. Working with 3D views from the model (5 min)
10. Modifying labels in the Bonsai source-code (7 min)
11. Updating the location of elevation tags (3 min)

Lesson 17 — Working with Terrains and Grids (30 min)

1. Using the grid tool (9 min)
2. Adding a terrain object (7 min)
3. Working with terrain excavation (7 min)
4. Library with vegetation assets (7 min)

Lesson 18 — Extracting Schedules and Reports (40 min)

1. Preparing for data extraction and schedules (14 min)
2. How to create tables from IfcSpace data (8 min)
3. Saving data extraction reports and patterns (3 min)
4. Creating a door schedule (8 min)
5. Exporting as a spreadsheet (3 min)
6. Adding schedules to a sheet (4 min)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Navigate and model in Blender with precision controls and snapping
• Import AutoCAD (DXF/DWG) and SketchUp files as reference for modeling
• Create parametric BIM elements (walls, slabs, doors, windows, stairs, roofs) using Bonsai
• Assign IFC classes, types, attributes, property sets, and quantity take-offs to model elements
• Organize models with proper spatial containers (site, building, storey)
• Build reusable templates and libraries for consistent workflows across projects
• Work with aggregates for composed floor assemblies
• Generate floor plans, sections, elevations, and 3D views from the BIM model
• Annotate drawings with dimensions, text, symbols, leaders, and intelligent tags that read IFC data
• Control drawing line styles, hatching, and patterns using CSS
• Create custom title blocks and manage drawing sheets
• Model terrain with excavation and place vegetation assets
• Extract schedules and reports from model data and export to spreadsheet

Skill Level

Beginner-friendly. No prior experience with Blender or BIM is required. Lessons 01–03 teach Blender fundamentals from scratch. Experienced Blender users can skip directly to Lesson 04.

Software Requirements

Operating system: Windows, macOS, or Linux.Hardware: Any computer that runs Blender 4.2. No GPU-intensive rendering required.

Files Included

• Video lessons (18 lessons, 131 topics, 20h 31m total)
• Project files at key stages for reference

What This Workshop Is Not

• Not a rendering course. The focus is BIM authoring and documentation. You will set up basic materials and styles, but photorealistic rendering is outside the scope.
• Not BIM management theory. You learn what IFC data is and how to produce it correctly — the practical foundation, not organizational frameworks.
• Not a structural/MEP engineering course. The project is residential architecture. Structural analysis, energy simulation, and MEP coordination are separate disciplines.