ArchiCAD
Raya adds an AI rendering panel right inside ArchiCAD. Capture your current view, describe the look you want, and get client-ready visualizations back in under a minute.
How does the Raya AI visualization plugin for ArchiCAD work?
Raya for ArchiCAD is a free AI rendering plugin that turns your ArchiCAD views into photorealistic visualizations in under a minute. Instead of exporting files or switching to a separate render engine, you send the current ArchiCAD view straight to Raya from a panel docked inside ArchiCAD, describe the scene in plain words, and get high-quality images back - with materials, lighting and surroundings handled by AI. It works with ArchiCAD 26+ on Windows / macOS, uses your free Raya account, and shares the same credits as the Raya web app and every other Raya plugin. Ideal for architects, interior and product designers who need fast concept visuals and client-ready renders directly from ArchiCAD.
Photorealistic AI visualizations in ArchiCAD - examples of the Raya plugin in use
AI rendering in ArchiCAD without complex setup
A photorealistic visualization in ArchiCAD usually means working in CineRender: choosing materials, setting up lights and waiting for the image to compute, which on a larger scene drags on for a quarter of an hour or more. Raya works differently: this render plugin for ArchiCAD captures the active view and turns it into a finished visualization in under a minute. You tune no scene settings and need no expensive computer, because the AI render happens in the cloud. In the panel you pick the type of lighting and click Generate. If you want to steer the result, you upload a reference photo with the material or detail that should appear, separately decide about a person or a pet, and add your own comment.
What you can do?
Generate visualizations
Capture the current ArchiCAD view and generate photorealistic visualizations without exporting files or leaving the program.
Edit precisely
Select part of the visualization and describe the change - Raya updates only the chosen area and keeps the rest of the frame.
Create AI video
Turn a finished visualization into a short animation or camera fly-through - video ready to present.
Why use Raya in ArchiCAD?
A visualization straight from the model
You can create ArchiCAD visualizations without exporting to another program. The view on your screen comes back as a finished image.
Variants without rebuilding the scene
You can view the same shot in sunshine, under a cloudy sky, at golden hour, at dawn and at night, plus in several material versions. Your CineRender settings stay untouched, so you do not disturb the scene you have prepared for final renders.
Photorealism without configuring CineRender
You do not set up lights, materials or render quality. The image is built from your current view in ArchiCAD, and you pick 2K or 4K with one click.
Faster visualizations in ArchiCAD for architects and designers
A render plugin for ArchiCAD pays off wherever the design moves faster than the visualization and the image is needed right away.
Architects
From a concept model you get a visualization of the building in context and see how it behaves in different light. Instead of describing the idea to an investor in words, you show an image and both of you know straight away whether the direction is right.
Interior designers
You show interiors in several colour variants before the detailed design exists. From one model you also prepare a moodboard and home staging for an empty room, so the client gets a complete set of materials from one source.
Design studios
Visualizations are made in house by the team running the project, with no outsourced rendering and no waiting for a free slot. A shorter revision loop means the client's comments go back into the design rather than into another invoice.
Investor meetings
For an investor meeting you can prepare several views of the same building and several finish versions, without booking a night for rendering. If an idea for a change comes up during the conversation, you can try it on the spot.
Video from an AI visualization in ArchiCAD
You animate an ArchiCAD visualization without leaving the plugin panel. You pick the length, resolution and proportions, then a ready preset or your own description of the motion, such as light shifting from dawn to night. The film costs from 5 credits, so you can make several versions of one shot and keep the best. The material goes on the studio website or into a project presentation.
See how video generation works →Requirements
- Software
- ArchiCAD 26+
- Operating system
- Windows / macOS
- Account
- Raya
- Price
- Free
How to install
- 1Download the Raya for ArchiCAD installer from this page.
- 2Close ArchiCAD, run the installer and follow the steps.
- 3Open ArchiCAD and open the Raya panel from the menu.
- 4Sign in with your Raya account and start generating.
Generate, don't render!
Download the plugin and start generating with your Raya account.
Download the Raya pluginFrequently asked questions
Is the Raya plugin for ArchiCAD free?
Yes. The plugin is free to download and install. You use it with a free Raya account and it runs on Raya credits - new accounts start with free credits, and you can top up later.
Which ArchiCAD versions are supported?
Raya works with ArchiCAD 26+ on Windows / macOS.
Do I need an account and internet connection?
Yes. Raya renders in the cloud, so you need an internet connection and a Raya account. Sign in with the same account you use on raya.design.
Does Raya change my ArchiCAD model?
No. Raya only captures your current view as an image to render from - it never modifies your ArchiCAD model or project files.
Does Raya replace CineRender and traditional rendering in ArchiCAD?
It depends on the project. Raya builds the image from your model view, so it does not give you the control over every detail that CineRender or V-Ray does, and it does not guarantee pixel-level repeatability. It works well for concepts, variants and client presentations, where time matters. A final client visualization is made in it just like a concept, so it often replaces CineRender. Leave a classic engine for cases where a designed detail or a specific catalogue material has to be reproduced faithfully.
Do I need an additional renderer to use Raya?
No. The plugin needs no render engine and no powerful computer, because generation happens in the Raya cloud. You need ArchiCAD 26 or newer, an internet connection and a Raya account.
Is Raya suitable for photorealistic interior visualizations in ArchiCAD?
Yes, that is its main use. You get the best results from a clear view with basic materials applied, because the AI then has the shapes and textures laid out for it. You can generate in 2K or 4K, and fix individual elements later in the editor by selecting an area on the image.
Is Raya a rendering plugin for ArchiCAD or a separate program?
Raya installs in ArchiCAD like any other rendering plugin, but the image is computed in the cloud. You need no separate render program for ArchiCAD and no powerful graphics card: the plugin sends the model view and the finished visualization comes back in the panel.
Does the ArchiCAD plugin work on a Mac?
No. The ArchiCAD plugin runs on Windows 10 and 11. On a Mac you can use Raya in the browser: you upload a capture of the model view and generate the visualization the same way.
Are my views and visualizations used to train AI?
No. The view captured from ArchiCAD, your description and the finished visualization are not used to train or fine-tune models, neither ours nor our providers'.
Can I use visualizations from the plugin commercially?
Yes. You hold commercial rights to the generated images whether you are on free credits or a paid plan. You can use them in projects run in ArchiCAD, in offers and in marketing materials.
What happens if a generation fails?
If a visualization fails for a technical reason, the credits return to your account automatically. You do not have to ask for them or recover them by hand.
