{"id":1797,"date":"2026-04-07T14:56:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T14:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/?p=1797"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:04:28","slug":"schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Schematic design in multifamily projects: when decisions\u2013and mistakes\u2013scale"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-biography\">Jesper Staahl is an architect and Senior Technical Marketing Manager at Forma<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Forma Building Design, available in the AEC Collection, Revit standalone license, and Forma for Buildings bundle, helps architects explore more ideas before it&#8217;s time for BIM.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/forma-building-design\/overview\" class=\"\n            MuiButtonBase-root MuiButton-root\n            wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\n            \n            \n            \n            MuiButton-contained\n        \">\n\n        <span class=\"MuiButton-label\">\n            \n            \nLearn more about Forma Building Design\n\n            \n        <\/span>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/forma-for-buildings\/trial-intake\" class=\"\n            MuiButtonBase-root MuiButton-root\n            wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\n            \n            \n            \n            MuiButton-contained\n        \">\n\n        <span class=\"MuiButton-label\">\n            \n            \nTry Forma Building Design for free\n\n            \n        <\/span>\n    <\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sun conditions greatly determine the programming, quality of interior spaces and value of the units. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Decisions made during schematic design&nbsp;last a building\u2019s lifetime.&nbsp;Long before&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;time for&nbsp;construction documents, material selections, detailed engineering \u2014 the fundamental&nbsp;choices&nbsp;made here define massing, spatial organization, building orientation, unit layout, and core placement.&nbsp;They\u2019re&nbsp;especially&nbsp;critical&nbsp;in multifamily projects because they&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;just&nbsp;affect one unit but&nbsp;scale&nbsp;across 50, 100, 200&nbsp;or more units.&nbsp;To&nbsp;get&nbsp;these&nbsp;decisions&nbsp;right&nbsp;requires rigorous exploration&nbsp;during schematic design&nbsp;to&nbsp;ask questions,&nbsp;test&nbsp;ideas, check performance, and fine tune numbers.&nbsp;For this phase to be effective&nbsp;requires time, flexible&nbsp;tools, and an efficient&nbsp;workflow that enhances iteration rather than penalises it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schematic design: a balancing act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As architects, we&nbsp;need to consider multiple factors in parallel during schematic design&nbsp;to shape&nbsp;design&nbsp;options&nbsp;to meet&nbsp;the&nbsp;client\u2019s brief,&nbsp;testing:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Massing:<\/strong>&nbsp;Testing building form, height, and footprint against zoning envelopes&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Spatial organization:<\/strong>&nbsp;Establishing&nbsp;circulation, core locations, unit types, and adjacencies&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Site response:&nbsp;<\/strong>Evaluating orientation, daylight access, solar exposure, and context&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Performance framing:<\/strong>&nbsp;Setting the baseline for energy efficiency, carbon targets, and environmental standards&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Yield analysis:&nbsp;<\/strong>Confirming unit counts, efficiency ratios, and financial viability&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Making tradeoffs is a challenge with so many interconnected factors: how do you weigh up the pros and cons of each&nbsp;design&nbsp;option?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><em>How does limited daylight&nbsp;impact&nbsp;the programming of interior spaces on problematic facades?&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When decisions \u2013 and mistakes \u2013 scale<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For example,&nbsp;every square foot of inefficiency at the&nbsp;schematic design stage compounds across the project\u2019s entire unit count, amplified by the repeated&nbsp;geometry of multifamily residential&nbsp;layouts. A core layout that adds four feet of dead corridor on each floor adds hundreds of square feet of non-leasable area by the time it reaches the&nbsp;20th&nbsp;floor.&nbsp;A facade configuration&nbsp;that reduces solar gain by 15% improves the energy efficiency&nbsp;of every unit&nbsp;with that orientation. A unit mix established&nbsp;in schematic design shapes leasing strategy, financing assumptions, and long-term asset performance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-5-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-5-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-5-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-5-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-5-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-5.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Tiny&nbsp;adjustments to default corridor and core layouts&nbsp;impact&nbsp;the&nbsp;sellable&nbsp;area of each floor plate by small margins, for example,&nbsp;2m2 at the lift core in this example.&nbsp;For&nbsp;an entire building with 6 residential&nbsp;floors and 16 cores,&nbsp;that\u2019s&nbsp;a total of&nbsp;192m2;&nbsp;in&nbsp;this&nbsp;project in Berlin would amount to \u20ac934,000 in&nbsp;sellable&nbsp;area (at \u20ac5,771\/m2 average pricing).&nbsp;Every little shift like this quickly adds up to&nbsp;improve&nbsp;project&nbsp;viability&nbsp;for your clients.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The&nbsp;<\/strong>r<strong>eal&nbsp;<\/strong>c<strong>ost&nbsp;of&nbsp;<\/strong>l<strong>imited&nbsp;<\/strong>i<strong>teration<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The constraint in most schematic design workflows&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;skill or intent. It\u2019s&nbsp;time.&nbsp;Each design&nbsp;option&nbsp;needs to be modelled from scratch, its own daylight study, its own yield calculation. A team that sets out to explore ten schemes may realistically evaluate three before&nbsp;looming deadlines demand&nbsp;a&nbsp;direction.&nbsp;Committing too early might risk narrowing design exploration prematurely.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>This&nbsp;potentially&nbsp;creates a&nbsp;subtler&nbsp;problem:&nbsp;sunk cost&nbsp;fallacy.&nbsp;When effort has been invested&nbsp;in a&nbsp;design scheme,&nbsp;it becomes harder to set it aside \u2014 even when&nbsp;performance analysis&nbsp;suggests a better&nbsp;option.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-2-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-2-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-2-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-2-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-2-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-2-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Sun&nbsp;hour analysis on a north facade&nbsp;on&nbsp;1&nbsp;May&nbsp;in Berlin. Perfect for&nbsp;rooms&nbsp;that require less daylight and cooler temperatures.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider a&nbsp;common scenario: an urban infill project targeting 180 units within a tight zoning&nbsp;envelope.&nbsp;A double-loaded corridor scheme and a courtyard alternative both need to be&nbsp;tested.&nbsp;Each requires separate modeling. Daylight studies take time to commission and return. Unit yield calculations need&nbsp;updating&nbsp;after every&nbsp;design&nbsp;change. Weeks pass before the two options can be meaningfully&nbsp;compared \u2014 by which point the team may already have a&nbsp;picked&nbsp;a&nbsp;preference&nbsp;to&nbsp;keep&nbsp;pace&nbsp;with&nbsp;the project schedule.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What better design exploration changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The evolution happening in schematic design architecture focuses precisely&nbsp;on&nbsp;this point:&nbsp;where&nbsp;massing is still fluid and options are still open. It&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;about replacing BIM or restructuring how architects work. Revit&nbsp;remains&nbsp;the right environment for detailed modelling. The question is what happens before geometry&nbsp;is locked in.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Tools like&nbsp;Forma Building Design&nbsp;are designed to&nbsp;enable more design exploration&nbsp;at the earliest stage of design thinking. Architects can quickly shape different options without overcommitting time to complex modeling.&nbsp;By&nbsp;integrating normally&nbsp;separate and complex analysis&nbsp;\u2013such as&nbsp;daylight&nbsp;potential, sun hours, total carbon&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;in&nbsp;the design environment,&nbsp;it&nbsp;allows architects to test performance&nbsp;in parallel with design rather than sequentially afterwards.&nbsp;By front-loading analysis, it makes uncertainty visible while there\u2019s still room to respond to it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>For a multifamily project, this means&nbsp;for example:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Testing how&nbsp;incremental&nbsp;five-foot adjustments&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;courtyard width affect daylight&nbsp;access&nbsp;across stacked units \u2014&nbsp;at what point does a courtyard become just a lightwell?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Comparing corridor configurations&nbsp;to&nbsp;optimize&nbsp;circulation&nbsp;space&nbsp;and compliance&nbsp;for&nbsp;egress.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identifying&nbsp;the&nbsp;facade design&nbsp;that best balances passive solar gain with views and privacy.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When performance feedback is immediate, the cost of testing an idea drops&nbsp;dramatically. Teams&nbsp;can take more time to&nbsp;explore more options. Trade-offs become visible rather than theoretical. And the final scheme \u2014 whichever direction it takes \u2014 is grounded in evidence&nbsp;that supports initial intuition.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The case for deeper design exploration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Schematic design has always been where the most important decisions are made.&nbsp;What\u2019s&nbsp;changing is the capacity to test those decisions rigorously before&nbsp;committing&nbsp;them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For multifamily residential \u2014 where unit efficiency, daylight quality, energy performance, and financial viability all&nbsp;meet&nbsp;in the earliest design&nbsp;decisions&nbsp;\u2014 that&nbsp;capacity&nbsp;for exploration&nbsp;matters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tools that reduce the friction around&nbsp;design&nbsp;iteration&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;change what architects are trying to do. They give architects more&nbsp;time and&nbsp;room to do it well.<br><br>Curious to try Forma Building Design? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/campaigns\/forma-building-design\">Register for the closed beta here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"is-style-faq-accordion\">\n        <details id='faq-question-1773917310787' class='details'>\n        <summary>\n            <span class=\"details__summary\">\n                <span class=\"details__summary-text\">\n                    What is schematic design?\n                <\/span>\n                <svg class=\"details__caret\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" hidden>\n                    <path stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" d=\"m18 9.5-6 6-6-6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"details__content\">\n            <div class='is-style-faq-accordion__body'>\n            Schematic design (SD) is the first formal design phase in the architectural process, following pre-design and programming and preceding design development.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0where the architectural concept takes physical form \u2014 defining how a building sits on its site, how spaces are organized, and how the project begins to respond to its constraints and goals.\u00a0\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>    <details id='faq-question-1773917383174' class='details'>\n        <summary>\n            <span class=\"details__summary\">\n                <span class=\"details__summary-text\">\n                    What is Forma Building Design?\n                <\/span>\n                <svg class=\"details__caret\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" hidden>\n                    <path stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" d=\"m18 9.5-6 6-6-6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"details__content\">\n            <div class='is-style-faq-accordion__body'>\n            Forma Building Design is a design and analysis software for the schematic design phase. Architects and designers use Forma Building Design to\u00a0explore more ideas before\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0time for\u00a0BIM. They can quickly shape options, test performance, and move designs directly into Revit.\u00a0Forma Building Design complements Forma Site Design. \n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>    <details id='faq-question-1775563066930' class='details'>\n        <summary>\n            <span class=\"details__summary\">\n                <span class=\"details__summary-text\">\n                    When should I use Forma Building Design vs Revit?\n                <\/span>\n                <svg class=\"details__caret\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" hidden>\n                    <path stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" d=\"m18 9.5-6 6-6-6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"details__content\">\n            <div class='is-style-faq-accordion__body'>\n            Forma Building Design and Revit are <strong>complementary<\/strong>. Use Forma Building Design at early stage of the process \u2014 to explore ideas, test performance, and validate direction during schematic design. Then, move designs directly into Revit as geolocated, native Revit models for detailed design development and documentation.\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>    <details id='faq-question-1775563084541' class='details'>\n        <summary>\n            <span class=\"details__summary\">\n                <span class=\"details__summary-text\">\n                    What performance analysis can I run in Forma Building Design?\n                <\/span>\n                <svg class=\"details__caret\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" hidden>\n                    <path stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" d=\"m18 9.5-6 6-6-6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"details__content\">\n            <div class='is-style-faq-accordion__body'>\n            Forma Building Design includes <strong>integrated analysis<\/strong> so you can test performance while you design, including <strong>sun hours<\/strong>, <strong>daylight potential<\/strong> for facades and windows, and <strong>total carbon<\/strong>.\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>    <details id='faq-question-1775563133576' class='details'>\n        <summary>\n            <span class=\"details__summary\">\n                <span class=\"details__summary-text\">\n                    What is the pricing and availability of Forma Building Design?\n                <\/span>\n                <svg class=\"details__caret\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" hidden>\n                    <path stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" d=\"m18 9.5-6 6-6-6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"details__content\">\n            <div class='is-style-faq-accordion__body'>\n            <a>Forma <\/a>Building Design is available through the Architecture, Engineering &amp; Construction (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/collections\/architecture-engineering-construction\/overview\">AEC) Collection<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/revit\/overview\">Revit subscriptions<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/forma-for-buildings\/overview\">Forma for Buildings<\/a> bundle.\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>    <details id='faq-question-1775563152524' class='details'>\n        <summary>\n            <span class=\"details__summary\">\n                <span class=\"details__summary-text\">\n                    How do I log into Forma Building Design?\n                <\/span>\n                <svg class=\"details__caret\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" hidden>\n                    <path stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" d=\"m18 9.5-6 6-6-6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"details__content\">\n            <div class='is-style-faq-accordion__body'>\n            If you have an active AEC Collection, Revit, or Forma for Buildings subscription, you can log into Forma Building Design with your Autodesk account.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/app.autodeskforma.com\/?utm_source=adskwebsite&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=BuildingDesignBlog\">Log in to Forma Building Design here<\/a>. Not a subscriber? You may be eligible for a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/forma-for-buildings\/free-trial\">free trial<\/a>. Are you a student or educator?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/education\/edu-software\/overview?sorting=featured&amp;filters=individual\">Get free software for students and educators<\/a> here.\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Decisions made during schematic design&nbsp;last a building\u2019s lifetime.&nbsp;Long before&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;time for&nbsp;construction documents, material selections, detailed engineering \u2014 the fundamental&nbsp;choices&nbsp;made here define massing, spatial organization, building orientation, unit layout, and core placement.&nbsp;They\u2019re&nbsp;especially&nbsp;critical&nbsp;in multifamily projects because they&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;just&nbsp;affect one unit but&nbsp;scale&nbsp;across 50, 100, 200&nbsp;or more units.&nbsp;To&nbsp;get&nbsp;these&nbsp;decisions&nbsp;right&nbsp;requires rigorous exploration&nbsp;during schematic design&nbsp;to&nbsp;ask questions,&nbsp;test&nbsp;ideas, check performance, and fine tune numbers.&nbsp;For this phase [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70570,"featured_media":1798,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[15,54,71,73,72],"coauthors":[18],"class_list":["post-1797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-insights","tag-autodesk-forma","tag-environmental-analysis","tag-forma-building-design","tag-multifamily","tag-schematic-design","dhig-theme--light"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Schematic design in multifamily projects: when decisions\u2013and mistakes\u2013scale | Autodesk Forma<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn 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Are you a student or educator?\u00a0<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.autodesk.com\\\/education\\\/edu-software\\\/overview?sorting=featured&amp;filters=individual\\\">Get free software for students and educators<\\\/a> here.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Schematic design in multifamily projects: when decisions\u2013and mistakes\u2013scale | Autodesk Forma","description":"Learn how Forma Building Design helps architects explore more options during schematic design so mistakes don't scale.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Schematic design in multifamily projects: when decisions\u2013and mistakes\u2013scale | Autodesk Forma","og_description":"Learn how Forma Building Design helps architects explore more options during schematic design so mistakes don't scale.","og_url":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/","og_site_name":"Autodesk Forma","article_published_time":"2026-04-07T14:56:32+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-07T15:04:28+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jesper Staahl","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jesper Staahl","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/"},"author":{"name":"Jesper Staahl","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/#\/schema\/person\/6f7b4ad5b7a174a8d6d9ee48e7e7ee6a"},"headline":"Schematic design in multifamily projects: when decisions\u2013and mistakes\u2013scale","datePublished":"2026-04-07T14:56:32+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-07T15:04:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/"},"wordCount":1490,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/schematic-design-in-multifamily-projects\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/163\/Forma-BD-Schematic-design-case-in-Berlin-3.jpg","keywords":["autodesk forma","environmental analysis","Forma Building Design","multifamily","Schematic design"],"articleSection":["Industry &amp; 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Are you a student or educator?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/education\/edu-software\/overview?sorting=featured&amp;filters=individual\">Get free software for students and educators<\/a> here.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70570"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1797"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}