--- title: "How it works · Arkio" description: "Sketch it, share it, step inside: how Arkio's AI agent turns your idea into a 3D design you can walk through." url: https://www.arkio.is/how-it-works/ --- How it works # Three steps you already know. You know how to sketch an idea, share a link and walk into a room. That's all Arkio asks of you. The AI agent does the modeling. [Start designing](https://app.arkio.is) 1. Your site: An empty site in grey 2. Sketch it: A pencil sketch of the house on the site 3. Share it: The model shared with collaborators 4. Step inside: The finished design in colour with people Step 1 · Sketch it ## Start with whatever you have. Drop in a sketch, a photo or a floor plan, or just describe what you want. The agent builds a real 3D model and shows its work as it goes. **Describe it or sketch it.** Words, pencil sketches, photos, plans, room programs and models all work, together or on their own. **Follow the agent.** Watch the model come together live, from any angle, and step in whenever you like. **Refine it by hand.** Select, push, pull and cut with simple tools, including full Boolean modeling. _Illustration: The agent building the courtyard house step by step, with Follow agent switched on_ Step 2 · Share it ## One link. Everyone in the same model. Send a link and your team, your client and your consultants join from their browser. Work on it together live, or leave comments for later. **Live together or in your own time.** Talk in the scene and jump to each other, or pick up the thread from notes later. **You choose who can do what.** Give people view, comment or edit access, and change it at any time. **The agent helps everyone.** Anyone in the model can ask the agent to try something. _Illustration: A shared model with the architect, the client and the agent working in it at the same time_ Step 3 · Step inside ## Walk through it. Render it. Film it. Explore your design at human scale in the browser. Switch on Live render to see the finished look while you work, and turn any view into a render or a film. **Walk mode on web and mobile.** Move through your design at eye level, like you're already there. **Live render and AI renders.** Photoreal, watercolor, pencil and more, always true to the model. **AI video.** Walkthrough films with people in them, straight from your model. **iPad app and VR next.** 3.0 already runs on iPad in the browser. A native iPad app comes next, and a re-imagined VR version soon. _Illustration: Live render of a villa with a pool while the agent edits it_ ![AI render of a timber cabin with people on the deck, made from the model](https://www.arkio.is/_astro/s3-cabin-render.DUaE5m8i_AweUw.webp) ![AI render of the hall of a water treatment plant, with people walking through it](https://www.arkio.is/_astro/s3-water-hall-render.CMv-23AN_O3Cgy.webp) ## And when you're ready for detail, hand it off. **Bring in your models for context:** Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Archicad, Navisworks **Hand off when you're ready for detail:** Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, OBJ, GLB Questions ## Good to know. ### Do I need any 3D experience? No. Describe your idea or sketch it and the agent builds the model. If you want to change something yourself, the tools are simple enough to learn as you go. ### What do I need to run it? A modern web browser on a laptop, tablet or phone. There's nothing to install. ### Can I bring in my existing models? Yes. Bring in models from Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Archicad and Navisworks to design in context. ### Can my client join without installing anything? Yes. Send a link and they can view, comment or edit, depending on the access you give them. ### How accurate are the AI renders? They're made from your 3D model, so the building's size, layout and openings stay the same in every render and film. ### What happens when I need drawings? Hand off the model to Revit, Rhino or SketchUp for detailed design and documentation. ## What will you design first? Describe it in a sentence. The agent takes it from there. Start designing: [open the Arkio web app](https://app.arkio.is/?prompt=A%20garden%20studio%20with%20a%20green%20roof) and describe your idea, for example “A garden studio with a green roof”. The design agent uses AI credits. More ideas to try: A 3-bedroom family house; Open up my kitchen; A primary school for 300 pupils; Massing for a mixed-use block. AI credits required · Runs in your browser · No 3D skills needed ![A finished design in colour among grey neighbours](https://www.arkio.is/_astro/film_4.D103mK7s.svg) --- Arkio: Arkio turns sketches, words and floor plans into real 3D designs with an AI agent. Share a link, then walk through it before anything is built. Start designing at https://app.arkio.is. All pages for AI agents: https://www.arkio.is/llms.txt