You may have heard we recently welcomed a new member to the Chaos family—EvolveLAB. Known for their flagship AI-powered visualization software, Veras, they create AI software that streamlines visualization, generative design, documentation, and interoperability for architects, engineers, and contractors.
An exciting announcement like this naturally sparks curiosity. To address some of your questions, Petr Mitev, VP of Product, Solutions for Designers; Iavor Trifonov, SVP of Corporate Development; and Roderick Bates, Director of Corporate Development, are here to provide insights.
Enscape rendering enhanced by Veras
What was the reason behind acquiring EvolveLAB?
Iavor: With EvolveLAB, Chaos expands beyond visualization and rendering into BIM workflow automation, AI-driven ideation, and computational design. The addition of EvolveLAB tools in the Chaos portfolio creates a streamlined design-to-visualization workflow, connecting concept ideation, real-time visualization, photorealistic rendering, automated AI design, and documentation–reducing the need for multiple disconnected tools. With this ecosystem, users can apply the right technology at each design stage, solving problems quickly and efficiently.
How will this acquisition benefit existing customers?
Roderick: The acquisition will bring Veras to Chaos users in a smoother workflow, making space for creativity while speeding up the ideation process and final image enhancements with the power of AI. In the future, we will look to integrate Veras and Enscape for even faster iteration cycles and better alignment between design intent and visual output.
Why EvolveLAB and not another company that develops AI software?
Iavor: The EvolveLAB team is made up of licensed architects, which means they bring a ton of expertise in architecture, design, and BIM workflows. They have leveraged this to tailor their tools to the needs of architects in a way that no other generative AI tool maker out there does. Their solutions are built by architects and designers for architects and designers.
Enscape rendering enhanced by Veras
How does EvolveLAB joining align with Chaos' product vision?
Roderick: EvolveLAB reinforces and extends the Chaos vision of a world-class, design-to-visualization workflow across every stage of an architectural project, adding critical AI concept visualization, generative design, and documentation technology to our established real-time and photorealistic rendering solutions, by providing a more frictionless experience in every step.
How do the EvolveLAB tools fit into Chaos' product portfolio?
Petr: The EvolveLAB tools help fill the gaps in Chaos’ portfolio to deliver end-to-end solutions for the entire design workflow. Veras helps close the gap in the earliest stages of the process, namely, ideation and pre-design, a phase where decision-making speed is essential, but design quality cannot be sacrificed as many of the biggest design decisions are locked in during this phase.
Towards the later end of the process, EvolveLAB offers a variety of productivity and automation tools like Helix, Morphis, and Glyph, which accelerate other critical, and time-consuming functions of the design process such as construction documentation. Together with EvolveLAB, we’re taking the next step in solving the most valuable problems for architects and designers throughout the entire building design and delivery process.
Which user base does this acquisition benefit most, and how?
Iavor: The EvolveLAB technology is tailored to the needs of AEC professionals. This makes it particularly suited to the vast portion of our users involved in architectural design and visualization.
How will this acquisition enhance the user experience and address key challenges?
Petr: Architecture is a highly competitive field, and designers have to regularly compete for projects. Unfortunately, this is typically not included in the architects' base fee. An Enscape and Veras workflow allows firms, as well as individual practitioners, to ideate much more quickly, and with a much lower investment—this allows them to bid for more projects, and to do so with much higher quality, immersive presentations.
Which EvolveLAB tools will Chaos users get access to first?
Roderick: Chaos users have access to all the EvolveLAB tools; we aren’t deprecating any of them—it’s an incredibly strong portfolio! As far as the first integration, we see a natural fit between Enscape and Veras.
Enscape rendering enhanced by Veras
Will Veras be available directly inside of Enscape (and other Chaos tools) at some point?
Petr: We’re currently looking into the ideal workflow between various Chaos products and Veras. We know that many of our customers today already use these tools together, and we want to let their feedback guide our future development in order to ensure we solve the right problems for our customers through our integrations.
How will a Veras and Enscape integration result in faster iteration cycles?
Petr: There are a number of exciting benefits in both “directions” of the workflow. Starting to ideate in Veras means that Enscape users will be able to test out a number of different design options or ideas before they “commit” to something in their BIM/CAD model.
In the other direction, starting with Enscape means that Veras will have a much richer canvas for “enhancement,” therefore enabling a much more realistic and immersive output. Combining both workflows results in much faster design decisions, as well as higher quality, more immersive presentations. This ultimately allows designers to design, iterate, and get stakeholder buy-in much more quickly and effectively than ever before.
How does Veras compare to the Chaos AI Enhancer, Chaos' AI enhancement tool?
Petr: We currently offer the Chaos AI Enhancer, which has some of the same functionality as Veras, but focuses exclusively on the enhancement of people and plants. In the long term, we plan to create a centralized source for AI-driven enhancement at Chaos, which takes the best from each of the respective products and technologies and ensures that all Chaos users will have access to the creative freedom it enables, regardless of what product or platform they’re working with.
