Master the full potential of the Enscape Asset Library to streamline your design and visualization workflow. This guide explores how to navigate thousands of render-ready 3D models via the Chaos Cosmos browser, from initializing the library within your CAD environment to implementing advanced placement and organization techniques for a faster, more intuitive way of working.
Key takeaways:
- The Asset Library is a bridge between your CAD environment and the Enscape renderer. Learn to toggle the library using CAD toolbars for precise modeling or use shortcuts for fast adjustments.
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The transition to Chaos Cosmos as the asset delivery platform gives you a unified browser to access thousands of render-ready 3D models, allowing for a more unified search experience.
- Firms can maintain their unique visual identity by importing their own models via the Custom Asset Library, ensuring bespoke design elements are represented accurately in every render.
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The AI Material Generator represents a shift towards smart automation. Combined with the Material Library, the surfaces of your project will match the high fidelity of the assets.
Table of contents:
- Placing Assets in your project
- Dynamic Asset Placement
- Simplified Assets
- Animated Assets
- Final thoughts
- FAQs
Find out how to get the most out of the Enscape Asset Library, which gives you access to thousands of render-ready 3D models via the Chaos Cosmos browser. Learn how to open the library from your CAD or Enscape interface, place assets with ease, and organize your favorites for faster access.
It also shows you how to customize your assets, and generate materials using our AI Material Generator. It also covers the Enscape Custom Asset Library, which you can use to add and manage your own models.
Adding 3D assets to your project is a great way to add context and bring your scenes to life; it can make all the difference during a presentation. In this article, we take a look at the Enscape Asset Library and provide you with some best practices to help you get the most out of it.
What is the Enscape Asset Library?
Enscape’s real-time rendering tool comes with its very own Asset Library. Thousands of high-quality and ready-to-use assets are available, making it incredibly easy for you to locate, place, and position assets within your projects.
This handy tool saves you time by delivering 3D-ready models of people, vegetation, furniture, accessories, lighting, and much more for your projects in Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks. The Enscape-ready assets can be added to your project in seconds, simplifying your workflow immediately. You no longer have to spend extra time searching for the right tree model or vehicle: they are now right at your fingertips.
Beyond that, our adjustable assets and AI Material Generator allow you more control over the appearance of your project than ever before. There may also be times when you'd like to use a very specific model that's not in the Enscape Asset Library. With our Custom Asset Library, you can import your own models into your projects. We'll discuss all of that later on in this article. To get started, let's start by looking at how you can maximize your use of the Enscape Asset Library.
Note: Please note that the number of assets varies between Solo, Premium, and ArchDesign Collection versions of Enscape and Envision.
How to use the Enscape Asset Library
The Asset Library can be opened either through your modeling software or via the Enscape rendering window. When navigating in Enscape, you can also use a keyboard shortcut to open the Library, by pressing 'L' on your keyboard.
Asset Library icon in the SketchUp toolbar:
Asset Library icon within the Enscape rendering window:
When you open the Asset Library from the CAD toolbar, you can select individual assets and place them directly into your model. You can then move, rotate, and scale them in the Enscape rendering window (rotation is not available in Revit). When you open the Asset Library directly from within the Enscape rendering window, you also have the option to place multiple assets.
From the CAD toolbar, the Asset Library will open in a separate window. At the top of the window, you can switch between the asset selection view, and the Custom Asset Library. When you open the Asset Library inside the Enscape viewer, it opens in a menu on the left side of the window. Along the side of the menu, you will find the additional controls for placing, rotating and resizing assets, along with the button for multi asset placement. You can also switch to the Custom Asset Library by clicking on the tab at the top of the menu.
The main view of the Enscape Asset Library when opening it via your CAD software.
The Enscape Asset Library menu in the Enscape window.
Navigating the Cosmos browser
With the release of Enscape 4.11, the Asset Library now uses Chaos Cosmos as the delivery platform for assets. The content remains unchanged: all of the assets available previously in the Asset Library will also be available in the Chaos Cosmos browser for Enscape.
Note: New asset releases will only be available in the Cosmos browser. No new assets will be added to the Asset Library in older Enscape versions. This limitation is due to internal changes in our asset delivery mechanisms.
In the Cosmos browser, you have several different ways to find the asset that fits perfectly into your scene. The assets are sorted into 8 different categories, which you can access in the accordion menu. If you are looking for a specific theme of assets, you can also browse our curated Collections. Or, if you would like to explore assets from a specific brand or vendor, like Globe Plants or Evermotion, you can now do that as well. Lastly, if you know exactly what you are looking for, you can search for assets via the search bar.
You can also Like your assets, to be able to find them again more easily. To Like an asset, simply hover your mouse over the desired asset and click the heart in the lower right corner. Any favorites will be saved after you close your CAD program. Click the heart again to remove the asset from your Likes. To view all of your liked assets, you can activate the “Liked” filter in any category, or in the main Asset Library menu.
Find all your Liked assets by filtering for them.
TIP: When browsing our vegetation assets, keep an eye on the figure standing next to it. This way you can gauge the relative height and size of the tree before adding it to your project. If the assets are too large or small, you can scale them after placing them.
In the Cosmos browser, you can also get more information about an asset by clicking the magnifying glass button in the asset preview. This view shows you information about which tags the asset has, the file size, and if it comes from a particular vendor or brand. You can also browse some assets that might be related to the one you are viewing.
Placing Assets in your project
There are two different ways to place assets in your project: via your CAD program and via Enscape. You can choose whichever method fits best for your workflow. If you prefer to add assets as you build your model, you can position, rotate and scale them using the familiar controls of your CAD program. Placing the assets directly in Enscape is a great option if you are reviewing your design and looking to put some finishing touches on it.
Placing assets in your CAD program
To place an asset via your CAD program, first decide which assets you would like to add to your design. On the asset thumbnail, or in the asset preview window, click the green Import button. The Asset Library window will automatically minimize, and you can place the asset simply by clicking. To end asset placement, just press the Esc key on your keyboard and the Asset Library window will reappear.
The import button in the Asset Library window when placing assets in your CAD project.
The import button in the Asset Library menu in the Enscape window.
In Revit and Rhino, there are a few additional options when placing an asset directly into your CAD project. In Revit, you can choose from the following options, in addition to the simple placement:
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Place asset on active work plane - the asset is placed on the active Work Plane only. You can set the Work Plane via the Revit -> Architecture -> Work Plane -> Set
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Place asset on surface - select the surface you want to place the asset on first, and then the precise location on that surface.
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Link Revit family to asset - replaces one of the existing families in the project with the current asset.
In Rhino, there are two additional placement options:
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Place asset on surface - select the surface you want to place the asset on first, and then the precise location on that surface.
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Place asset on base plane - places the asset on the base place (Construction or C-Plane).
Additional placement options in Rhino
Placing assets in Enscape
Placing your assets in Enscape is similar to placing it directly in your CAD program. The main difference is that the Asset Library menu stays open on your screen during placement.
In the Enscape window, you also have dynamic and multi asset placement options, which we will cover next.
Dynamic Asset Placement
Once you have placed an asset, you can use our dynamic asset placement options to modify assets in the actual Enscape rendering window. You’ll find the following options:
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Select: allows you to select any asset in the Enscape window
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Translate: used to reposition an asset that has already been placed
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Rotate: allows assets to be rotated around the XYZ axis.
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Scale: allows you to increase or decrease the size of an asset
Another tool available directly in the Enscape window is the multi-asset placement option. With this tool, you can place multiple assets at the same time within Enscape. Imagine you have a large, empty landscape. With the multi-asset placement, you can select the vegetation you'd like to use, then place them all at once in the Enscape rendering window. You no longer need to pick and place every individual asset. This will be a significant time-saver for those users who wish to place multiple assets into their scenes. For more information on how to use multi asset placement, check out our extensive documentation here.
Add many assets at once using one of the many multi-asset placement options.
Adjustable Assets
Has this ever happened to you: you've been looking for a piece of furniture for your scene, and find one that is nearly perfect - except that the color or material just isn’t quite right. We introduced our adjustable assets to address exactly this issue. Adjustable assets offer a variety of customization options and different variants per asset. You can find the assets that have these adjustable options by selecting the Adjustable Asset collection.
The Adjustable Assets collection
If an asset has a variant, you can choose which one to import into your project. Variants allow you to be more flexible in how you place and use the asset. For example, many of our potted plant assets have a variant without the pot, and many of our vegetation assets have an autumnal variant.
Get the specific look you are going for with our asset variant options.
For assets with customization options, first place the asset you want to customize in your project. Then select the asset to edit it. Once the asset is selected, you will see which element you can customize and adjust it as necessary.
Change the materials on our adjustable assets to find the perfect fit.
Creating Assets with the Custom Asset Library
With the Enscape Custom Asset Library, you can import your own assets into the Asset Library. To get started, open up the Asset Library and you'll see the 'Custom Assets' tab at the top of the window. Once selected, you can import a model by clicking on the + button that will appear.
Add your own models to the Library via the Custom Asset Library tab.
The file formats supported are:
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OBJ
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FBX
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GLTF
It is possible to import models from third parties, such as SketchUp 3D Warehouse, but we do recommend that their poly count is no greater than 20,000 to ensure optimal performance. It should also be noted that some models may not be compatible with Enscape. You can also create your own categories for your custom assets to help you better organize and share assets. Please see our Docs article for step-by-step instructions on how to use the Custom Asset Library.
Simplified Assets
Simplified assets are available within the Enscape Asset Library. These assets are ideal for use in early design when you require basic asset placeholders to provide some context but without any complexity or specificity.
The simplified assets are white, low poly assets and include people, buildings, furniture, vegetation, and vehicles.
Animated Assets
As you are browsing through the Asset Library, you might notice a small green icon on some of our assets. This icon shows you at a glance whether or not the asset is animated. Currently a large selection of our tree and vegetation assets are animated. When you are moving in the Enscape window, you will see that the leaves move as if wind is blowing. You can control this effect by adjusting the Wind Settings in the Visual Settings' Atmosphere tab.
Customize how the wind affects our animated vegetation in the Visual Settings.
The Intensity setting adjusts how strongly the animated effect is, and the Direction Angle controls where the wind will appear to be blowing from. Placing our animated assets can help give your project that spark of life to set it apart from the rest.
Enscape Material Library
Once you have found the perfect assets, take a moment to browse our Material Library as well. In the Enscape Material Library, you can also choose from a range of ready-to-use materials for all the surfaces in your project.
A large number of pre-made PBR materials can be imported into the Enscape Material Editor. They can be used as they are, or you can edit them further to create the perfect look for your project.
Find the perfect material in the Enscape Material Library.
For further information on the Enscape Material Library, take a look at our detailed article here.
AI Material Generator
One of our newest features is the AI Material Generator, located within the Enscape Material Editor. You’ll find it at the top of the materials list:
You can use any image to create a custom material in seconds. Simply select and upload your image in the AI Materials interface, or choose from one of our sample images. You can then adjust various settings, including the resolution, and normal and roughness values. You also have the option to make the material tileable for a more realistic look.
Use our AI Material Generator to create custom materials directly in Enscape.
When you are ready, click the Generate button, and the Generator will process the material and show you a preview of the material and the associated maps. If you are happy with the result, you can use the Download button to add the material to the Enscape Material Library. For much more information on the AI Material Generator, head over to our Docs here.
Final thoughts
A stunning Enscape project results from the combination of several different aspects, but the icing on the cake are assets. With just a few clicks, you can transform your project and better communicate your design ideas to your clients and stakeholders.
Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to use the Enscape Asset Library, why not try it out for yourself? Click on the button below and sign up for your free 14-day trial of Enscape's real-time visualization plugin.
FAQs
What's the best way to build an office-wide favorites list for faster asset placement?
The best way to build an office-wide favorites list for faster asset placement is to use the Favorites feature in the Asset Library to mark frequently used assets for quick access. Favoriting commonly placed objects helps speed up asset placement in future projects.
How do I avoid scale issues with people, cars, and Vegetation assets across CAD tools?
To avoid scale issues with people, cars, and vegetation, place assets directly within the scene using the Asset Library tools to maintain consistent sizing. This helps ensure assets appear proportionate within the environment.
What should I check before importing FBX/OBJ/GLTF assets to prevent issues in Enscape?
Before importing FBX/OBJ/GLTF assets to prevent issues, users should ensure the poly count of the asset is no greater than 20,000 to ensure optimal performance. Also important to note is that all models will be compatible with Enscape.
How do I manage custom assets across different offices or shared machines?
Use the Enscape Custom Asset Library to store and organize your assets in one structured location. Using the Categories feature is an effective way to manage custom assets across offices and shared machines, as it helps keep them clearly organized and easy to find within the library.
How can I organize assets by project type (residential, hospitality, workplace) for faster scene building?
Use the browsing and filtering options in the Asset Library to find relevant assets quickly. Marking commonly used items as Favorites further streamlines access when building scenes.