Resources
Oct 2024
Free FBX models for designers and visualisers — and why the format still matters in 2026
The FBX format has aged into the quiet workhorse of 3D exchange. Autodesk's lock on Maya and 3ds Max gave it ubiquity; ArchiCAD, Blender, Unreal Engine, Twinmotion, and Vision Pro authoring tools all consume it cleanly. For building designers preparing client visualisations, FBX remains the easiest way to move a discrete prop or fitting between authoring environments without losing materials or pivot data.
To kick off a small resource library, we've published a free download of the Paul Agnew Designs Siena 750 wood fireplace — a high-quality FBX with PBR materials, ready to drop into ArchiCAD, Twinmotion, or Unreal.
↓ Download Siena 750 FBX (580 KB)
FBX vs IFC vs glTF — when to use which
FBX — best for individual props, furniture, fittings. Good material support, well-handled by visualisation tools. Not designed for whole-building geometry.
IFC — the open BIM exchange format. Use this for whole-building handover to consultants, certifiers, builders. Heavy, with strict schema.
glTF / GLB — increasingly the format for AR/VR/web delivery, including Apple Vision Pro. Lightweight, web-ready. Expect it to displace FBX for client-facing visualisation over the next five years.
How to use the Siena 750
The file is provided under a non-commercial use licence — fine for client visualisations of a project that includes a Paul Agnew Designs unit; not for redistribution. Drag into your scene at world origin, materials should auto-populate. Real-world scale; metric units; 750 mm wide as the name suggests.
More models will follow. If you'd like to see a specific fitting in the library, get in touch.
By Ashton Genrich — Building Design — Open, QBCC 15387939