Challenge
SEG architects is a Berlin practice specializing in large public sector projects such as schools, hospitals and airports, with growing sustainability demands, public engagement and stakeholders.
Most architectural software is centered on 3D modeling, which can be overwhelming and filled with noise. In 2023, the team began exploring new tools to work more efficiently.
Solution
Rayon took the team back to the fundamentals of 2D drawing. Early plans became clear and easy to read, making it simpler to share ideas with clients and keep every stakeholder aligned.
“We rediscovered the power of a clear, beautiful 2D plan using Rayon. That clarity is invaluable, especially in early-stage design. It helps us focus on what matters, and makes it easier to communicate those ideas.” Philipp Eichstädt, founder of se.g architects.
Turning complexity into clarity
Public sector projects rarely have a single decision-maker. Municipalities, institutional clients and user groups all have a say, so a large part of the process is turning a technical brief into a design everyone can follow.
That translation is crucial for getting buy-in early. It is not just about delivering a building, but about showing stakeholders how their requirements are reflected in the design. A clear plan keeps everyone aligned.
Designing from the inside out
The team starts with the functional and spatial requirements, finding the right sequence of rooms, and then shapes the building around that logic. This matters most in public buildings like schools, hospitals and airports.
Once stakeholders can recognize their needs in a drawing or model, they feel part of the process. That early understanding prevents surprises later and makes the rest of the design and construction smoother.
Keeping a forest standing
On one project, the brief assumed a beautiful forest belt would have to be cleared to make room for a large facility. The team challenged that assumption.
By reworking the program into a more compact design, they met all of the client’s functional needs without destroying the forest. The building now sits within the trees, almost hidden, and is only revealed as you move through the landscape. The solution preserved nature and reduced the building’s footprint, material use and long-term energy needs.
A plan people understand at a glance
With Rayon, the team can put a visually clear plan on the table, one that keeps the focus on space, function and flow. Clients and collaborators can get lost in complexity. A clear 2D plan lets people say “I get it.”
That moment of understanding builds trust and alignment from the very beginning of a project.
Where architectural tools are heading
Philipp sees the industry at a turning point. BIM has made it possible to embed vast amounts of data into designs, but often at the expense of clarity. In his view, the future lies in intelligent tools that extract the essential information from a rich data model and show each stakeholder only what they need to see.
He describes Rayon as a step in that direction: lightweight, intuitive and focused on communication rather than just production. He also sees a new generation of tools, born in the cloud era instead of built on legacy software from the 1990s, making architectural design more accessible, more efficient and ultimately more impactful.
