What it does
Bonsai Studio adds building-information authoring to Blender using IFC, an open building-model format. It connects geometry with element classes, properties, spatial relationships and documentation. Studio is free and open source; the project currently labels it alpha software.
Install Bonsai through Blender's Preferences > Get Extensions: allow online access, search for Bonsai and choose Install. Studio is free and open source, with Windows, Mac and Linux support. The project still labels it alpha software.
Start with File > New IFC Project > New Metric (m) Project. This creates an IFC4 project and its spatial hierarchy. Add a cube, select it and open Object Information. Choose IfcElement as the product group and IfcColumn as its class, then apply Assign IFC Class.
The cube now represents a column rather than unclassified geometry. Its Spatial Container should show the building storey assigned by the new project. File > Save IFC Project writes the model to disk. Class and location are required parts of this process; a shape's appearance alone does not supply them. IFC can also hold schedules, costs and other information without geometry.
Beyond this starter task, Studio links drawings, schedules and reports to model data and can associate construction tasks or cost items with elements. The wider family includes a separate desktop viewer. Bonsai Web is marked as coming soon.
The Bonsai add-on uses GPL-3.0-or-later. Other IfcOpenShell components use different licences.
Strengths
- Objects carry an IFC class and building location alongside their geometry.
- Native IFC saving keeps the building data in an open format.
- Studio links documentation and construction information to model elements.
Watch out for
- Studio is explicitly labelled alpha software.
- Authoring depends on Blender and the Bonsai add-on.
- The browser application is still marked as coming soon.
Best for
- Learning to turn geometry into classified building elements
- OpenBIM projects that need model data and documentation together
Sources
- Bonsai Studio | Free Authoring, Platforms and Alpha Status (Oct 28, 2026)
- Bonsai | Blender Extensions Installation (Oct 28, 2026)
- Bonsai | Complete Cube, IFC Class, Storey and Save Task (Oct 28, 2026)
- Bonsai | Studio, Desktop Viewer and Forthcoming Web App (Oct 28, 2026)
- IfcOpenShell | Explicit Bonsai Component Licence (Oct 28, 2026)