Archicad

Archicad MCP

Connects Claude, ChatGPT or any MCP client to a running Archicad 29 (30 works too) on macOS and Windows. You ask in plain language; the server does it through Archicad's JSON API and the Tapir add-on.

• Check a model against office standards. YAML rules run against the open model: pass or fail, a score, and the failing elements, highlighted or turned into issues.
• Find, read and change elements. Criteria queries, properties, classifications, GDL and IFC data, favourites, attributes, clash checks.
• Create elements. Walls, slabs, columns, doors and windows, zones, stairs, dimensions and 30-odd more types.
• Everything else. About 500 official and Tapir commands through one gateway.

[!WARNING] Save before reading properties. Archicad 29 can crash on a property read, even of one element, taking unsaved work with it. The server cannot prevent it. Ask the client to run save_project first, and see Known issues.

Install

Claude Desktop: download the bundle for your platform from the latest release and drag it into Settings > Extensions. It carries its own Python, so there is nothing else to install.

To update, ask Claude to update the extension: it downloads the newest release, checks it and opens Claude Desktop's install dialog.

Claude Code (needs uv):

uv tool install archicad-mcp-serverclaude mcp add archicad -- archicad-mcp --mode full

Tapir: most tools need the Tapir add-on in Archicad. Ask the client to install Tapir, or run archicad-mcp install-tapir. It puts the pinned Tapir 1.8.0 into Archicad's Add-Ons folder, checked by sha256, and never replaces an existing one unless told to. Restart Archicad afterwards.

Intel Macs, a hand-written Claude Desktop config, ChatGPT, Codex and all the settings: Install.

Check it works

With Archicad open, ask the client to list Archicad instances. It shows the port, Archicad version, open project and Tapir version, and what to install when something is missing. If the client shows no tools at all, see Check it works.

What you can ask

Every tool in detail, with what it checks and what it needs: Tools.

Safe by default. Changes to elements, data and definitions are a dry run first, showing current and new values. Delete and move also need confirm=true. Elements Archicad would refuse (another view's, a hidden or locked layer, a hotlinked module, not reserved in Teamwork) are skipped with the reason, never unlocked. A commit reads back what it wrote and reports what did not land.

Office rules

Rules are YAML files in a folder you point the server at (the extension's Office rules folder setting, or ARCHICAD_MCP_RULES_DIR):

- id: walls-fire-rating  type: property-required  property: "OFFICE/Fire Rating"  applies_to: { element_type: Wall }  severity: error

Six rule types are built in, and custom checks go in Python beside the YAML. Keep real office standards outside this repository. See Writing rules.

Docs

• Install: every install route, Tapir, configuration
• Tools: every tool, what it checks and what it needs
• Known issues
• Finding elements and reading and writing element data
• Writing rules
• Schedules
• GDL pipeline and scripting
• API dashboard: every reachable command, and which have a tool
• Development: tests, Tapir, bundles, releasing

Privacy

The server runs on your machine and talks only to Archicad on 127.0.0.1. There is no telemetry and no backend. What it reads goes to the MCP client that asked, normally Claude, under that client's privacy terms. See PRIVACY.md.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.