Design Options in Revit 2013

GENERATING MULTIPLE DESIGN OPTIONS

The Design Options tool in Revit Architecture provides you with the flexibility of choosing several alternatives for your design. As a designer, you need to come up with multiple design ideas, so that you can select the best option that suits the functional, aesthetical, and economical requirement of your project.

Therefore, you need to develop and evaluate several design options and then execute the best possible design option for your project. The Design Options tool helps you speed up your project by providing you the options to create and develop several alternatives of a single model.

For example, you can use the Design Options tool to develop three options of a Kitchen for a residential layout, featuring different materials and space utilization. In such as case, you can create individual details and documentations like drawings, schedules, cost summaries based on the quantity of materials, and so on for these three design options that you have created for the existing kitchen project.

These drawings and documentations help you select the best option that meets your project requirement.

To use the Design Options tool, first you need to create an option set and then the option in the basic building model. The option set refers to a set of alternatives devised for creating a particular design or subject. For example, if you have three design options for building a kitchen on the first floor of a residential project, then they will form one option set with three different options. You can name the option set as Kitchen_FF and its design options as Island_Kitchen, Closed_L_Shaped Kitchen, and Closed_U_Shaped Kitchen. One of the design options can be made the primary design option in the specifi ed option set. You can have a number of design options in a single design option set. The purpose of using design options is to enable you to develop and study multiple design alternatives for a single model and pick the best one for the final layout. You can delete or archive the rejected design options once you have picked up the right one.

Generating Design Options for a Project

The Design Options tool is used to generate design options for a project. To invoke this tool, choose the Manage tab from the ribbon and then choose Design Options > Design Options; the Design Options dialog box will be displayed. To generate a new design option set, choose

the New button in the Option Set section of the Design Options dialog box; a new option set will be added to the left pane. Next, to add a new option in this option set, choose the New button from the Option section. You can also rename an option set by using the Rename button in the Option Set section. Similarly, you can rename the options for each option set.

After creating the design option sets and options, you can add building components for each option. To do so, select the design option in the Design Options dialog box and then choose the Edit Selected button from the Edit area. Next, choose the Close button to close the Design Options dialog box; any element introduced in the building model will be added to the selected option. You can also cut and paste components from the main model to a design option. After editing the building model and completing the design option, you can again choose the Design Options tool to view the design. The Now Editing text box in the Design Options dialog box displays the name of the option to be edited. The Finish Editing button is used to complete the editing of a design option. After creating multiple design option sets, you can assign the desired option set as the primary option set by selecting it and choosing the Accept Primary button in the Design Options dialog box.

Presenting Design Options

After creating the design options, you can compare and present them to clients. To do so, create multiple copies of the view of a design option, and set the visibility setting for each view. You can use the Visibility/Graphics tool to control the visibility of a design option in each view. Select the view from the Project browser and right-click. Next, choose the Duplicate View option from the shortcut menu; the copy of the view will be created. You may create a number of copies of the view based on the number of design options generated. Use the shortcut menu to rename each view based on the design option it represents.

Next, choose the Manage tab and then use the Active Design Option drop-down list in the Design Options panel to select a desired design option. After selecting the desired option from the Active Design Option drop-down list, the design option will be displayed in the view. This process needs to be repeated for each view in which you want to show a different option. You can then add the appropriate views to the sheet and present the design options to the client. You can also use the Pick to Edit button in the Design Options panel to select the design option that requires editing.

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Rendering Workflow in Revit 2010

Rendering Workfl ow

In this blogpost, you will learn about various methods and techniques used in a rendering workfl ow. A rendering workfl ow is a process chart that shows the fl ow of the rendering process to achieve the end result in the form of high quality rendered image.

Step 1 - Creating a Three-Dimensional View

To start with the rendering process, the fi rst step is to generate a three-dimensional view of the exterior or interior of the building model that you have created.

Step 2 - Specifying Render Appearances and Applying Materials

A material defi nes the exact look and finish of elements present in a building model. In Revit Architecture, you can create your own material or use in-built materials from the Render Appearance Library to apply to specific elements. The Revit material defi nes the texture, color, and exact appearance of an element and also allows you to control various parameters required to define specific materials; for example, to defi ne a glass, you can define its transparency, reflection, color, and so on.The materials provided in Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 have been assigned the mental ray material properties, and therefore, they appear more realistic than the standard materials in the previous version. The materials and their applications are discussed later in this blog.

Step 3 - Applying Lights

You can light a three-dimensional model by using natural illumination from daylight or using artificial light sources such as electric lights, gas lights, lamps, candles, or oil lamps. While placing artificial lights in a three-dimensional model, you can define lighting fixtures and their light sources to attain the best effect. As you render, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 provides you the facility to control the visibility of these lights in a particular rendered image while defining the setting for rendering the scene. Details about lighting in Revit Architecture are discussed later.

Step 4 - Using Entourages and Decals

In Revit Architecture, you can use entourages to add additional features such as trees, people, cars, and so on. These features do not represent the main model but contribute toward making

the rendered image more realistic. The entourage objects are defi ned as families and include Archvision’s RPC (Rich Photorealistic Contents) objects that can add more realism, when added in a model and rendered

Similarly, you can use decals to place images on the surfaces of a building model. Decals are generally used to depict signage, paintings, and signboards in a rendered image. In Revit Architecture, you can place decals only on a fl at or cylindrical surface.

Step 5 - Defining Render Settings

After applying materials, lights, entourages, and creating a three-dimensional view, you need to start the rendering process. To do so, choose the Show Rendering Dialog button from the View Control Bar or type RR; the Rendering dialog box will be displayed. In this dialog box, you can specify the view area for rendering, lighting controls, background, render quality specifications, and size of the rendered image.

Step 6 - Creating the Rendered Image

After specifying all parameters for the rendering, you need to run the render engine using the Rendering dialog box to create a rendered image. To do so, choose the Render button from the Rendering dialog box. You will learn the process of rendering an image using the options in this dialog box later in this chapter.

Step 7 - Exporting the Rendered Image

After finishing the rendering process, you can save it in a file or as a project view. To export the rendered image to a file, choose the Export button from the Image area in the Rendering dialog box; the Save Image dialog box will be displayed. You can save the image file to the required location using the appropriate fi le format. Alternatively, if you want to save the rendered image in your project view, choose the Save to Project button from the Image area in the Rendering dialog box; the Save to Project dialog box will be displayed, where you can specify the name of the rendered image by entering a name in the Name edit box. Next, choose OK to save the image and exit the Save to Project dialog box.

To open the rendered image in the project, you need to select the image by choosing Views (all) > Renderings in the Project Browser.

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Creating Massing Geometry ------ Revit Architecture 2010

Massing Geometry

In Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010, you can create the massing geometry in any of these three environments: Family Editor, Conceptual Design, and Project.


To start creating the massing geometry in the Family Editor, choose New > Family from Application Menu; the New Family - Select Template File dialog box will be displayed. In this dialog box, choose the Generic Model.rft fi le (commonly used) from the Imperial Templates folder and then choose Open; a new fi le will open in the Family Editor environment. In the new file, create the massing geometry using various tools available in the ribbon.

The Conceptual Design environment is a new environment in Revit Architecture. This environment is a type of Family Editor that provides advanced modeling tools and techniques for creating massing families. To start creating a mass in this environment, choose New > Conceptual Mass from Application Menu; the New Conceptual Mass - Select Template File dialog box will be displayed. In this dialog box, select the Mass template file from the Conceptual Mass folder and then choose Open; a new file in the Conceptual Design environment will open. In the new fi le, you can create the massing geometry using various tools available in the ribbon.

The Project environment is the most common environment used in a project design. To start creating a mass in this environment, open a new file or an existing file by choosing New > Project or Open > Project from Application Menu. After opening a new fi le or an existing file, choose the Massing & Site tab from the ribbon. In this tab, the massing tools can be accessed from the Conceptual Mass panel. The Conceptual Mass panel contains the following tools for massing: In-Place Mass, Show Mass, Place Mass, and Model by Face.

The options in the Model by Face tool are used to convert the conceptual mass created into real building elements like walls, fl oors, roofs, and curtain systems. As such, this tool is also called the Building Maker tools. When you create shapes in massing, Autodesk Revit Architecture creates its corresponding building elements. It is, therefore, imperative to consider the associativity of the massing and

shell elements. The massing elements may need to be transformed into individual building elements simultaneously. Therefore, the massing geometry must be created accordingly. For example, when you create a complex geometric massing shape and convert faces into building elements, you may fi nd that certain planes do not acquire the desired building element characteristics. The inclined planes and the curved surfaces are converted into in-place roofs.

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Basic Concepts of BIM

BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

Autodesk Revit Architecture enables you to envisage and develop a building model with actual

3D parametric building elements. It provides a new approach to the architectural thought and

the implementation process. In a way, it replicates the way architects conceive a building. For

example, 2D CAD platforms mostly use lines to represent all elements.

However, in Autodesk Revit Architecture, you can create a building model using 3D elements  such as walls, fl oors, doors, and windows. Using these 3D elements, you can visualize the architectural or interior project with respect to its scale, volume, and proportions. This enables you to study design alternatives and develop superior quality design solutions. Autodesk Revit Architecture automates routine drafting and coordination tasks and assists in reducing errors in documentation. This, in turn, saves time, improves the speed of documentation, and lowers the cost for users.

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Revit- BIM Booms - Introduction to the power of Revit

INTRODUCTION TO Autodesk Revit Architecture

Welcome to the realm of Autodesk Revit Architecture, a powerful building modeler that has changed the outlook of the building industry about computer aided designs. Autodesk Revit Architecture is a design and documentation platform that enables you to use a single, integrated building information model to conceptualize, design, and finally document a project. Its integrated parametric modeling technology is used to create the information model of a project, collect and coordinate information across all its representations. In Autodesk Revit Architecture, drawing sheets, 2D views, 3D views, and schedules are a direct representation of the same building information model. Using its parametric change engine, you can modify the design at any stage of a project. These changes are automatically made and represented in all views of a project, resulting in the development of better designs, along with an improved coordination. The use of Autodesk Revit Architecture provides a competitive advantage and a higher profitability to architects and building industry professionals.

Autodesk Revit Architecture AS A BUILDING INFORMATION MODELER

The history of computer aided design and documentation dates back to the early 1980s when architects began using this technology for documenting their projects. Realizing its advantages, information sharing capabilities were developed, especially to share data with other consultants. This led to the development of object-based CAD systems in the early 1990s. Before the development of these systems, objects such as walls, doors, windows were stored as a non-graphical data with the assigned graphics. These systems arranged the information logically, but were unable to optimize its usage in a building project. Realizing the advantages of the solid modeling tools, the mechanical and manufacturing industry professionals began using the information modeling CAD technology. This technology enabled them to extract data based on the relationship between model elements.

In 1997, a group of mechanical CAD technologists began working on a new software for the building industry. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) provided an alternative approach to building design, construction and management. This approach, however, required a suitable technology to implement and reap its benefits. In such a situation the use of parametric technology with the Building Information Modeling approach was envisaged as an ideal combination. They developed a software that was suitable for creating building projects. This led to the development of a software later came to be known as Autodesk Revit Building, and has now been changed to Autodesk Revit Architecture.

Autodesk Revit Architecture is a building design and documentation platform, in which a digital building model is created using the parametric elements such as walls, doors, windows, and so on. All building elements have inherent relationship with one another, which can be tracked, managed, and maintained by the computer.

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