Concept Massing Design Options

[jafrobertson]

Hi Folks!

Not quite sure whether or not this is the right forum, but I hope so! If not apologies, please advise where best to post..

OK - Revit Architecture 2011. I am looking to utilize concept massing and floor area sceduling for a few basic massing options on a large housing project. I have not done this before so I am looking for best practice methodology. Ideally I would like to put together 4 or 5 basic concept masses inside the same Revit file and be able to compare their shapes and floor schedules, building them all using the same site plan underlay, so that I can keep camera positions and levels consistent for all design options etc.

The first thing that sprang to mind was using layers, but after some research that does not appear simple. I know I can hide various masses using the selection filter, but this seems a little clumsy.. If there is any way to just switch 'layers' on and off, that would be most helpful.

I recognise that this is a perfect example of trying to make Revit behave like CAD when it doesn't want to, but bear with me, I am still a beginner(ish!)

Thanks very much!

James

[bcm2345]

make Revit behave like CAD

yeah if you can make a car behave like a horse and buggy..

room/area calculations in massing is why they make those
add-on massing programs for revit.. i forgot what some of
them were like- but none of them seemed practical to me..

someone else might know how to get that room information
from a mass sketch- but i guess if you just put a wall on
some of those lines you can get it.. sorry for no big help..

[cdatechguy]

Hi Folks!

...so that I can keep camera positions and levels consistent for all design options etc.



You already got your answer...;)

Look up Design Options in the Revit Help...that way you can maintain all your same views, or even better you can duplicate your views so that each one references each option.

The floor areas you will just need to create separate area plans....(Design Options and Area Analysis in Help)

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Welcome to the forums James.
Massing objects can provide a wealth of information for space planning and you can easily do what you want within a single file. You don't need to create floors to obtain the areas. You can easily create and schedule 'mass floors' and they will give you all the areas you need.
You have a number of options available to accomplish what you are trying to do.
Without a better idea of how beginner(ish) you are I'll just throw out a couple you can investigate further and then you can come back if you're looking for more info.


Individual masses for each scheme. Separate views for each scheme and selectively hiding by element or by view filters. Schedules could be created for each scheme based on

Each massing scheme as a separate design option. Same approach with mass floors and schedules for each. Each design option would have its own set of views and schedules with design options controlling graphic overrides of which masses are turned on and off.


I'd probably go for the second option.
So, in no particular order look in the help files for massing, mass floors, design options.
Let us know how you make out.

BTW... try and get past 'layers' thinking. Once you do, you'll have way more fun ;)

(MP... you only beat me out because I talk too much ;). Nice, concise answer. )

[bcm2345]

James-

keep in mind that the new concept massing design
part of revit was supposed to replace design programs
like SketchUp or 3Ds Max etc. etc..

i didn't think too much about incorporating this
new design program into Revit- and i still don't really-
but almost two years later- architectural designers and
artists don't seem to be dropping their 3Ds Max and
SketchUp programs for revit.. for one thing- SketchUp
is nearly free and Revit costs thousands of dollars..

and in all those firms that employ banks of 3Ds Max
artists- i don't see many of them learning to do their
design work in Revit conceptual design massing..

i know the furture is for architects to do their own
modelling and documentation- and drafters are
history- but how are most architects going to
replace the artist?