High-rise question

[jason.74650]

Hello everyone. Maybe you high-rise experts can give me some quick advice. I am subcontracting for an Architecture firm that wants a 32 story condo project rendered. The first 6 floors are the same and then from floors 7 to 21 the floor plan/balconies alternate. So odd # floors are the same floor plan and even # floors are the same floor plan. Then finally floors 22 to 32 are the penthouse plans with mezzanines.

My job is to only provide rendered elevations and rendered perspective views of the project as they are doing CD’s in Autocad.

What would be the fastest way to create this model? I was thinking to array the floors. One problem I will have is that there will be changes to the design as the model is being built.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Jason

[sbrown]

Well it may depend on what your wall construction type is. You may want to look at curtain panels as a way to make similar conditions basically you can make a curtain wall the full ht of the building then model a panel that contains everything in it, doors, windows, brick etc. load that in and replace all the panels with it. so you may have 3 or so panels, but its very quick.

[bclarch]

It depends on what varies from floor to floor. Just the balconies or the perimeter wall configuration as well? Glass curtain wall vs. masonry veneer wall makes a difference too. What are the differences between walls 1-6 at the base and 7-32 above? More info would be helpful.

[jason.74650]

Its a concrete and glass structure with glass between exposed concrete slabs. Balconies do alternate between floors 7 to 21 with only subtle wall differences.

I have included a picture which is similar to this project except no diagonals and the balconies are not so extreme.

thanks

jason

[eldad]

Jason,
I would create the floors as an external floor family and bring them in to what level they need to be on, you might have 3-4 floor types. you don't have much choice when it comes to walls but once you create a level you can copy and paste "select level by names..." that way it should not take you too long... :)
doing the floors as external family, we found, works better we had too many issues in the past with in place floor on a high rise.
good luck

[sbrown]

Thats definately a curtain wall job, I would make the panels the full 3 stories(from the image posted. YOu can even build in the decks into the panel families if you want, or just do sep families for the decks.

[sifuentes]

Eldad,

How do you make the floors as external families? I've heard this before, but never the actual procedure.

Thanks,

Carlos

[Dimitri Harvalias]

1. You can create the floor as a family outside the project using a series of solids and voids (for slab bands, beams etc.) and then load that family into the project. Place it at one level and then copy, paste aligned to the various levels as required.

2. In the project, create a floor, enter sketch mode and copy the sketch lines to the clipboard. Open a new family and follow the same procedure as above but using the linework from the clipboard to define the solids.

The real advantage of this method is that when you need to make changes to all the floors you simply edit the family and reload it into the project file. Either way be sure that the family category is set to 'floor' so the resulting slab behaves like a floor when loaded into the project.

[jason.74650]

Thanks everyone for your help. I am starting today so lets see how it goes. I'll post the results when finished.

Thanks again

Jason

[Joef]

Where do you find the "Floor " Family Category?

[stuntmonkee]

:shock: wow, this is a cool post. And makes me feel like I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about with this Revit thingy. I would have never thought of using a Curtain wall, or floor family, or anything like that. And now that I know, I still can't wrap my mind around how. I would love to see an example of both of these options.

On a similar note, talk to me why we wouldn't consider creating a single level plan and then linking it in. . .then maybe modeling the minor exterior additions that don't duplicate symmetrically? What about groups?

I have never attacked a project of this size or nature, so the problems that come up are invisible to me, but I really would like to hear more about this.

Very cool. . .its making my left eye twitch a bit thinking about it. :p

[Mr Spot]

Where do you find the "Floor " Family Category?
You have to create it as a generic model family, then in the project, nest this family into a floor in-place family... This makes it behave as a floor...

HTH.

[eldad]

stuntmonkee, though Revit done a lot of work when it comes to groups, I'm still cautious about using them, I do have groups in my projects but only for internal walls and unit fit outs (bathrooms,kitchens...)
"On a similar note, talk to me why we wouldn't consider creating a single level plan and then linking it in" you are creating too much work for yourself, so when you need to edit that linked file you need to close the one you are working on, open the the link file, edit, close, and reopen the project file and relink?? :)
you can copy, paste align but I won't group external walls.

sifuentes,
are yo clear about creating external walls family? like Mr. Spot said, (the guy sitting next to me :) ) you will need to nest it into floor in place family this is the most important part...

[stuntmonkee]

you are creating too much work for yourself, so when you need to edit that linked file you need to close the one you are working on, open the the link file, edit, close, and reopen the project file and relink?? :)


whats the difference between doing that on a linked rvt file and having to do that for an external floor family? Because you dont have to close the file to edit the nested floor?

What about expandability? What if the project was needed to push further? Wouldnt you loose all of your work and have to restart? Just thinking through the process.

Thanks
Stunts

[eldad]

All you need to do is open the floor family, do what ever you want to do and reload it into the project, much quicker.
one thing I found though, when doing setout plans it is better to dimension to a setout line and not to the floor, for some unknown universal reason, Revit does not like it sometimes...
I'm working on an 11 story very complex building, and you won't believe the changes I had to make! so looking to the future of your project I see no problem there :)

[stuntmonkee]

interesting. . .is there any way to get a look, or a partial assembly of a project that you did this with, i would just like to disect it a little. . .get a better understanding.

[eldad]

I have attached 3 thumbs showing the project and a section through the middle. hope it helps.
BTW if you link a floor to a project it won't behave as a floor, you won't be able to attach anything to it...

[sifuentes]

sifuentes,
are yo clear about creating external walls family? like Mr. Spot said, (the guy sitting next to me :) ) you will need to nest it into floor in place family this is the most important part...

I think I am, let me try it. Thanks.

[hand471037]

Eldad & Mr. Spot, that's a very nice looking project!

don't have much to add. Just wanted to say that.

We do things the same ways, but our projects tend to be much wider than tall.

[eldad]

Thanks mate :)
I'm off this project in 2 weeks, moving to another firm... the building is under construction and up to level 3, would be good to see it finish but it's time to move on.