Beyond Revit

[Andre Baros]

Now that Revit is established in our office and has replaced our old workflow with a more efficient one we're asking ourselves the question of what next. Coordination with structural is coming along, and we're looking forward to trying out systems or getting our consultants onto systems. We're exporting our GBxml files and DWG to 3rd party programs for lighting analysis, rendering, and load balancing. But what's next?

Who's doing what to leverage the Revit model for better design, or more cost effective design, or to move the models directly into construction? Is this just another documentation tool or are people successfully getting more design, or more value for their buildings than speed and coordination.

We're looking to take the next step over the next few years and are wondering what others are doing? Or will we need to leave Revit behind and move on to Catia or Inventor to reach the next level?

[Brian Myers]

We're looking to take the next step over the next few years and are wondering what others are doing? Or will we need to leave Revit behind and move on to Catia or Inventor to reach the next level?

I'd actually keep an eye open for future Autodesk programs that relate to project coordination and management... judging by their recent business practices their software efforts are going to really point in that direction. So it will be Autodesk themselves that will take their software to the next level over the next 5-10 (or 3-7) years.

[gbrowne]

Have you guys used Buzzsaw?

I thought that would have taken off, but the cost appears to have hobbled it. I thought it was the "next big thing".

[GuyR]

Revit behind and move on to Catia or Inventor to reach the next level?

Why oh why do people think CATIA and Inventor will take you to the next level ? Having used Revit and CATIA I can 100% guarantee that if I placed you in front of a CATIA box for 1 day you'd never want to see CATIA again. You might want some of CATIA's features in Revit longterm but that's about it.


Who's doing what to leverage the Revit model for better design, .

Given Revit's efficiency at the schematic stage. How about try splitting the team in 2 and making it a mini competition to not only push your teams but push the client.

Although direct to construction will have isolated success as long as the majority of the design community is still digitally thinking in 2D then I don't see it happening much.

Guy

ps: So Andre what do you think about Maxwell V1? Still sounds like it's going to have the light through glass problem. Although it sounds like the plugins are going to be much better,

[Andre Baros]

I understand that most of the construction world will remain committed to 2D drawings. But at some point some parts are going to go directly to construction. I didn't really intent this to be a discussion about documents vs construction, but rather, how are people extending Revit and the data that Revit provides. To me, Revit is a stepping stone beyond simply documenting a building to leveraging information before a building is built to make a better building. Is anyone using Revit for analysis, does anyone have window families which warn them when they cross a certain threshold for cost, or heat gain, or too little light and vent, or too much light and vent, etc?

Regarding Buzzsaw, we've played around with that and 3 or 4 competitors and didn't see any advantages for our projects right now. They really help the GC out more than the architect and we found ourselves doing a lot of their work with these systems. Our CG's use the system and benefit from it, we don't.

I can't wait for Maxwell 1.0... though I'm already looking forward to the lighting analysis that Victor said would be part of the next release. A pretty picture and the data too.

[david.kingham]

We have been working with this company http://innovaya.com/ to develop software that integrates our estimating software (Timberline) with revit and having great success. We do design-build so we are also beta testing the same company's 4d software that combines the revit model with the microsoft project construction schedule. We are also bringing the revit model into 3dsmax for rendering and then into a gaming engine for real time walkthroughs with steroscopic projection on a 12' rear projection screen......

[Les Therrien]

that sounds exciting!

[Andre Baros]

Cool, which gaming engine are you using, we've be doing the walktrhrough right in Max and have been looking to use a game engine but the list of chioces is endless.

[tc3dcad60731]

Have you guys used Buzzsaw?

I thought that would have taken off, but the cost appears to have hobbled it. I thought it was the "next big thing".

No, i have not used this. The cost was very prohibitive but the benefits looked great! Cost won out though :-(