Mulitple Building Detailing Strategy

[guy.messick825831]

All,

I'm hoping to get some feedback on details in multi-building projects. Ours is a new elementary school, three separate buildings, all linked into a common site plan. Also, all three are linked to structural and MEP Revit models from our consultants. So far, so good, we are pleased with the results, performance, etc. - But, we need to begin detailing, and of course, the building share a number of details, and we are producing the docs as a single set. So, how have you fellow users been handling this? Duplicate details in each building project file? dummy tags (shudder)? ant input would be appreciated.

[brethomp]

I am also interested in how others are accomplishing this. Is there any way to link common details between different RVT files?

[Steve_Stafford]

Within Revit take a look at the File Menu > Insert From File features. These allow you to bring drafting views and sheets that contain drafting views into a project from another. In fact if a sheet is full of drafting views you can just insert the sheet and all the drafting views will come along and already be positioned on the sheet in the same locations. You can also use it to bring just 2D drafting annotation from model/2D detail views and then apply them to the views in your project.

Yes, this means duplicity but if you manage them from a "master" project you just have to make sure that same person updates the related projects. Further each detail can be tailored for any variations in each building. You will also be able to create views that reference these details in the same way you can in the "master".

HTH

[guy.messick825831]

I'm moving to a new viewpoint on this. Since duplicating details & "dummy" tags are not something I want to spend time on, unless absolutely necessary, I'm going to look at separating this type of project into two categories. 1. Multi-building - single document set & 2. Multi-building - multiple document sets.

Type 1 would not have buildings linked in, all buildings would reside in a single project - this would work for smaller, single bid types. No duplication, just more view & workset organization, but hey, there are several buildings, comes with the territory. Most of our multi-building jobs would fit into this type.

Type 2 would have buildings linked to a "central" project, where you have buildings bidding separately from each other & therefore separate document sets. Larger jobs with multiple construction types and/or primes fall into this fairly easily.

This may have implications for project based spec writing as well. Thoughts?

[patricks]

I am working on a new Coca-Cola facility right now that will have multiple buildings on one site, and the owner and contractor want one single document set. Right now I have the different buildings in different files, but I think I'm going to have to bring them all into one file, because I want all of my plan sheets as A200's, all of my elevation sheets for all buildings as A300's, etc.

Now of course that could all be done in the separate files, as long as the sheets are numbered correctly to be in order when the sheets are assembled. However, the biggest issue is that I want one single door schedule for the entire project. As far as I know, unless there's something I don't know, I would have to have all buildings in one project to accomplish this. Is this correct or no?

[Steve_Stafford]

As far as I know, unless there's something I don't know, I would have to have all buildings in one project to accomplish this. Is this correct or no?You'd have to either link all the buildings into a master file or link other buildings into one of them. Then build a schedule that includes linked files. To differentiate doors from one building or another you'd have to include the project name or file name in the schedule.