Would you use a curtain wall for a residential window?

[3dway]

Would you use a curtain wall for a residential window?
I don't mean, would you put a Kawneer frame and IGU in your house.

I mean, would you use the Revit Curtain wall object to make windows in a custom residential house?

all we schedule is the window size in round numbers, because contractors and owners shop window suppliers well after permit. I understand that it's easy to swap window families and this is part of the reason to "BIM" the windows.

From a design point of view, it's far easier to manipulate the curtain wall mullions than a window family. Why don't windows work the way curtain wall does?

Just looking for potential pitfalls.

How easy is it to swap a curtain wall for a window? I assume its a matter of delete curtain wall and replace with window family for each location. No global way to do it.

Part of the reason for this a lack of Revit content. A new implementation and an undeveloped library.

Most of the window families online are user created, overdetailed, unreliable, and none of the Canadian branches of the major window suppliers have Revit content yet (that I can find).

[twiceroadsfool]

I personally would not. I would make windows...

[cliff collins]

Windows. Like the real thing. Some mfg. have their catalogs
available in .rfa format.

cheers

[Dimitri Harvalias]

The short answer is do whatever works for you at a particualr stage of the project.


Why don't windows work the way curtain wall does?

Because a Curtain wall is a type of wall assembly and a window is a window. It might be nice to be able to have the family editor create windows just by sketching them but once you get used to the family editor you might find it is just as easy to create new content as it is to use the CW tools.


How easy is it to swap a curtain wall for a window? I assume its a matter of delete curtain wall and replace with window family for each location. No global way to do it.
No need to delete. Create each window type as a different curtain wall type. Group it and that will allow you copy it around the project and make quick changes to a number of units of the same type. When it comes time to place the real windows the place on in the correct location, group it and then you can swap one group out for another even thought they belong to different object categories.


Part of the reason for this a lack of Revit content. A new implementation and an undeveloped library.
I think it's next to impossible to create a 'complete' library of content from the factory. everyone has different needs, diffferent graphic standards, different visualization needs. I'd rather have the development team spend their time on enhancing the basic tools than waste time trying to develop more content that is not universally useful. Give yourslef time to build your own library of families and once you get started it becomes quicker to modify what you have rather than searching for pre-made content that will be 'close but not quite', error check it, convert it to your standards and tweak it to suit the intended use.


Most of the window families online are user created, overdetailed, unreliable, and none of the Canadian branches of the major window suppliers have Revit content yet (that I can find).
So build your own. Spend the time to get to know the family editor. You might not find it as intimidating as you think. And once you get the hang of it creating new stuff from old is easier and you can conquer pretty much any issue in Revit.
Not everything has to be totally parametric. Start by creating very simple placeholders and then as the design progresses add detail and flexibility as required. The ability to globally exchange families makes this a logical and simple way to work your way throught the design process.

[Calvn_Swing]

Dimitiri is dead on.

The best way to really learn Revit is to learn the family editor. Families are the most important part of the program, and until you understand how to make them you won't really be able to leverage the software to its fullest.

Good luck!

[dhurtubise]

Simple answer... NEVER

[mark.98140]

i think it really is up to the person... it is obvious the benefits of family windows, but really there is an awful lot of flexibility and freedom with curtain walls which can make for extremely quick modelling... in our office we don't do window schedules, odd windows are almost always ' trim fit' onsite with onsite measurements. standard windows can in the large part be descirbed in plan view on the plan itself... if we do a schedule revit does not easily lend itself to a graphical representation anyway, which is often the necessay way to list all but the most basic windows. so what is the point of a comprehensive table that does not fully describe the window in detail... we do almost all our projects as one offs and as such standard window familes do not cut it... corner windows, varying head shapes etc.. time is the necessary principle here and i think it is fair to allow one the freedom of choice to determine ones preference.... project homes are well suited to tables.... large repetitive projects.. etc... but less so one off more detailed projects... that's my opinion and i think it has merit until such time as revit can truly and simply harness a graphical respresentation of a window schedule without complicated work arounds.