Mastering Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2013

Chapter 2

Principles: UI and Project Organization

After more than a decade in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, Autodesk^® Revit^® software continues to be unique in its “whole-building BIM” approach to design integration. Sure, other BIM-ish tools allow you to design in 3D. And 10 years ago, 3D might have been a differentiator, but today 3D is a commodity!

Whole-building BIM is the ability to design, manage, and document your project information from within a single file, something that no other building information modeling (BIM) software will allow you to do. In a workflow with any other software, you'd have to design your project across multiple files — not just across disciplines but within the same discipline! Imagine the dysfunctional workflow of having separate files for the building shell, roof, and each interior level for a modest 50-story building. That means you'll be managing at least 50 files just for the architecture. Count on another 50 files for the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) and structural design and now your team has to juggle more than 150 separate files that have to be manually linked together. Then you will have to export your files to separate sheets and views for documentation.

So, now your building has been smashed up into 2D information. And when you have changes, expect to go back to the model and repeat the process because you can't risk making changes in 2D when they're not bidirectionally associative. No ...