Mastering Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2013

Chapter 15

Family Editor

If you're not designing or documenting a building, you're probably designing or placing the stuff that goes inside it: structural members, doors, furniture, lighting, equipment, and more. If you think about it, this effort is a significant part of the design process. If the surrounding walls, floor, and roof or ceiling contain the space, it might be said that the content describes the function and utility of a space. In other words, content provides context. In many respects, it gives the space meaning. The rhythm of placement, orientation, and elevation of content can turn a mundane space into an elegant and memorable one.

In Autodesk^® Revit^® Architecture software, the Family Editor is where you'll model all the content that isn't built as part of the project. If you're familiar with other 3D modeling applications, the good news is that it will be easy to get started. But the really great news is that if you've never modeled in 3D, learning to create 3D content for the first time is a very satisfying process.

The key isn't just being able to model; you can model in 3D in lots of applications. The Family Editor offers the ability to make content that will flex appropriately as your design changes; you can iterate your design without starting over. Sometimes you'll need to change the height, width, or length. Other times you'll need to modify the material, and in some cases you'll nest geometry into another family in order to create assembled options on ...