What are the principal advantages of creating a conceptual design model using masses before diving into the detailed design and building element modeling?
Some of the advantages of creating a conceptual design model is that other stakeholders are able to develop a general idea of what the final product should look like, and are able to make adjustments is needed. These adjustments could be done based on funding or simply aesthetic choices, but having the freedom to make these adjustments before a structure is carefully modeled saves time for all of the parties involved.
Should all buildings be modeled first using conceptual masses?
I believe that conceptual masses are appropriate for structures that are intricate and are not easily modeled in softwares such as Revit. While creating a small house could be easily modeled in Revit, structures that contain specific profiles would take longer, thus using conceptual masses to illustrate a structures general shape is a far more efficient use of time in comparison to carefully detailing a preliminary design.