What are the principal advantages of creating a conceptual design model using masses before diving into the detailed design and building element modeling?
It’s very useful because it gives a very large overview of how the model is going to work within the topography and atmosphere, so the base model can be perfected before details are dealt with.
Should all buildings be modeled first using conceptual masses?
When is it needed/appropriate? And when not?
I don’t think all buildings need to be modeled using conceptual masses, only large-scale buildings with over a 100,000 sq feet as a guideline. If it’s anything larger, it will be very hard to scale the model correctly.
For example, should you create a conceptual mass model of a small house?
As I said above, small homes and other smaller buildings don’t require conceptual mass because it could throw off the specific details that one might miss in a larger scale mass model.
Can you think of any examples of a real building around the world that most likely was created by exploring the form using conceptual mass models?
Please post and share images of these examples to this Notion page.
How would you abstract the essential form of these famous buildings using conceptual mass elements that you can create in Revit?
- One World Trade Center: https://www.archdaily.com/795277/one-world-trade-center-som
- CMG Headquarters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMG_Headquarters#/media/File:China_Central_Television_Headquarters_2.jpg
- Twisting torso: https://www.archdaily.com/771471/santiago-calatravas-turning-torso-wins-ctbuhs-10-year-award
- Apple campus: https://www.archdaily.com/804970/apple-campus-2-held-to-fantastical-standard-of-detail-new-report-reveals
- Salesforce tower: https://www.archdaily.com/889519/salesforce-tower-pelli-clarke-pelli-architects