What are the principal advantages of creating a conceptual design model using masses before diving into the detailed design and building element modeling?

Conceptual design, like utilizing the mass structures for example, help to guide the creative design process and gives the designer more mental bandwidth to think about more detailed components to a building design.

How would you abstract the essential form of these famous buildings using conceptual mass elements that you can create in Revit?

1. One World Trade Center: https://www.archdaily.com/795277/one-world-trade-center-som

I would first erect the cube/rectangle at the base and then continue it to the final height to then add points to the mass to edit its faces to include the triangular faces.

1. CMG Headquarters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMG_Headquarters#/media/File:China_Central_Television_Headquarters_2.jpg

Cube/Rectangle Masses

1. Twisting torso: https://www.archdaily.com/771471/santiago-calatravas-turning-torso-wins-ctbuhs-10-year-award

Rotating the angles on a angled rectangle mass.

1. Apple campus: https://www.archdaily.com/804970/apple-campus-2-held-to-fantastical-standard-of-detail-new-report-reveals

With this building design I would utilize the torus mass structure as a preliminary modeling.

1. Salesforce tower: https://www.archdaily.com/889519/salesforce-tower-pelli-clarke-pelli-architects

I would play around with the dome mass and extend its height to the tower height keeping its radius smaller.