What are the primary goals of creating a building model? Who are the key stakeholders?
- What do they need?
One of the primary goals of creating a building model is the clarity of your model. An extremely crucial element of this process is to make sure that your colleagues, clients, builders, etc… will effectively understand the various aspects of the building model. Some examples include lighting, spacial perception, heat flow, etc…
- What do they care about most?
The key stakeholders include the clients, the builders, etc… The builders’ main goal is to build a stable, elegant, and realistic structure. While the client is more focused on receiving a building model close to their goal.
How much detail should you include in your building model? How do you decide?
- As you develop your initial design?
Initially, you do not need to make your building model extremely detailed. Sometimes it is beneficial to provide a less detailed model and then build upon it after you discuss the progress with your team.
- As you continue to iterate and develop on your design?
This is the next step after a team discussion. You can gradually continue adding more detail to your building model Detail is obviously crucial in order to produce an effective building model.
- What are the key stages?
The key stages include brainstorming the project (conceptual), setting up the foundation (preliminary), design development, consultation with clients, builders, etc…, and construction documentation.
- And how much detail should you include at each stage?
It truly depends on the project.
How much detail should you include about the composition (layers, materials, thicknesses) of your wall, floor, and roof assemblies at different stages of your design process?
- Conceptual design
- Preliminary design
- Design development
- Construction documentation
Many door and window manufacturers provide Revit families for doors and windows that you can specify for your building design.
- What is the advantage to manufacturers for providing these families? (it's not free to create and provide them...)
- What is the benefit to you as the designer of using these manufacturer-provided families? Is there an advantage to using them versus the families provided in the Revit library?
What are the advantages of getting the Revit component families (for furniture, equipment, and fittings) directly from the manufacturer versus from an online sharing website like RevitCity.com?
It is much easier to access and load the Revit component families within Revit. When using RevitCity.com, you have to go onto the website, pick the component, download it, and then load it into Revit. It is a lengthier process.