What are the principal advantages of creating a conceptual design model using masses before diving into the detailed design and building element modeling?
Creating a conceptual design model using masses allows you to easily modify a building's architectural shape easily, determine how much mass floor area is used in the design, and add various shapes together. The conceptual masses can also be modified easily to form curved shapes, slanted walls, etc. Revit also has built in mass families to easily build with generated forms providing a great tool to change the building layout easily before adding structural components and placing building elements.
Should all buildings be modeled first using conceptual masses?
When is it needed/appropriate? And when not?
For example, should you create a conceptual mass model of a small house?
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?
The Jewel Changi in Singapore was most likely created using a conceptual mass model. It features the iconic torus shape with a waterfall placed where the opening in the center is located. This design could be easily modeled in software like Revit which has the torus shape in the existing mass family and could model the rails entering and exiting the structure by adding an adjoining mass.
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