Part Three. Advanced Modeling

Chapter 11. Revit – Organic shaped walls

Session Objectives

Upon completing this session, students will be able to:

  • (CO 1) Create a slanted wall without Massing tools
  • (CO 2) Understand various 3D models using Massing
  • (CO 3) Create an organic shape wall
  • (CO 4) Create an organic shape curtainwall

 Session Highlights

At the end of the session, students will be able to create the graphics below.

It is the final expected result at the end of this lecture. Readers will create free form architectural elements with massing tools.

 Lecture Contents

(CO1) Create a slanted wall without Massing tools

A slanted wall is a new feature of Revit 2021.

Once you create a wall using [wall] from the [Architecture] tab, under the [Build] panel, you have an option to make the wall a slanted wall.

  • [STEP 1] Select a wall(s) that you want to make a slanted wall(s) on a floor plan or a 3D view.
  • [STEP 2] Update the setting [Cross Section] for the wall from [Properties] palette to [Slanted].
  • [STEP 3] Update [Angle From Vertical] to the desired degree.
  • [STEP 4] If you have dimensions or reference planes, you will receive an error message. Click [Remove reference] or/and [Delete Dimensions].
    It indicates how to create a slanted wall.
  • [STEP 5] To make all windows aligned with the slanted wall, select all window instances. Update the setting [Orientation] for the windows from [Properties] palette to [Slanted].
    It indicates how to align the windows with the slanted wall.

(CO2) Understand various 3D models using Massing

Massing/ Massing studies is a useful tool to explore design ideas by shapes to conceptualize a building model. When the conceptual design is complete, you can add building elements directly to the shapes.

Create in-place or family-based mass instances that are specific to individual design options.

Generate floors, roofs, curtain systems, and walls from mass instances with control over element category, type, and parameter values. Fully control the regeneration of these elements when the mass changes.

For more information regarding massing in Revit, please refer to this Massing Studies tutorial.

To create a simple mass with other masses

  • [STEP 1] Open a new project or use the existing Revit project.
  • [STEP 2] Click [Show Mass by View Setting] from [Massing & Site] tab, under [Conceptual Mass] panel, this command is to see mass. If you want to hide mass, click again [Show Mass Form and Floors].
  • [STEP 3] Click [In-Place Mass] from [Massing & Site], under [Conceptual Mass] panel > Name the mass.
  • [STEP 4] Click [Set] from the [Create] tab, under the [Work Plane] panel to set a work plane, in this case, select [Level 1].
  • [STEP 5] Click [Model] from [Create] tab, under [Draw] panel > Draw [Rectangle].
  • [STEP 6] Select the rectangle > Click [Create Form] > Click [Solid Form].
  • [STEP 7] Now you can control the mass by the face, edge, and point.
  • [STEP 8] If needed, you and add mass with [Join] tool, subtract mass with [cut] or void form.
    It indicates how to create and edit a mass.
  • [STEP 9] Once the mass seems in the right form, click [Finish Mass].

To create mass Floors

  • [STEP 1] Select the mass you want to make floors.
  • [STEP 2] Click [Mass Floors] from [Modify/Mass] tab, under [Model] panel.
  • [STEP 3] Check levels for the floors.
    It indicates how to add floors in the mass.

To create an architectural model (Curtain Wall, Wall, Floor, and Roof) by face

  • [STEP 1] Use [Curtain System, Roof, Wall, Floor] from [Massing & Site] tab, under [Model by Face] panel.
  • [STEP 2] Click a face to create architectural models.
  • [STEP 3] Click [Create system, Create floor, Create roof] from [Modify/Place] under, [Multiple Selection] panel.
    It indicates how to convert a mass to different types of walls.

To modify the mass and update architectural models

  • [STEP 1] Click the mass > Click [Edit In-Place].
  • [STEP 2] Modify the mass by controlling the point, edge, and face > Click [Finish Mass].
  • [STEP 3] Click model(s) > Click [Update to Face] from [Modify] tab, under [Model by Face].
    It indicates how to update the building wall once the mass changed.

(CO3) Create an organic shape wall

In this tutorial, you will create an organic shape of the wall using Massing in Revit. To create an organic-shaped wall, you will need profiles (lines) on reference planes. By connecting the profiles, an organic-shaped wall will be created.

  • [STEP 1] Draw more than two reference planes on a floor plan [Level 1]. I will create three reference planes. Click [Ref Plane] from [Architecture] tab, under [Work Plane] > Add dimensions if needed > Define names for the reference planes (Wall-1-L, Wall-1-C, Wall-1-R).
    It indicates how to add reference planes.
  • [STEP 2] Click [Show Mass by View Setting] from [Massing & Site] tab, under [Conceptual Mass] panel, this command is to see mass, if you want to hide mass, click again [Show Mass Form and Floors].
  • [STEP 3] Click [In-Place Mass] from [Massing & Site], under [Conceptual Mass] panel > Name the mass [Organic Wall-1].
  • [STEP 4] Open [East] view and [3D] view, and make a tile view [WT].
  • [STEP 5] Click [Set] and click [Show] from [Create] tab, under [Work Plane] panel, Select [Reference Plane: Wall-1-R] from the option bar.
  • [STEP 6] Click [Model] from [Create] tab, under [Draw] panel > Draw a line with [Spline through point] > Draw a line on the 3D and modify the line on the East view.
    Repeat this step for the three reference planes.
    It indicates how to add model lines onto the reference planes.
  • [STEP 7] Select all profiles on [3D view] > Click [Create Form > Solid Form] from [Modify] tab, under [Form] panel. Change display mode to shaded on 3D view.
  • [STEP 8] To modify the shape of the wall, click the wall > Click [X-Ray] > you can edit the point, edge, and face.
    It indicates how to create a mass surface from the three model lines.
  • [STEP 9] To change the profiles, click [Edit Profile] > edit profile > Click [Green checkmark] to complete this command.
    It indicates how to adjust mass surface by editing the model lines.
  • [STEP 10] To complete the mass, click [Finish Mass].
    It indicates how to apply a wall onto the mass surface.
  • [STEP 11] To add a wall, click [wall] from [Massing & Site], under [Model by Face] panel > Select a wall type > click the face of the mass to create a wall.
    Note. If your wall is too thick or the mass is too wavy, you will get an error message.

(CO4) Create an organic shape curtainwall 

In this tutorial, you will practice an organic-shaped curtain wall.

  • [STEP 1] Click [Component] > click [Model-in-place] > Select [Mass] from [Family Category and Parameters] > click [OK] > Define name [Organic curtainwall-1].
    Note. This method is the same as just creating a mass from [Massing & Site].
  • [STEP 2] Click [Model] and draw a curve line with [Spline Through Point] on Level 1. Make sure [Placement Plane] is [Level: Level 1].
  • [STEP 3] Open Level 2 floor plan > Click [Model] and draw a curve line with [Spline Through Point] on Level 2. Make sure [Placement Plane] is [Level: Level 1].
  • [STEP 4] Select all profiles on [3D view] > Click [Create Form > Solid Form] from [Modify] tab, under [Form] panel. Change display mode to shaded on 3D view.
  • [STEP 5] Click [Finish Mass] to finish the model.
    It indicates how to create a mass surface.
  • [STEP 6] Click [Curtain System] from [Massing & Site] tab, under [Model by Face] panel > Click the mass you created > Click [Create System] from [Modify] tab, under [Multiple Selection].
    It indicates how to add a curtain wall onto the mass surface.
  • [STEP 7] Click the curtain system > change the size of the panels by adding a new type [2’x 2′].
    It indicates how to edit the curtain wall details.
  • [STEP 8] You can add and remove the grids by clicking.
  • [STEP 9] Add Mullion by clicking [Mullion] from [Architecture] tab, under [Modify] panel. You also may add a mullion type to fit the size of the panels.
    It indicates how to add mullion to the curtain wall.

 References

Autodesk Help. (May 16, 2018). Massing Studies. Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Revit-Model/files/GUID-B8858693-F46D-4211-8CCC-B5E88681C466-htm.html

License

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Tutorials of Visual Graphic Communication Programs for Interior Design 2 Copyright © 2022 by Yongyeon Cho is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.