10 Essential Tips and Tricks Every REVIT Modeller in Architecture Should Know

If you're a REVIT modeller working in the architecture sector, your expertise in managing digital 3D models is invaluable. REVIT is a powerful tool that streamlines the process of creating, editing, and managing architectural designs. To excel in this role, it's crucial to master some essential tips and tricks that can increase your productivity, accuracy, and creativity. Let's dive into ten tricks every REVIT modeller should have in their toolbox.

1. Master the User Interface

The REVIT interface can be overwhelming at first. However, investing time to understand its components—such as the Ribbon, Properties Palette, and Project Browser—can significantly enhance your efficiency. Customize the Quick Access Toolbar with your most-used commands to save time. Familiarizing yourself with keyboard shortcuts can also speed up your workflow considerably.

2. Utilize Project Templates

Creating a new project from scratch can be time-consuming. Instead, develop and maintain project templates that include standard settings, styles, and families. Templates ensure consistency across projects and help you adhere to industry and company standards. Keep them updated with new elements to make them even more powerful.

3. Leverage the Power of Families

The true power of REVIT lies in its families—parametric components used to model building elements. Invest time in developing and customizing families. Whether it’s doors, windows, furniture, or mechanical components, a well-built family can be used across multiple projects, saving time and ensuring consistency.

Understanding Family Types

Familiarize yourself with different types of families: System Families, Loadable Families, and In-Place Families. System Families are built into the software, Loadable Families are created from scratch or imported, and In-Place Families are unique to a project, designed directly within a model.

4. Harness Worksharing Features

When working in teams, REVIT's worksharing capabilities allow multiple users to collaborate on the same model concurrently. Set up worksets effectively to divide model elements for team members. Utilize the ‘Sync with Central’ feature regularly to ensure all team members are working with the most updated model.

5. Efficient Use of Views and Sheets

Mastering views and sheets in REVIT is essential for presenting and documenting your models. Create multiple views to show different aspects of the model, and tailor them by using filters to highlight different elements. Organize your sheets in a way that aligns with project stages and client requirements.

6. Implement Phasing and Design Options

Projects can often change, allowing architects to present alternatives. Use phasing to show different stages of a project – from existing conditions to demolition and new construction. Design Options enable presenting multiple design variants to stakeholders without duplicating the model, streamlining feedback processes.

7. Understand the Use of Parameters

Parameters form the backbone of REVIT’s data management. They include both instance and type parameters to control characteristics throughout the model. Employ parameters effectively to manage data such as dimensions, materials, or calculations that automatically update across your model, enhancing accuracy and reducing errors.

8. Optimize by Linking and Importing CAD Files

When working with consultants or revisiting old projects, you might need to import or link CAD files. Instead of permanent imports, linking CAD files is recommended as it maintains the live connection, allowing updates in the original CAD file. Always clean up CAD files before importing to reduce file size and complexity.

9. Use Visibility/Graphics Overrides

The Visibility/Graphics Overrides is a powerful feature to control what elements are visible in a view. Use this to simplify complex views by hiding irrelevant categories, or emphasize important details by changing line weights, patterns, or colors. It can help in creating more readable presentation drawings.

10. Regularly Audit and Purge Your Models

Over time, REVIT models can become cluttered with unused elements, increasing file size and risking performance issues. Regularly auditing your models helps identify issues, while purging unused elements keeps models clean and efficient. This routine maintenance is crucial for large, data-heavy projects.

By mastering these tips and tricks, you enhance not only your workflow efficiency but also the quality of your architectural projects. Staying updated with REVIT's evolving features and continuously learning will safeguard your position as a cutting-edge professional in the field.