Overview

Revit is an “object oriented” software application. During the CAD era we constantly talked about the future with “object oriented” software, a time when the objects would be intelligent - graphically correct with product specific data associated. This future would be great, an object would not just be a graphical approximation, and the object would be the exact specified object. Schedules would be automatic, specifications would be generated from the model, the model would be dimensionally accurate as the parts and pieces would be accurate, life would be great. Now we have Revit, an object oriented software application, and there is just one small little problem, there are not yet enough objects, we need thousands more objects. Only a few hundred of the thousands of manufactures have started the process of creating Revit objects and many of them have only created a small subset of their product lines.

I talk often with architects and engineers about their needs for good Revit objects. I talk with Building Product Manufactures (BPM's) about the needs of architects and engineers for their objects and why it is so very important that they create and distribute good objects. It is most important that they create quality and not quantity.

The creation of good Revit objects is both an art and a science. Each project we undertake requires a review of the approach we will take for the models, the file size we will try to maintain, the parametric complexity and much more. We are in constant discussions on how to create good SmartBIM Objects.

In the beginning paragraphs I have highlighted the word, good. We are often asked what is a good object, what is a bad object. The answer is not simple; there are many considerations and opinions. Below is an overview of considerations:

Modeling Guidelines

We are asked constantly by architects, engineers and BPM's if we can publish our approach to the creation of objects. We have an internal document that covers the basics that our Revit modelers use as a guideline and tutorial for creating our objects. The document is intended for new employees to help them understand the scope of proper modeling. We have decided to make our internal document public for several reasons.

Modeling Tips

Included in the document are modeling tips. We are constantly modeling in Revit as we study how we will create SmartBIM Objects. The document accompanying this article includes a section at the end on modeling, for example, complicated curtain walls.

Appendix A

The document below includes our Appendix A that we include with our Contracts with BPM's. This is a good checklist for the considerations and data that are required to create good objects

Revit Modeling Documentation (note: large document - file download time may be longer than normal)