BIM project

Write 1200 words report, describing the BIM project you have worked on during the term on Revit, addressing the benefits, limitations, and challenges encountered in your project.

Notes:

– Start by addressing the software (Revit) in terms of its importance in the the industry, emphasizing on  its capabilities to enhance the integrative approach to building and architecture. Where architects, engineers, stakeholders, and clients are all accounted for throughout the development of the project, into one building information model.

– Identify the software abilities to transition the projects from the conceptual design, schematic design, all the way to construction documents and preparing shop drawings for building. (Project level of development)

– Revit as a BIM software can, – create 3d parametric model, produces plans, section, elevations, and schedules, propagates changes automatically, updates the model instantly (parametric relations), Supports hierarchal relations, supports structural relations, uses families instead of blocks, uses geometrical alignments, has multiple views, and allows to capture information for collaboration

– Identify the advantages of using BIM software such as Revit, in saving TIME. Like the time you save when doing schedules in Revit, generating building sections, coordinating views and schedules. The software ability to gather your model information on construction documents sheets ready. All that Revit care take care of, as long as you input information in the model. Another factor is the software ability to join building elements system automatically, such as wall to roof, wall to floor, etc. Another factor is the software’s inclusion of all necessary elements in a huge “library” to build a project from scratch, starting by setting levels and grids, foundation elements, to the very detail of the building, where every object in the model is an additive information constituting the project. Another benefit of Revit used in my project was (scope box) component, which allows to focus working on a particular aspect of the project defining the scope work. In a  professional environment, this translates to the software capabilities to defines the scope of work when the model is shared among different people, where each individual is responsible for a particular aspect in the project. Another aspect is the parametric component of every object in the Revit environment “Each component you create in the Revit BIM software has parametric qualities. This means your elements are 3D, but you can also modify the associated 2D planes to change the 3D model.”

– Identify limitation of the Revit software, such as;  it’s not a user friendly software when it comes to brainstorming ideas, and generating conceptual forms and massing. Though the software is equipped with the necessary tools to create massing, however, other software such as Rhinoceros 3D, that allows you to investigate the formals qualities and massing of the project in a more straightforward direction. That being said, Revit allows for smooth transition and collaboration with other 3d modeling software to transfer data from one file to another, emphasizing on the importance of the work flow. Another limitation is Difficult Perspective Editing.

– Through working on creating a parametric object on revit, I noticed that the process takes place on different environments on Revit to achieve the outcome. Starting with a conceptual massing file, then to the Revit environment to generate the final outcome.  Where parameters are defined in the conceptual massing file and then transferred into the revit environment, Finally, I used Dynamo which “extends the power of Revit by providing access to the Revit API (Application Programming Interface) in a more accessible manner. Rather than typing code, with Dynamo you create programs by manipulating graphic elements called “nodes” Dynamo was a great tool, in particular, is has ready access to a library of nodes. Instead of having to remember the exact code you need to type to perform a certain task, in Dynamo you can simply browse the library to find the node you need.