Introduction to Revit

Objective

This exercise will introduce Autodesk Revit, which is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software used by architects and structural engineers. The goal of this exercise is to design a 350-400 ft² furnished apartment using Autodesk Revit.

Overview

A design firm has contracted with New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development to solve a pressing problem in the Big Apple. There are only about one million studio and one-bedroom apartments available for 1.8 million one and two-person households in New York City. To meet this high demand, new apartments have to be created for New York residents and college students. This apartment should be furnished. It must have adequate lighting (at least one window) and space. Design an apartment layout with the following specifications:

• A 350-400 ft² floor plan layout of the entire apartment
• A bathroom with furnishings
• A kitchen with furnishings
• A bedroom with a bed, a table, and a desk
• An electrical plan for the apartment
• Extra credit: create a realistic rendering and 3D walkthrough of the apartment

Design Consideration

• Maximize the living space in this apartment
• Be creative and create a coherent space
• Make the apartment comfortable

Procedure

1. Sketch a solution to the design considerations and indicate the square footage. Have the sketch approved by a TA.
2. Open Revit. Do NOT use Revit 2021. Select New, then select Architectural Template (Figure 1).
   

   Figure 1: Revit 2020
3. There are four major sections used to create and modify the building in Revit. The "Quick Access Toolbar" is circled in red, the "Project" ribbon is circled in yellow, the "Properties" panel is circled in green, and the "Project Browser" panel is circled in blue (Figure 2). If any of the sections are accidentally removed from view, they can be reinserted by going to "View" → "User Interface" (rightmost icon) in the ribbon.
   File:Lab 4 Figure 24.PNG

   Figure 2: Revit Interface
4. In the ribbon, go to the "Manage" tab and select Project Units (or type UN) under the Settings section (Figure 3). Click the "Length value" and select "Feet and fractional inches” with rounding to the nearest 1/32”. Click OK.
   

   Figure 3: Project Units
5. Ensure the Properties panel is open by right clicking anywhere and clicking on Properties.
6. Ensure the Level 1 floor plan is selected in the "Project Browser" on the left side of the window by double clicking on Level 1 under "Floor Plans".
7. Create the exterior walls by going to the "Architecture" tab in the ribbon and selecting Wall (Figure 4).
   

   Figure 4: Wall Tool
8. Make sure the walls are 8” thick and 10’ high. The thickness and height of the walls can be changed in the "Properties" panel (Figure 5).
   File:Lab 4 Figure 27.PNG

   Figure 5: Wall Properties
   1. The "Base Constraint" changes where the bottom of the wall is placed in reference to the different levels.
   2. The "Base Offset" adjusts the height difference between the level and the base of the wall.
   3. The Top Constraint determines where the top of the wall is located. If the top constraint is selected to be Unconnected, then the "Unconnected Height" can be used to determine a numerical value for the height of the wall.
9. Insert the interior walls (6” thick and 10’ high) for the bathroom and any other walls if desired. The type of wall (thickness) can be changed in the drop-down menu in the "Properties" panel (Figure 6).
   File:Lab 4 Figure 28.PNG

   Figure 6: Changing Wall Types
10. Insert the floor by using the "Floor" tool in the Architecture tab of the ribbon and selecting the boundary where the floor will be placed. The boundary can be made by selecting the walls or by creating individual lines using "Modify | Create Floor Boundary" → "Draw" on the "Project" ribbon (Figure 7). To complete the floor, click on the green check mark in the ribbon.
    File:Lab 4 Figure 29.PNG

    Figure 7: Create Floor Boundary
11. Insert doors and windows in the apartment.
    1. Go to "Insert" → "Load Family" → "Doors/Windows" for a wide range of doors and windows (Figure 8). Doors should be 3’ wide and 7’ tall (No specifications for windows).

       File:Lab 4 Figure 30.PNG

       Figure 8: Load Family Tool

    2. Go back to the "Architecture" tab of the ribbon and select Door/Window (Figure 9) and select the loaded door/window from the "Properties panel". They can then be placed by clicking in the floor plan.

       File:Lab 4 Figure 31.PNG

       Figure 9: Door and Window Tools

    3. Once placed, the direction of the doors and windows can be changed with the arrow couples (Figure 10).

       

       Figure 10: Door Direction Change

12. When loading furniture or appliances, go to the "Architecture" tab of the ribbon and select "Component" → "Place a Component" (or type CM).
13. Furniture and appliances can be added with the "Load Family" tool like doors and windows. Only the furniture and appliances from the specifications must be in the floor plan, including the entire bathroom. Table 1 shows the folder paths for all the files needed in this lab. In the dialog that appears, the material in the Override column should be changed.

Table 1: Folder Paths for all Furniture and Appliances Tab

Components	File Paths
Sink	US Imperial → Plumbing → MEP → Fixtures → Sinks
Toilet	US Imperial → Plumbing → MEP → Fixtures → Water Closets
Shower	US Imperial → Plumbing → MEP → Fixtures → Shower
Bed	US Imperial → Furniture → Beds
Kitchenette	US Imperial → Special Equipment → Domestic
Table	US Imperial → Furniture → Tables
Desk	US Imperial → Furniture → Tables
Door	US Imperial → Door → Residential

14. Add furniture to the floor plan. The components can be rotated before being placed by pressing the space bar.
15. Once the families are loaded, they can be placed by going to "Component" → "Place a Component" in the "Architecture" tab of the ribbon and by switching in the "Properties" tab (Figure 11).
    File:Lab 4 Figure 33.PNG

    Figure 11: Changing Component Families
16. To insert a ceiling or ceiling appliance, the ceiling plan in the "Project Browser" must be selected. Go to Level 1 in the "Ceiling Plans" (Figure 12).
    File:Lab 4 Figure 34.PNG

    Figure 12: Ceiling Plans
17. Use the "Ceiling tool" in the "Architecture" tab of the ribbon to create the ceiling (Figure 13).
    File:Lab 4 Figure 35.PNG

    Figure 13: Ceiling Tool
18. The ceiling is created with the same method as the floor, by selecting a boundary where the ceiling will be placed. The individual walls can be selected to create the boundary by creating a "Sketch Ceiling", or entire areas can be selected for the boundary using the "Automatic Ceiling" (Figure 14). Don’t forget to complete the ceiling by clicking the green check mark in the ribbon.
    File:Lab 4 Figure 36.PNG

    Figure 14: Sketch Ceiling and Automatic Ceiling Tools
19. Navigate back to the Level 1 floor plan in the "Project Browser". Insert the electrical appliances in the apartment using "Architecture" → "Component" on the ribbon and using the file paths provided in Table 2.

Table 2: File Paths for Architecture Tab

Components	File Paths
Light Switch	US Imperial → Electrical → MEP → Electric Power → Terminals → Lighting Switches
Ceiling Light	US Imperial → Lighting → MEP → Internal

20. For ceiling lights, go back to the Level 1 "Ceiling Plan" in the "Project Browser". Select the lights that are to be placed with the "Component tool in the "Architecture" tab of the ribbon. Once the lighting fixture is selected, select "Modify | Place Component" → "Placement" → "Place on Face" tab of the ribbon to freely place the lights on the ceiling (Figure 15).
    File:Lab 4 Figure 37.PNG

    Figure 15: Place on Face Tool
21. In the "Quick Access Toolbar", select "Default 3D View" (small house icon) to view the project in 3D (Figure 16).
    File:Lab 4 Figure 41.PNG

    Figure 16: Default 3D View Tool
22. Save the file as an "Autodesk Revit File (RVT)" file. Take screenshots of the project and submit the RVT file on the EG1003 website by 11:59 PM the night before the next lab.

Lab 1B Assignment

The "RVT" file must be submitted to the EG1003 website by 11:59 PM the night before your next lab. There is "no" individual lab report or team presentation for this part of Lab 1.