Building Model

In this first exercise, you create and name a project in which you will create the building model shown.

1. Create a project:
• In the drawing area, under Projects, click New.
• In the New Project dialog, under Create New, verify that Project is selected.
• Under Template file, verify the second option is selected, and click Browse.
• In the left pane of the Choose Template dialog, click Training Files, and open
\Imperial\Templates [Metric\Templates].
• Select default.rte [DefaultMetric.rte], and click Open.
• In the New Project dialog, click OK.
2. Name and save the project file:
• Click File menu ➤ Save.
• In the left pane of the Save As dialog, click Training Files, and then, in the file window, double-click Imperial [Metric].
• For File name, enter Getting_Started, and click Save.
3. Zoom to a view:
• In the Project Browser, double-click Elevations (Building Elevation) ➤ South.
• Enter ZR, to zoom to a specific region.
Note that the cursor changes to a magnifying glass.
• In the drawing area, move the cursor diagonally and click to draw a rectangle around the level markers.
• The area within the rectangle is magnified to fill the drawing area so that you can work with the level marker text.

4. Rename levels:
• Double-click the Level 1 text, enter 00 Foundation, and press ENTER. Use a number as a prefix to the name so the
plans are sorted by level.
• In the alert dialog, click Yes to rename corresponding views. The floor and ceiling plans for Level 1 are renamed 00
Foundation.
 • Using the same method, rename Level 2 and its corresponding views as 01 Lower Level.
5. Create levels in the building:
• Enter ZO to zoom out.
• On the Design Bar, click Level.
• On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and, for Offset, enter 10' [3000mm].
• In the drawing area, highlight the 01 Lower Level line; when a dashed line is displayed above the level line, click to
create a level (Level 3).
• Using the same method, create a level above Level 3.
6. On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the command.
7. Rename the new levels and all corresponding views:
• Level 3: Rename as 02 Entry Level
• Level 4: Rename as 03 Roof
8. Double-click the level dimensions, and enter new values:
• 0'0'' [0mm]: Change to -14'0'' [-5250mm]
• 10'0'' [4000mm]: Change to -10'0'' [-3050mm]
• 20'0'' [7000 mm]: Change to 0'0'' [0 mm]
• 30'0'' [10000 mm]: Change to 10'0'' [3050 mm]
9. On the Design Bar, click Modify.
10. Save the project file.

Creating Walls
In this exercise, you work on different levels to add foundation walls to the project.

1. In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation to open that view in the drawing area.
2. On the Design Bar, click Wall.
3. In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Retaining - 12'' Concrete [Basic Wall : Retaining - 300mm Concrete].
4. On the Options Bar:
• Click (Draw).
• For Height, select 02 Entry Level.
• For Loc Line, verify that Wall Centerline is selected.
• Verify that Chain is selected.
5. In the drawing area, draw walls on the foundation level:
• Click in the lower right quadrant to select the wall start point.
• Move the cursor to the left, enter 40' [12000 mm], and press ENTER.
NOTE You do not need to specify the unit; Revit Architecture uses the units specified in the project template.
• Beginning at the new endpoint, move the cursor up, enter 22' [6900 mm], and press ENTER.
• Move the cursor to the right, enter 40' [12000 mm], and press ENTER.
6. On the Design Bar, click Modify to exit the command.
7. In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Lower Level.
8. On the Design Bar, click Wall.
9. In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Foundation - 12'' Concrete [Basic Wall : Foundation - 300mm Concrete].
10. On the Options Bar, for Depth, select 00 Foundation
11. Draw walls on the lower level:
• In the drawing area, click the right endpoint of the south wall as the wall start point.
• Move the cursor to the right, enter 6' 6'' [1950 mm], and press ENTER.
 • Move the cursor up, enter 5' [1500 mm], and press ENTER.
• Move the cursor to the right, enter 10' 6'' [3150 mm], and press ENTER.
• Move the cursor up, and select the intersection with the extension of the north wall.

• Select the right endpoint of the north wall to complete the chain and connect the walls.
12. On the Design Bar, click Modify.
13. Save the project file.

Creating Terrain
In this exercise, you create a 3D view and add a toposurface to the building site.

1. In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 02 Entry Level.

2. Create a 3D view:
• Click the View tab of the Design Bar, and click Camera.
• Click in the upper right corner of the drawing area to place the camera.
• Click to place the camera target point, as shown.

A 3D view is created. The view you create may differ slightly from the illustrations shown in the exercises because
of minor variations in camera placement. Drag the blue circular controls that display on the crop region of the
resulting view so that you can see the building.
3. In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views, right-click 3D View 1, and click Rename.
4. In the Rename View dialog, enter To Building, and click OK.
5. Create a graded building site:
• In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
• Click the Site tab of the Design Bar, and click Toposurface.
• On the Options Bar, for Elevation, enter -0' 6'' [-150 mm].
• Add points to the left of the building, as shown. The order of the point selection is not important.
 • On the Options Bar, for Elevation, enter -10' [-4000 mm].
• Add points near the center of the building, as shown. Contour lines are displayed.

• On the Options Bar, for Elevation, enter -11' [-4300 mm].

• Add points to the right of the building, as shown.

• On the Design Bar, click Finish Surface.

6. Create a pad surface:
• On the Design Bar, click Pad, and then click Lines.
• On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).
• Select the outer endpoint at the lower left of the building, as shown.
 • Select the outer endpoint at the upper right of the building.
• On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
7. Open the To Building 3D view to see the results.
8. Save the project file.
In this exercise, you created a simple toposurface in Revit Architecture by selecting points. However, for most projects,
complex site models created by civil engineering professionals will be provided to you in DWG, DXF, DGN, or point files. You
can import these files into your Revit Architecture project where you can automatically generate a terrain using the Toposurface
tool.

Adding Exterior Walls

In this exercise, you build upon the foundation walls. You use the Draw option to create exterior walls that
extend to the roof level.

1. Add walls to the entry level:

• In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 02 Entry Level.
• Click the Basics tab of the Design Bar, and click Wall.
• In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Generic - 6'' [Basic Wall : Generic - 200mm].
• On the Options Bar, for Height, select 03 Roof, and for Loc Line, select Core Face: Interior. The Height setting
defines how tall the wall is and establishes a relationship between the walls and the roof. After you draw the walls, if
you change the roof height, the height of the walls will also change.
• Beginning at the bottom right, trace the interior of the 3 existing retaining walls by selecting endpoints.
• On the Design Bar, click Modify.
2. Add walls to the lower level:
• Open the 01 Lower Level floor plan.
Notice that the foundation walls are now visible at the right of the plan, so that you can
trace them.
• On the Design Bar, click Wall.
• On the Options Bar, for Height, select 03 Roof.
• Beginning at the left endpoint of the north foundation wall, trace the interior of the foundation walls by selecting
endpoints.
• On the Design Bar, click Modify.
3. Open the To Building 3D view.
4. Save the project file.

Adding a Roof
In this exercise, you create a roof using the footprint of the exterior walls. You specify an offset as you create
the roof so that the roof has an overhang.

1. Open the 03 Roof floor plan.

2. Draw a roof line:
 • On the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint, and then click Lines.
• On the Options Bar, verify that Defines slope is selected.
• To draw the first roof segment, begin at the bottom left and trace the exterior edge of the south wall by selecting the
left wall endpoint and the intersection of the south and far east wall.

3. Create offset roof lines:

• On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), for Offset, enter 3' [900 mm], and clear Defines slope.
• In the drawing area, highlight the west wall; when a dashed line is displayed on the exterior of the wall, click to place
the roof line. Repeat for the north and east walls.
4. Use the Trim/Extend tool to close the roof sketch:
• On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).
• Select the east roof line, and then select the south roof line. Repeat for the west and south roof lines.

• On the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

The resulting roof has an odd slope, which you correct in the next step.

5. Modify the roof slope:

• Select the roof, and click (Properties).
• In the Element Properties dialog, under Dimensions, for Slope, enter 1''/12" [5°], and click OK.
• On the Design Bar, click Modify
6. Open the To Building 3D view.
Select and modify the crop region as necessary to see the roof. The walls are not attached to the
roof; you will attach them in a later exercise.
7. Save the project file.

Adding Floors
In this exercise, you create floors in the building model.
To create floors in Revit Architecture, you must sketch them first in a sketch editor. You use 2 different
sketching options, Pick and Draw, to sketch the floors.
1. Open the 01 Lower Level floor plan.
2. Create a floor using the Pick method:
• On the Design Bar, click Floor, and then click Lines.
• On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and verify that Offset is 0.
• Beginning with the north wall and moving counterclockwise, select the interior of the walls.
• On the Design Bar, click Modify.
3. Enter ZR, and zoom in to the top right corner of the model.
If the floor lines do not create a closed sketch, the sketch is invalid and you need to clean the lines up. To be valid, the sketch
must be a closed loop with no disconnected or crossing lines.

4. Create a closed sketch:

• On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).
• Trim as necessary, selecting the portion of each line you want to retain.

• Enter ZP to zoom to the previous display.

• On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
5. In the alert dialog, click No.
If you clicked Yes, the walls that finish on the lower level would be trimmed to the underside of the floor.
6. Create a floor using the Draw method:
• Open the 02 Entry Level floor plan.
• On the Design Bar, click Floor, and then click Lines.
• On the Options Bar, click (Draw), and verify that Chain is selected.
• Beginning at the lower left interior corner, select the lower endpoint of the west wall, and then select the upper
endpoint.
• Move the cursor to the right 36' [10000 mm], and click to draw the sketch line.
• Move the cursor down 16'6'' [5300 mm] to align with the outside of the wall, and click to specify the point.
• Move the cursor to the right 25' [9000 mm], and click.
• Move the cursor down 4'6' [1300 mm] to align with the inside of the wall, and click.
• Move the cursor to the left, enter SZ to find the loop endpoint, and select the endpoint to complete the floor sketch.

• On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

7. In the alert dialog, click No.
8. View the floors in 3D:
• Open the To Building 3D view.
• Select the wall as shown.
 • On the View Control Bar, click Temporary Hide/Isolate ➤ Hide Element.
The selected wall is temporarily hidden so that you can see the interior floors.
• On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.
• On the View Control Bar, click Temporary Hide/Isolate ➤ Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate.
9. Save the project file

Adding Windows
In this exercise, you work in elevation and plan views to add windows to the model. You use alignment and
dimension tools to more precisely position the windows.
1. Add windows in an elevation view:
• Open the South elevation view, and zoom in to the building.
• On the Design Bar, click Window.
• On the Options Bar, clear Tag on Placement.
• On the Options Bar, click Load.
• In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, and open
\Imperial\Families\Windows [Metric\Families\Windows].
• Select Casement 3x3 with Trim.rfa [M_Casement 3x3 with Trim.rfa], and click Open.
• Add 2 windows, approximately as shown. You will position them and align them with the top of the retaining wall
later. If either of the windows spans an internal wall, a warning about the conflict is displayed; close the warning.
You will resolve any conflict by moving the windows while in a floor plan view.

2. Open the 01 Lower Level floor plan.

Because the windows are at the top of the wall, they are above the current view range for the
plan.
3. Modify the view range:
• In the drawing area, right-click, and click View Properties.
• In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, for View Range, click Edit.
• In the View Range dialog, for Cut plane Offset, enter 7' [2160mm].
• Click OK twice.
The windows are now visible in the south wall.
4. If necessary, move the windows to resolve the conflict with the wall:
• Select the right window, and drag it 2' 6'' [200mm] to the left side of the interior wall.
Select the window and edit the temporary dimensions, as needed.
• Select the left window, and drag it 9' 6'' [2775mm] to the right of the west wall.
5. Create a window type:
• Open the South elevation view.
• Select the window on the left, and click (Properties).
• In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
• In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
• In the Name dialog, for Name, enter 36'' x 36'' [0915 x 0915mm], and click OK
• In the Type Properties dialog, under Dimensions, for Height, enter 3' [915mm].
• Click OK twice.
6. Select the window on the right, and in the Type Selector, select Casement 3x3 with Trim : 36'' x 36'' [M_Casement 3x3 with
Trim : 0915 x 0915mm].
7. Align the windows to the top of the retaining wall:
• On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).
• Select the top of the wall, and then select the top edge of the trim of one of the windows.
Be careful to select the top of the wall, and not the 02 Entry Level line.
• Repeat for the second window.

8. Add windows in plan view:

• Open the 02 Entry Level floor plan, and zoom in to the west side of the model.
• In the drawing area, right-click, and click View Properties.
• In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Underlay, select None, and click OK.
• On the View toolbar, click to activate thin lines so that element lines maintain their true thickness in the zoomed
view.
• On the Design Bar, click Window.
• On the Options Bar, verify that Tag on Placement is cleared.
• In the Type Selector, select Casement 3x3 with Trim : 36'' x 72'' [M_Casement 3x3 with Trim: 0915 x 1830mm], and
place 3 windows on the outside edge of the west wall, as shown.

9. Reposition the windows to be equidistant from each other:

 • On the Design Bar, click Dimension.
• Select the north wall, select each of the window centerlines, and then select the horizontal interior wall.
• Click to the left of the west wall to place the dimension line.
Note that each of the four dimensions is different.

• Click , and then press ESC twice.

The windows are moved so that all of the dimensions are equal.

• Select the interior wall that contains the doors; move it up or down to see how the design
intent is maintained.
• Select the top wall, move it up 3' [1000 mm], and see how the walls resize and the windows
redistribute equally within the wall.
• On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo) once to restore the top wall to the original
dimension.
10. Select the dimension line, and press DELETE. In the warning dialog, click OK to delete the line
but maintain the constraints.
11. Zoom as desired, and open various plan, elevation, and 3D views to display the model results thus far.
12. Save the project file.

Adding Curtain Wall

In this exercise, you change existing exterior walls to curtain walls. You then create a curtain wall type that
you can apply to other walls using the Match Type tool.
1. Open the 01 Lower Level floor plan.
2. Create a curtain wall at the northeast corner of the building:
• Zoom to the east wall.

• On the Tools toolbar, click (Split), and split the east wall just above the door.
• Click Modify.
• While pressing CTRL, select the upper portion of the east wall and the adjacent portion of the north wall.
• In the Type Selector, select Curtain Wall : Storefront. If a warning displays, click to close it
 • Create a curtain wall type:

• Select the north curtain wall at an end so the whole curtain wall is selected, and click (Properties).
The tooltip and the status bar will confirm the selection.
• In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
• In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
• In the Name dialog, for Name, enter House 4'x4' [House 1200 x 1200mm], and click OK.
• In the Type Properties dialog, under Vertical Grid Pattern, for Spacing, enter 4' [1200mm].
• Under Horizontal Grid Pattern, for Spacing, enter 4' [1200mm].
• Click OK twice.
3. Match the type of the north curtain wall to the east curtain wall:

• On the Tools toolbar, click (Match Type).

• Select the north curtain wall, and then select the east curtain wall.
4. Open the To Building 3D view.
The new spacing is applied to both curtain walls.
5. Save the project file.

Adding Walls to the Roof

In this exercise, you attach interior and exterior walls to the roof. When you attach the curtain walls, Revit
Architecture warns you of consequences and modifies the placement of mullions.

1. Open the 03 Roof floor plan.

2. Attach the basic walls:
• While pressing CTRL, select all the interior walls and exterior walls, except the curtain walls.
• On the Options Bar, click Attach
• For Attach Wall, verify Top is selected.
• In the drawing area, select the roof.
• Click in the drawing area, or click Modify on the Design Bar to end the command.
3. Attach the curtain walls:
• Open the North elevation view.
• Move the cursor over the curtain wall, and press TAB until the status bar indicates that the curtain wall is selected,
select the outside edge of the curtain wall, and then click Attach.
• Select the roof.
• In the error dialog about curtain wall mullions, click Delete Elements.
• Open the East elevation view, and attach the east curtain wall to the roof.
 4. Open the To Building 3D view.
5. On the View Control Bar, click Shadows Off ➤ Shadows On.
All walls extend up to the roof. Note the spacing of the top row of mullions/panels; because the
spacing parameter cannot be satisfied, mullions are created where the walls and roof attach.
6. Save the project file.

Modifying the Entry Deck

In this exercise, you modify the floor profile on the entry level to include a deck on the north side of the
model.

1. Open the 02 Entry Level floor plan.

2. Edit the profile of the floor:
• Select the floor, and on the Options Bar, click Edit.
• On the Design Bar, click Lines.
• On the Options Bar, clear Chain.
• On the north side of the model, click on the north wall in line with the right vertical model line, move the cursor up 11'
[3300mm], and click to place the endpoint of the line.

• On the Options Bar, select Chain.

• Trace the 6'' [200mm] north wall from the left endpoint to the double door, and then down to the model line.

• On the Tools toolbar, click (Split), and split the north model line at both sides of the door opening
 • On the Design Bar, click Modify.
• Select the segment at the door opening, and press DELETE.
• On the Design Bar, click Lines, and complete the profile to the right of the door, as shown.

• Draw a line beginning at the left endpoint of the north wall and extending up 3' 6'' [1000mm]
• Draw a line beginning at the upper endpoint of the previous line and extending to the upper
endpoint of the 11' [3000mm] vertical line drawn previously.

• On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

• In the alert dialog, click No.
3. Add a wall to the entry deck:
• On the Design Bar, click Wall.
• In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Retaining - 12'' Concrete [Basic Wall : Retaining - 300mm Concrete].
• On the Options Bar, for Loc Line, select Core Face: Interior.
• Draw a wall from left to right on the slanted floor line, as shown.

• Select the wall, and click (Properties).

• In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Base Constraint, select 00 Foundation, and click OK.
4. In the drawing area, select the floor, and on the Options Bar, click Edit.
5. Select the short vertical line above the west wall, and drag it to the right, as shown.

6. On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

7. In the alert dialog, click No.
8. Open the To Building 3D view.
9. Save the project file