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CHAPTER 1 Understanding BiM: FroM the Basics to advanced realities
Revit Does Away with Layers and X-References
If you’ve already made the jump into Revit, then this will already be obvious: rather than user-
defined layers, you use an intelligent architectural classification system to manage visibility,
graphics, and selection. This may seem stringent at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll
see the benefits. Because a building model is an assembly of meaningful, to-be-built objects,
you control the visibility and graphics of those objects using a rational list of well-understood
categories. This also makes it easy to select similar elements and edit them. Figure 1.8 shows the
list of classifications that manage visibility. You can’t add to or alter this list, which means every
project enjoys the same level of visual predictability. And of course, with an integrated model,
you don’t need to worry about referencing other drawings to keep the drawings up to date and
in sync.
BIM Is More Than a Technology Approach: It’s a Change in Process
One of the powers of Revit is the ability to work in a single-file environment where the design
and documentation of the building happens on a holistic model. This can be a disadvantage if
it isn’t taken seriously. Users who are quick to make changes without thinking about how such
changes will ripple through the model can cause unintended problems. Revit is a parametric
modeler that maintains relationships between building elements to streamline the design process.
For example, deleting a roof underlay in a view doesn’t just delete the roof in that view—it
deletes it everywhere in the model. You need to think before you delete that wall or ignore that
warning message!
Figure 1.7
Using the Family
Editor, you can
model intelligent
part assemblies.
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