Day 3 - Revit Technology Conference 2012 #RTCUSA

Today marks day 3 of my Revit Technology Conference adventure and boy was it a cracker.  I started the day with a 9:00AM Lab about Vasari and Dynamo given by Matt Jezyk (click here to read about it). I missed my second class because I was getting ready for my lab.  I did make it to Scott Davis's (@scottddavis) lecture on "Rapid Energy Modeling".  Scott, Matt Jezyk, and myself all happened to be speaking about practically the same thing, but I think we all have very different ways of speaking about it.  Scott did a great job and jammed an incredible amount of information in a short period of time.

Finally, it was time for my very first Revit Technology Lab titled "Revit Energy Analysis Workflow: Analyzing Your Model from Concept to Reality".  When the conference in over I will post the handout.  If you don't count the internet not allowing anyone to sign on to Autodesk 360 I'd say it went pretty well.  The room was full and everyone seemed very engaged.  For those of you who sat in on the lab thanks for coming and I hope you took something away from it.  I plan on breaking down my lab content into a smaller video series here on The Revit Kid.com for all of you who did not get to attend.  So look out for that sometime this summer.

The last class I sat in on today was freaking awesome to say the least.  Marcello Sgambelluri, or "the elephant man" according to Jim Balding, demonstrated the possible workflow of Revit to 3D Max to the CryEngine 3 game engine.  All I kept thinking about is how I cannot wait to throw my masters thesis building into CryEngine and blow it up with some grenades...  Yeah... It is that cool.  I am sure I will be talking more about this considering the amount of real time visualization software I have been exploring lately...(I already bought the book...)

Looking forward to some cool lectures tomorrow about adaptive components and extending my BIM models to shop/fabrication.  

Until then I will leave you with one Pro and one Con of today:

• Con:  The Internet is absolutely atrocious.
  
• Pro:  This awesome creation we had for breakfast...
  

 

Autodesk Releases New Dynamo Add-In for Vasari

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a 75 minute lab given by Matt Jezyk of Autodesk (if you don't know who he is just Google him). Matt ran through Dynamo while we got to follow along. Dynamo can be very powerful and I have become a believer (both as a user and programmer). The idea of visually seeing the code not only makes it easier to comprehend but it teaches you the code as well. I encourage all of you to download Vasari and Dynamo and give it a try...

Click here to download Vasari and Dynamo

Click here to view the tutorials and follow along to dynamo...

Day 1 & 2 : Revit Technology Conference 2012 - #RTCUSA

I am here in Stone Mountain, Georgia and so far it is a blast. Yesterday was mostly traveling followed by watching the soccer game. The night ended with a Speaker and Sponsor event loaded with alcohol and appetizers.

Since 9:00 this morning I have been sitting in labs and lectures that have been very informative. The first lab was by Brian Mackey and ran through some nifty tips and tricks within a Navisworks. The more I become exposed to and use Navisworks the more I believe that every Revit users should now at least the basics of Navisworks.

Currently, I am listening to John Tocci, Jr. (@jtocci2) of Gilbane. All I can say is that every Principal and Partner of design firms should be in this lecture. It is all the stuff us BIM-evangelists have been saying for years but said by a contractor... John opened up with the crazy idea that we create a 3D virtual model, make 2D documents out of it, print them on hundreds of sheets of paper and stamp them with liquid stamps, and then try to build the building again in 3D (reality)!?

Anyways... Tonight is another social function with more alcohol. I'm hoping to get back to the room early and run through the material for my lab tomorrow.

Don't forget to follow my adventures he on Twitter @TheRevitKid and follow the event at #RTCUSA

Autodesk Fabrication Website

The more owners are requiring as-built 3D models the more sub-contractors will have to create them too. Believe it or not... A lot of subs are already doing this (just in software that doesn't really interact with our models).

Show them this site!!!

New Banner Image

I would like to make a shout out to a dedicated reader named Andrew Norton.  Andrew emailed me explaining how much help the blog has been to him and he offered to make a new banner (not sure if he just didn't like my banner or had some ideas for another... I won't take it personally).

Well, he designed and created the banner you now see at the top of the blog.  Implementing the "lock" from Revit and my T-shirts with the Revit Kid logo was an awesome idea.

Thanks Andrew.  Let Andrew and myself know if you like it by commenting below. 

RTC North America 2012 - Tomorrow!

I will be getting up bright and early tomorrow morning and heading to Atlanta for the Revit Technology Conference. For those of you going, I look forward to meeting you!  For those of you not attending, make sure to keep an eye on the blog here and also to follow me on Twitter @TheRevitKid .  I will be trying to post as much as possible on both sites.

Also, don't forget to sign up via email to the blog in case you always forget to check the site itself (sign up next to the red arrow to the right ----->>>>>>)

Four days of Revit discussion, labs, complaints, and brilliance!  Looking forward to it!

Lumion 2.2 Released - FREE FOR STUDENTS!

Great news for my fellow students...  We get to use Lumion for FREE!

Click here to read more about the new Lumion 2.2
Click here to sign up for Lumion 2.2 FREE as a Student or Teacher....

P.S.  Artlantis also has a Student download...

Now... How about Autodesk cranks up their cloud rendering units for us students...?  No?

Articles: BIM: A change in the design process?

Here are a couple interesting articles that go along with a recent post I published...



BIM: A change in the design process?


http://www.thenbs.com/topics/BIM/articles/bimAChangeInTheDesignProcess.asp


What will BIM mean for design fees?


http://www.thenbs.com/topics/BIM/articles/whatwillBIMMeanForDesignFees.asp

Revit Tutorial - Create Parametric Complex Structural Forms

Nice tutorial over at BIM Technologist...  I have to say the reason I do videos is because it takes FOREVER to write out tutorials... I don't know what the Revit book writers are thinking...

This shows you the process behind creating complex sweeps in Revit that can be parametrically controlled once completed. 


 Open up a new family template and create a couple of reference lines. We will use these lines to set work planes once we create our forms.  .... Continue reading...

Revit Tip - Create and Share Materials

Luke linked to a great post over at AEC Tech Talk about Revit 2013 and the ability to share material libraries internally...

Autodesk 2013 products allow you to create a library that contains the most commonly used and standard materials within an organization. 

 It can be daunting and confusing to users when they go to specify a material for something and there are many materials from which to choose. Autodesk provides many materials Out-Of-The-Box (OOTB), companies will develop materials in-house, and materials may be downloaded, all of which creates a large collection of materials. This article will describe how you can create a central library on the company server in 3 easy steps, from which users can select the preferred material.


..... Click here to see the post....

Microsoft Surface Pro - Revit on a Tablet?!

In case anyone missed it Microsoft officially announced an actually iPad competitor.  That's right, they did it... And I have to say I am a bit excited.  Personally, I have had my iPad for three years now and used it every single day.  There is no doubt at the success of an iPad and the market it dominates.

Why is the "Surface" announcement so exciting?  Well... the Pro version runs full blown Windows!  And, as mentioned in the announcement below it can "Run windows programs... like Autodesk...".  Microsoft may have been a tad bit off in saying "Autodesk" is a program but the fact that they even said it alongside Adobe  is pretty cool.

I have created and edited Revit models on the iPad using LogMeIn numerous times and have gotten pretty good at it but there are definitely pros and cons.  I look forward to seeing the exact specs of the i5 Pro edition of Surface...  It will surely be an interesting year or so between Apple and Microsoft.

Autodesk BIM 360

Looks like Autodesk countered VectorWork's "Open BIM" pretty quickly... The acquisition of Vela systems appears to be the final piece of the puzzle.  Personally, I can't wait to see what this will evolve into over the next few years.  If you check out the services link below you will find something new called "Autodesk BIM 360 Glue"...  As Greg pointed out this looks similar to the Vela Systems application... Interesting...


Autodesk® BIM 360, the next generation of Building Information Modeling (BIM), is for anyone, anywhere, at any time. Building, infrastructure, design, construction professionals can access intelligent, model-based workflows through a broad range of cloud-based services within the Autodesk® 360 cloud-based platform that provide mobility, accessibility, and infinite computing power. 


 Autodesk BIM 360 helps multidiscipline design and construction teams improve project outcomes by moving computation-intensive tasks to the cloud, enabling more rapid visualization and simulation and optimized collaboration with access to intelligent, data-rich models.Autodesk® BIM 360, the next generation of Building Information Modeling (BIM), is for anyone, anywhere, at any time. Building, infrastructure, design, construction professionals can access intelligent, model-based workflows through a broad range of cloud-based services within the Autodesk® 360 cloud-based platform that provide mobility, accessibility, and infinite computing power. Autodesk BIM 360 helps multidiscipline design and construction teams improve project outcomes by moving computation-intensive tasks to the cloud, enabling more rapid visualization and simulation and optimized collaboration with access to intelligent, data-rich models.



Click here to view the Autodesk BIM 360 page.
Click here to see the services available. 

DesignByMany - REskin Challenge (Prize: Free Revit License!)

I have recently become aware of a new challnenge over at DesignByMany.  The challenge is sponsored by Autodesk and the winner will receive a full blown license to Revit Architecture 2013.  How cool!  Not mention one of the judges is a fellow blogger (Zach).

This challenge is to cleverly reskin a decaying urban building on the corner of Broadway and Reade St in New York City. Submissions can range from a focused investigation to an entire reskinning of the building. If the submission is a focused investigation, a wholistic application of the investigation must be represented. Submissions are encouraged, but not required, to incorporate sustainable technologies and strategies into the skin. The skin should be awesome, inventive, and buildable.


Assuming that the budget is not endless, each component of the skin should be “buildable.” As part of the submission, provide a brief fabrication method/proposal that clearly outlines what each component is made of and how it will be assembled. All final submissions must be in Revit “.rvt” format. 

 Click here to read about the competition and to enter.

Stadia 3D for Revit 2013 - Real Time Visualization

I have mentioned Stadia 3D multiple times in the past and I will continue to post about it as the software grows.  Robert is a great guy and I love what he is doing over at Stadia 3D and I hope you all get a chance to try it out...

Check out previous posts here, here, and here...

Click here to download the Stadia 3D Plugin for Revit 2013 and start your trial now...

Click here to visit the Stadia 3D Website.

Feel free to email Robert and let him know what you think or any questions you have: rp@stadia3d.com

"BIM Manager" - What Does it REALLY Mean?

I stumbled upon this blog the other day and I found this post which interested me...  The posts are few and far between and the specific post about a "BIM Manager" is from 2008 but I liked the PDF.  I would argue that his description is more a cross breed between an IT Manager and a BIM Manager, but then again, that is essentially the point.

Click here to view Mark's post about a BIM Manager's job description....

Additionally, post your own personal beliefs in the comments below as to what a BIM Manager is, does, and means....

Revit Technology Conference 2012 - Two Weeks

Today marks two weeks until the Revit Technology Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I am getting more and more excited for this conference as the days grow nearer.

There is still plenty of time to register and book your trip.  If you are already registered don't forget to sign up for my lab on Friday at 4:00 titled "Revit Energy Analysis Workflow: Analyzing Your Model From Concept to Reality".  I already submitted the handout and am looking forward to running the lab.

Click here to go tot he RTC 2012 website and register now!

Can't wait to meet everyone!

Revit Tip - Can't Select Filled Region

Problem:  You created a fileld region in a floor plan view but later on in the process you cannot select the region.  You see the pattern and when you turn "detail items" on and off the region turns on and off.  For some reason you cannot select the damn region.

Solution:  Check your Visibility/Graphics settings ("VV".  Under the "Line"  category see if the line type you drew as the boundary for the filled region (eg. "") is off or on.  Interestingly, when the line type that is used as a boundary for your region is off... You cannot select the region.

Just an FYI.

;)

Autodesk Acquires Vela Systems

Unfortunately I was away this weekend when I received an email from Autodesk about their acquisition of Vela Systems.

Check out the Autodesk Announcement here....    

I have had every Autodesk app on my iPad and I have had a trial of Vela Systems on it as well.  I am very excited, curious, and cautious about what will come of this.  The Vela Systems app is a pretty well thought out and easy to use piece of software and I am just cautious as to what Autodesk will do with it.  I do agree that if implemented correctly this could be a giant step into the "post-printing" phase of a project.  Combined with Navisworks, Autodesk could now be a one stop shop from conceptual design to the maintenance of a completed building. 

Is the "The End of CDs?" the End of Phases as Well?

Phil Bernstein, or "Uncle Phil" (as I like to refer to him on this blog), published an interesting article the other day questioning the future of construction documents (CDs).

Click here to read Phil's post...

This is a topic I love discussing.  For me, personally, it is fascinating to be part of the paradigm and to embrace it.  When I started working in the field 7 years ago the shift was just beginning.  It feels as if a shift has been occurring throughout my 7 years and I am curious to see what is made of it.  My generation has not had the luxury (or I would call it a non-luxury) of being introduced into the field at a time where the process is exactly the same for the next 20 years.  Could it be more beneficial to us to enter in a time of elasticity in the process than the generation before who have been doing things the exact same way since the 80's?  

I couldn't help but make comparisons to a project I am currently working on.  The firm I work for has "checklists" for each phase of the project.  This checklist was put into place years ago (at the beginning of the AutoCAD days or even earlier) and basically states the items which should be on the drawings to makes the set s "SD" or a "DD" set.  Well, thanks to Revit and some experienced users the "SD" printing of the project completes both the "SD" and "DD" checklist along with some items on the "CD" checklist.

Working on the model has allowed us to make more decisions earlier, bang out a serious amount of sheets, and interact with the CM and consultants at a traditional "SD" phase of the project.  We have yet to evolve into Phil's prediction of the sub-contractors involvement in such early stages but I can see where it will be beneficial.

This leads me to add to Phil's assertion of the possible end of Construction Documents to my own assertion of the possible end of the traditional "Schematic Design", Design Development", and "Construction Document" workflow.  I know, principles, partners, and managers will scream "HOW AND WHEN WILL WE INVOICE!?".

Well, maybe that needs to change too.  It is not like anyone ever pays those invoices anyways.  Perhaps the end of CD's and the end of the traditional workflow could spark the beginning of an accounts receivable that actually receives!?    

Revit Tip - Revit Formulas for "Everyday" Usage

Awesome posting over at RevitForum from Munkholm.  Very comprehensive yet easy to follow.  I recommend anyone who plans on building families looks at this.


Revit Formulas for "Everyday" Usage:
http://www.revitforum.org/tutorials-tips-tricks/1046-revit-formulas-everyday-usage.html