s4-5 revit architecture - phasing and design options

8/7/2019 S4-5 Revit Architecture - Phasing and Design Options

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Revit ArchitecturePhasing and Design Options

Simon Gillis

S4-5 Architecture and Building

Course Summary:

Traditional CAD software offers no access to specialized tools when dealing with phasing or design options.Fortunately, we have purpose-built tools for both when using the Revit platform. In this course, we will covercommon issues that arise when dealing with multiple phases of work and how the phasing/demo tools can beused effectively. When working with multiple design alternatives, its often frustrating waiting for a decisionand then having to apply that decision to the progressing documentation. With the Design Option feature, wecan start a design alternative at any time and apply the chosen design alternative directly to the drawing set -- all views, tags and schedules are coordinated instantly.

Instructor:Simon has worked at Autodesk for the last nine years and is currently an Application Engineer focused onRevit Architecture in Northern Europe. Prior to Autodesk he worked for ten years in Commercial Architecture,

specialising in CAD Coordination, CAD Management and Visualisation.

Autodesk User Group International

AUGI.UK.AUGI.com


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Copyright AUGI Design Academy 2007

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Introduction

In this session we will look at two powerful features of Revit Architecture: Phasing which gives youthe ability to visualize and schedule different stages of construction and Design Options which giveyou the ability to develop design alternatives within a single project.


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PhasesCreating phases in a building design allows you to subdivide a project into different periods ofconstruction and manage the life cycle of the project. With phases, you can view and compare thedifferent stages of a project.

Existing, new, and demolished constructions in a project are shown in the illustration to the right.

Existing construction

Demolished construction

New construction

Revit Architecture projects have two types of phases, existing conditions and new construction. Whenyou design a new building, you generally refer to the existing conditions phase only for the site.Renovation projects or additions also proceed in phases where existing conditions must bedocumented along with changes.

Complex projects may have more phases than just new construction. With phases, you can view themiddle of a project as well as its beginning and end.


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Different phases using line typesand colors are shown in theillustration to the right.

Demolished construction with color override applied


New construction

Definition of Phases

Phases represent fixed periods of time in a project. You can specify as many phases in a project asrequired. A project to renovate a building can undergo a demolition phase and more than onereconstruction phases. You also have an existing phase to represent the building in its current state.

Phase is a view property. Each model view, including schedules, belongs to a phase. The phase filterproperty of each view controls which phase or phases appear in the view.

Revit Architecture displays elements belonging to different phases with different linetypes. You cancontrol the appearance of the model by applying graphic overrides to phases. This helps in displaying

different combinations of phases in one view, according to the requirements.

Properties of Phases

Each view has two properties, Phase and Phase Filter. The Phase property initially controls the phaseof components created or placed in the views. When a view is opened or created, a phase value isautomatically assigned to the view.

The Phase Filter property affects the display of model components in the view. It allows you to definethe phases in a view that you want to see. Each view has existing phase filters. You can also createcustom phase filters for a view.

The appearance of model components changes when you apply a phase filter in a view. For example,demolished walls in the current view can disappear, or appear as dashed lines according to the

graphic representation specified for the demolished objects.

Revit Architecture provides different graphic representations for components according to their phase.You can also modify the standard graphic representations to change the appearance of model


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components in views with phase filters. You do this by specifying different colors, linetypes, or lineweights for the Demolished, Existing, New, and Temporary phase status of objects.

You can change the phase property at any time. If you create a component in a Phase 1 view andthen demolish it in a Phase 2 view, the component appears as New in the first view and asDemolished in the second view.

Note

A new project, by default, has two view phases defined. They are Existing and NewConstruction.

Phase Filters

A phase filter is a rule that controls the appearance of model components in a view. It determinesthe phases that are displayed in a view and how they are displayed.

You define phases and phase filters for views in a project. You can also make multiple copies of aview and apply different phases and phase filters to the copies of the view.

Note

To display all model components of all the phases, set the phase filter to Show All. Todisplay all model components with no graphic overrides, set the phase filter to None.


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Default Phase Filters

Each project contains the following default phase filters.

Phase Filter Description

Show All Displays new, existing, demolished, and temporary components in the currentphase. Components demolished in earlier phases are no longer displayed.

Show Demo + New Displays demolished and new components.

Show Previous + Demo Displays existing and demolished components.

Show Previous + New Displays existing and new components.

Show Previous Phase Displays all elements from the previous phase.

Show New Displays new components.

Show Complete Displays both existing and new construction; that is, the entire project.

Phase Conditions

A model component has one of the following phase conditions associated with the phase.

Phase Condition DescriptionNew The component is created in the phase of the current view.

Existing The component is created in an earlier phase and continues to exist in thecurrent phase.

Demolished The component is created in an earlier phase and demolished in the currentphase.

Temporary The component is created during the current phase and demolished in thecurrent phase; that is, it is created temporarily.


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Each phase condition can have one of the following phase display conditions.Phase Display Conditions DescriptionBy Category Displays components as defined in Object Styles in the Visibility/Graphics dialog

box.

Overridden Displays components according to definitions on the Graphic Overrides tab.

Not Displayed Does not display the component.

Model Component Phasing Properties

Each model component has two phase properties, phase created and phase demolished. Byspecifying the phase in which a model component is created or demolished, you can define how themodel component appears during the various phases of work. An object that is created and

demolished in the same phase is classified as temporary. Temporary model components aredisplayed according to the phase filter setting for the temporary components.

The phase properties of model objects can be viewed and modified with the Element Propertiesdialog box. The Phase Created property indicates the phase in which the model component wasadded. The default value of this property is the same as the phase value of the current view. You canmodify the value of the Phase Created property to another phase condition by selecting a differentphase condition from the Phase Created list.

The Phase Demolished property indicates the phase in which the model component was demolished.The default value for this is None. When you demolish a model component with the Demolish tool,the Phase Demolished property is updated to the current phase of the view in which you demolishthe model component. You can also demolish a component by setting the Phase Demolished propertyto a different value using the Element Properties dialog box.

When you demolish a model component, its appearance changes in all views based on the viewphase filter settings. For example, when you apply the Show Demo + New filter to a view withdemolished objects, that active view displays the demolished model components with black, dashedlines. If you apply Show New or Show Complete phase filters to the same view, the demolishedobjects disappear.

Phase Views

The following illustrations show a plan view during three phases of construction. The first twoexamples have the Show All filter applied. The last example does not have a phase filter applied, somodel components from all phases are displayed with the same line weights.


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Existing Construction Existing construction

Demolished construction shown with coloroverride

New construction


The following illustration shows existing, demolished, and new construction phase with no phase filter


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Combining PhasesYou can combine two phases in one. When you combine phases, one of the original phases is deleted.The Phase Created and Phase Demolished properties of all model components with the original phasevalue update automatically to show the new combined phase value.

Applying Phases to Schedules

Phases and phase filters apply automatically to schedules. For example, in a large renovation project,a door schedule typically lists all doors in the project. In a building with hundreds of doors, theschedule can become difficult to work with if demolished doors are also listed with the post-renovation doors. Instead of working with a list in which half the doors are eventually demolished,

you can create two door schedules, such as Doors Pre-Demolition and Doors Post-Renovation, andthen apply the appropriate phase to each schedule.

Example of Phases

An example of model components displayed withgraphic overrides for different phase conditions isshown in the illustration to the right.



New construction


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About Design OptionsYou can create numerous variations in the design of a Revit project. These variations in the designare known as design options. Design options can be merely conceptual in the early stages of aproject or detailed engineering specifications when a project has been extensively developed.

Definition of Design Options

Design options are alternative design schemes that provide a method to explore variations in aproject. You can detail different aspects in each design option, study and modify each design option,and present the options to the client. After you and the client agree on the final design, you candesignate a design option as the primary design option and eliminate the others.

You first designate a part of the design that will not change as the main model and then develop itsvariations. Design options exist in the project along with the main model.

Design options can vary in their complexity, such as showing additional floors in an office building,the type of carpeting in a lobby, and the exterior material selections. These design options tend tobecome more focused and simplified as the project progresses.

To use design options, you need to get acquainted with the design options terminology.

Design Option Terminology

The following table lists the various terms related to design options along with their descriptions.

Term DescriptionMain model The important and main elements of the design. For example, the shell and

core of the building are the main elements of the design option and thereforeremain fixed in the design. However, you can experiment with other featuressuch as alternatives for an entry or a floor layout.

Design option set An agreed-upon collection of alternatives that addresses a particular designissue. For example, design option set 1 may focus on the lobby and designoption set 2 may focus on the floor layout.

Design option One possible solution to a design problem. Each design option set normally hasmore than one design option. Each design option is specific to the issueaddressed in the set. One design option in the set is designated as the primary

option.

Dedicated view After design options are created in a project, each model view consists of aDesign Options tab in the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog box. TheAutomatic setting defaults to the primary option for each option set. You candedicate each view to a specific option of a design option set by choosing theoption name. When the view is active or added to a sheet, the design optionsassociated with the view are shown along with the main model.

Primary option The favored option in a design option set. It maintains a closer relationship


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with the main model than secondary options. Main model elements canreference elements in the primary option and vice versa. Only one option in anoption set can be the primary option. By default, each view is set to displayboth the main model and the primary option of each option set. You canchange the default display setting by changing the design option visibility ofthe view.

Secondary option Any option not designated as a primary option in an option set. Elements in thesecondary option can reference elements in the main model. However, theelements in the main model cannot reference the elements in the secondaryoption. Some relationships such as walls joined at corners need to have two-way relationships to appear correct. In these cases, it is necessary to placeadditional elements into an option to provide the correct two-way relationship.

You can have more than one secondary option in a design option set.

Automatic display Used to control the visibility of design options in model views, such as plan,elevation, 3D, and drafting. You can control the visibility of design options byusing the Design Options tab in the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog box. Bydefault, the visibility of a design option set is automatic. This means that theview displays the main model and the primary option if there are no optionsbeing edited. If you are editing an option, the view automatically displays themain model and the option that you are editing. You can also change thedisplay while working on a design option.

Room Elements in Design Options

You can use design options to create rooms. You can also use three or more room bounding wallsthat are already part of the design option to create rooms. If you place a room tag in the main model,the tag uses the room-bounding elements in the main model and the primary design options todefine the perimeter and area of the room. The tag ignores the walls and area lines in the secondarydesign options.

If you place a room tag to any design option, the tag can reference walls and area lines in thatdesign option in the main model and in the primary design options of other design option sets. Thetag ignores the walls and area lines in other design options of each option set.


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Example of Design OptionsThe following illustrations show the main model and the use of design options to display the possibleroof designs for the building.

Main model Primary option

A secondary option

Guidelines for Using Room Elements in Design Options

You can use design options if you want different types of rooms in your building model. While usingthe room element in design options, it is recommended that you follow certain guidelines.

If you want to assign different room properties in different options, include a room in eachdesign option set. This is helpful when you want different types of rooms in each design option.


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If you want the shape, size, or location of a room to be the same in all the design options ofthe design option set, place the room in a design option set.

If you want the shape, size, or location and other properties of a room to be the same fordifferent design options, place the room in the main model.

If you want the shape, size, or location of a room to vary between the different design optionsof two or more design option sets, divide a room into smaller rooms using room-separationlines. Each room should vary in only one design option set. Then, you can put each room intothe appropriate design option set.

If you want a schedule to display all the rooms in the main model and in the primary designoptions, set the room schedule's design option display to Automatic. You should set the room

schedule's design option display to a secondary design option if you want the schedule toshow all the rooms in the main model and that design option. This helps you control thedisplay of room schedules in different design options.

Properties of Design Options

When you are using design options, you need to be familiar with the views, design option elements,and the main model elements properties.

View Tag Visibil ity

Views are a part of the main model. Therefore, they cannot be added to design options. However,

you can set the visibility of view tags in design options using the Visible in Option property. If youcreate a view while editing the main model, the value of this property is set to All, which means thatthe view tag is visible in all the design options. If you create a view while you are editing a designoption, the value of the view property is set to the design option currently being edited. You canalways change the value of this property to a different design option, which makes it visible only inthat design option.

View-Specific Elements

Most view-specific elements cannot be added to design options. If you place a view-specific elementwhile you are editing a design option, the view-specific element is displayed as shaded in the view.

The only view-specific element that can be added to a design option is a room tag. View-specificelements such as text, annotations, and detail lines can reference elements in design options. Forexample, you can dimension elements in a design option.

Deleting Views

If you delete a design option or a design option set, any views that are associated with that designoption are deleted automatically. For example, floor plan Level 1 is dedicated to Option 2 of DesignOption Set 1. In the Design Options dialog box, you delete Option 2. The Delete Dedicated Option


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Views dialog box displays a list of all the views that have the Design Option property set to Option 2.In this dialog box:

You can clear the check box of a view to set its design option visibility property to automatic.

You can click Cancel, change the Design Option property of a view from that particular option, andtry again.

The following illustration shows the Delete Dedicated Option Views dialog box.

Main M odel Elements

Elements in the main model can reference only elements in a primary option. Therefore, they do notchange their shape or properties in a view displaying a secondary option. For example, if you sketchfour walls in the main model and then sketch a roof in a secondary option, the walls do not

regenerate and attach to the roof.If you want the main model elements to update and reference the elements in the secondary design

options, add the main model elements to the design option set.

Dependent Element Grouping

Elements that are dependent upon one another must be in the same design option. The following areexamples of elements that must reside in the same design option:


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Inserts that cut their hosts. For example, walls and windows must be in the same design option.Inserts that do not cut their hosts can reside in different design options. For example, a cabinet canreside in a different design option from the wall it is mounted on.

Host sweeps and their hosts. For example, walls and wall sweeps.

Topographical surfaces and building pads.

Curtain panels, mullions, and grids.

In the above examples, if you add the host to the design option, the hosted element is includedautomatically. If you try to add the hosted element without the host, a warning is displayed statingthat the host must be added.

When you create groups or arrays, selected elements must be in the active option, or if no option isactive, they must be in the main model.

If you are adding elements to a group, the elements must be in the same option as the group.

Element Borrowing

Element borrowing is possible when worksets have been activated in a project. If you need to work

with elements in a workset that another person controls so it is not editable by you, you can borrowthose elements with the other person's permission. Before you can edit any element in a designoption in a workset file, the workset for the required element and its particular design option must be

set to editable. To set an element and its design option to editable, use element borrowing.

Area Schemes

You cannot add area schemes to design options. To perform area analysis with different designoptions, create multiple area schemes using the Area Settings command. Create an area plan foreach area scheme and set the area plan view visibility to display the desired options. Without editingan option, create all area calculation boundaries and tags in that area plan view.

Working w ith Design Option Sets

After creating design option sets and design options, you use the design options to explore differentsolutions to design questions.

If required, you can change the primary option in each design option set. When a decision on anoption set has been reached, you can incorporate the primary option into the main model and deleteother options.

Procedure: Comparing Design Option Sets

The following steps describe how to compare options from two or more design option sets.

1. In the Project Browser:


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Right-click the name of the view you want to compare. Click Duplicate View > Duplicate.

Repeat for each comparison view you want to create.

2. Open each of the duplicate views in turn. Enter VG or VV to open the Visibility/GraphicOverrides dialog box.

3. In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog box, Design Options tab, under the appropriatedesign option set, select the design option to set the view you require.

4. Add the views to a sheet for side-by-side comparison. You can print the sheet or send thesheet to the client electronically.

Procedure: Accepting a Primary Option 1. On the Design Options toolbar, click Design Options.

2. In the Design Options dialog box, select the design option set that includes the primaryoption that you want to incorporate into the main model.

Note: You can also change a secondary option to a primary option by using the MakePrimary option.

3. In the Design Options dialog box, under Option Set, click Accept Primary.

4. When prompted to delete all the elements of the secondary option, click Yes to confirm.

Note: By performing this action, you delete all the secondary options and the option set.You can undo this action, but you should verify that you do not need any other options.

5. Click Close to close the Design Options dialog box. The primary option is added to the mainmodel. All other options and the option set are deleted.

Guidelines for Editing a Design Option

If you are editing a design option, the Active Option Only check box is displayed on the Options Bar.When this check box is selected, you can select only the elements in the view, which are present inthat design option. If you are not currently editing a design option and want to select elements thatare in the design option, you must clear the Exclude Options check box on the Options Bar. The

following recommended practices help you when you edit a design option. Include enough of the main model in each design option set so that you can create your

design options without having to add elements from the main model later on. For example, ifyou are exploring curtain wall options for an entry, it may be worth including intersecting wallsfrom the main model so that mullions and corners are easy to create.

Try changing secondary options to primary and back again when you want the secondaryoptions to be merged with the main model. This helps you create design options easily


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because the primary option of each option set can react with the main model much moreextensively than with the secondary options.

Set up and name your views to show option sets and options appropriately. This helps you toswitch to the correct view to make a change in a design option quickly, when required.

Save a copy of the project file under another name before deleting design options. This keepsyou ready with alternate options if required at some later stage.

s4-5 revit architecture - phasing and design options

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