TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter, we ll talk about the early stages of design and the first massing studies created that explore conceptual ideas. We ll introduce you to the principles of massing and the tools in Revit that are specifically designed to support workflows related to massing studies, and early conceptual design processes where form is explored and analyzed. You ll see how Revit allows you to maintain continuity as you move from massing study into real building elements that can be documented and eventually built. We ll discuss various approaches for creating massing studies and the underlying principles of creating parametric mass elements using the Family Editor.
You ll acquire the following skills in this chapter:
Understand massing workflows supported by Revit
Create massing elements in the Project Environment and Family Editor
Understand how massing can be used downstream as the design progresses
There are many ways to start a new design. It often starts as a napkin sketch while you listen to your client s needs and desires in a coffee shop. These first ideas encapsulate the essence of the design and, unless some unforeseen changes are demanded in the design, usually manifest themselves in recognizable form in the final building. Many architects are known for the remarkable similarity between the first napkin sketches and the final outcomes, as can be seen in drawings by architects such as Frank Gehry, Jorn Utzon, Daniel Libeskind, Frank Lloyd Wright, and countless others. Figure 7.1 shows a hand sketch using very gestural...
