BIM and Visualization0 pages

®

REVIT
BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING

BIM and Visualization
This white paper explores how building information
modeling using the Revit platform with Autodesk® 3ds
Max® can be used to explore, validate and convey
architectural designs.
Predicting how occupants, visitors, or neighbors will react to and interact with a building is
a crucial part of the design process. “Will this building cast shadows on the neighboring
park?” “Will this brick façade fit in with the other buildings around it?” “Will this lobby area
get too congested?” “Will this light monitor provide enough daylight to the hallway below
it?” These types of questions are best answered by “seeing” the design - experiencing the
design before it’s real.
A computable building information modeling platform such as the Revit platform brings
with it the ability to predict the performance of a building before it’s built. One aspect of a
building’s performance is how people will experience a building, and physically accurate
design visualization is fundamental to predicting the effect the building will have. This
white paper focuses on how BIM improves the design visualization process.

Visualizing an Architectural Design
Visualizing an architectural design often relies on envisioning the building based on
orthogonal drawings or a small-scale physical model or an artist’s sketch or watercolor.
Visualizations such as these can be hampered by the viewer’s ability to mentally interpret
2D drawings, the static nature of medium, and in the case of models or artist’s renderings,
the cost to produce them.
The advent of CAD and 3D modeling technology ushered in computer-based
visualizations, which complement the traditional visualizations described above. Shaded
3D views, photo-like renderings, animated walkthroughs - these types of design
visualizations are much more effective for communicating a 3D design and are now widely
used to explore, validate and convey architectural design concepts.
Most architectural authoring tools (including Revit-based applications) have some sort of
built-in or in-line visualization capabilities for quick feedback during the design process.
Purpose-built visualization tools (such as Autodesk 3ds Max software) are then used to
deliver the extra realism and special animation effects that characterize today’s
visualizations: renderings worthy of an art gallery, animated walk-throughs and fly-bys that