Mastering Revit Architecture 2008 [Paperback]

Tatjana Dzambazova (Author), Greg Demchak (Author), Eddy Krygiel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0470144831 | ISBN-13: 978-0470144831 | Edition: 1

Revit Architecture has revolutionized how architects design, develop, and deliver projects—and now you can join the revolution with this expert guide. Authored by a team of Revit aficionados and experts, this in-depth book uses clear explanations, detailed tutorials, and practical examples to show you how to best implement Revit in the real world. Starting with a focused look at the basics of Revit and Building Information Modeling (BIM), you’ll move quickly into setting up and customizing your Revit tools, preparing your office/project templates and settings, creating your library of components, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Redesign How You Design with Revit Architecture

Revit Architecture has revolutionized how architects design, develop, and deliver projects—and now you can join the\revolution with this expert guide. Authored by a team of Revit aficionados and experts, this in-depth book uses clear explanations, detailed tutorials, and practical examples to show you how to best implement Revit in the real world.

Starting with a focused look at the basics of Revit and Building Information Modeling (BIM), you'll move quickly into setting up and customizing your Revit tools, preparing your office/project templates and settings, and creating your library of components. From there, the book guides you through a wealth of information, from how to start conceptual modeling, use smart workflows to fine-tune your designs, explore design variations, and create rich construction documents. Packed with practical techniques and tips, this is the perfect resource to help you understand and appreciate Revit, unleash your creativity, and be more productive, no matter what your current skill level.

Coverage includes:

• Customizing system families and project settings to make Revit match your style and needs

• Creating Massing studies and conducting feasibility studies to ensure your designs work

• Mastering modeling principles of Revit

• Understanding smart workflows – the power of groups, links, and design options

• Learning best techniques to achieve rich construction documentation

• Collaborating with project teams and customers

• Tracking changes and coordinating processes for smarter workflows

• Creating appealing graphic presentations and realistic renderings

• Move to a Building

• Information Modeling Process and Increase Your Productivity

• Implement Revit and BIM Principles, and Learn Best Practices

• Improve your Workflows, Worksharing, and Collaboration

• Update Design, Specification, or Modeling Information, Dynamically

• Explore Sustainable Design with Revit Architecture

• Annotate All Views for Accurate, Professional Presentations

About the Author

Tatjana Dzambazova was the product manager for Revit Architecture in Autodesk for the last two years and has recently moved into a new position where she explores emerging technologies, immersive experiences, and the impact of the Web 2.0 on our lifestyles. Before joining Autodesk in 2000, she practiced architecture for 12 years in Vienna and London. At Autodesk, she has focused on evangelizing technology and established herself as an internationally renowned speaker who has fostered relationships with architects and industry leaders around the globe. Powered with seemingly unlimited resources of energy, Tanja manages to make three days out of one, and when she is not working (is that ever?) or coauthoring technology books, she is advocating wildlife conservation and sustainability, reading books like a maniac, and getting inspired at the theater. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Bay Area, you might catch a glimpse of Tanja cruising the streets on her Ducati Monster.

Greg Demchak is a designer, technology advocate, urban explorer, and post-apocalyptic webisode producer. He holds architectural degrees from the University of Oregon and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a product designer for Revit Architecture and has been working with Revit since the year 2000 (Release 2.0, if anyone’s counting). He has been teaching Revit and BIM technology at the Boston Architectural College since 2003. He currently lives in Massachusetts.

Eddy Krygiel is a registered architect, a LEED Accredited Professional, and an Autodesk Authorized Author at BNIM Architects. He has been using Revit since version 5.1 to complete projects ranging from single-family residences to office buildings as large as 1.12 million square feet. Eddy is responsible for implementing BIM at his firm and consults for other architecture and contracting firms looking to implement BIM. For the last three years, he has been teaching Revit to practicing architects and architectural students in the Kansas City area and has lectured around the nation on the use of BIM in the construction industry. Eddy also coauthored a paper on sustainability and BIM that was presented at the 2006 AIA Technology in Architectural Practice conference.

Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (November 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470144831
• ISBN-13: 978-0470144831
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #778,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not enough step by step Instructions, December 14, 2007

By 

Z. Paxton "devonshire" (San Carlos, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Revit Architecture 2008 (Paperback)

The book covers allot of ground and shows a lot of impressive possibilities to dazzle you.

I'm a veteran Architecture 2008 user and am switching to Revit 2008. What's maddening is all the little nuances that the experienced users skip over that make all the difference...

As an example, I do a lot of remodel work and many of the existing structures and site features are at odd and sometimes slight angles. Revit will force any lines or objects that happen to be less than 1 or 2 degrees to snap back to 90 degrees or 0 degrees. Granted, those pesky slight angles can create some serious challenges when working in 3D, but there are circumstances that demand that level of accuracy. It took me 2 days of rummaging around the web on blogs and support sites, discussions with my VAR to finally figure out that it just requires a simple typed command "SO" which stands for" Snap Off" that has to be typed while in the command. None of the 3 books I bought mention that little tidbit and my VAR was clueless. Another example: To really make Revit do all the really useful 3D customization that is needed, it's heart and soul is the toolsets to make custom family objects and massing components. This is a very deep subject with a huge amount of special tricks. This book has some practical step by step instructions, but there is a awful lot of "isn't this cool!" and "Geez, wouldn't it be great to make Revit do tricks like these!" kind of examples with just some generalizations as to how to do them. What I'm finding is that the tools and tricks I learned so well in ADT do not translate into Revit. Another example: The drawing (line work) tools take more steps and operate in odd ways compared to the refined tools in ADT. Both this book and the "Introducing Revit" do not show how to use the basic drawing tools! So it was trial and error time. The book talks about roof extrusions but does not show the ins and outs. Roofs apparently extrude profiles not closed loop sketches. Other objects require closed loops "sketched" on a work plane. There isn't enough detail to show the basic steps and the presentation is a bit limited as to which types to use under what circumstances. There is a lot of strategy and important choices to make to work effectively and efficiently that the book does not get into.

This book struck me more like a travel guide than a nuts and bolts instructional manual. The level of detailed instructions are unevenly applied.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and helpful, this is where to go to learn Revit, November 20, 2007

By 

A. Kivett - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Revit Architecture 2008 (Paperback)

After finishing the majority of this book I was impressed with the quality of the examples. The authors definitely understand how Revit works in the "real world." If you are looking for help understanding Revit beyond modeling walls and windows this is where I recommend you start.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rockin' REVIT!, December 4, 2007

By 

K. Meeder "KAM" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Revit Architecture 2008 (Paperback)

Wow, talk about a tool that will finally advance my mad REVIT skills. I have only just begun reading the book and am learning lots of useful tricks. The section on complex massing is especially helpful.