Customer Reviews

Paul F. Aubin's Mastering Revit Architecture 2009

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the first and last book you will need for working with Revit Architecture 2009. It's great for those just getting started using Revit, as well as more advanced users. The concise and practical step by step instructions are written in simple terms which make them easy to follow and understand. Every chapter contains dozens and dozens of very clear and helpful examples and screen captures, that perfectly illustrate the features and procedures being explained.

I have purchased several of Paul Aubin's books in the past and have always found them invaluable. As an architect and CAD/BIM Manager of almost 20 years, I have not found a better resource for any Revit related questions I may have, no matter how basic or complex. I highly recommend this book.

I have been a CAD-BIM Manger for almost two decades now, and Paul's book are always among my favorites, and are kept close at hand on my desk. This will be an invaluable book for all to have, from beginner and intermediate users looking to build core skills, to advanced users and BIM Managers looking to develop a deep understating of BIM and Revit, and master their Revit Architecture skills.

Each chapter contains a well thought-out introduction and summary, which concisely sum up the concepts and tools to be covered, and what each user should have taken away from the chapter. There are copious Notes, Tips and BIM Manager Notes (my personal favorite) throughout, and they highlight many of the critical and important ideas in the book. I always like to go through these first in Paul's book before an in-depth reading, marking them with stickies for quick reference later. While first time users should avoid doing this, I believe Intermediate and advanced users can get much from the process before diving into the book in earnest.

The Quick Start chapter at the beginning of the book deftly lays out the use of Revit with large brush strokes and easy to understand, step-by-step instructions for getting going in Revit quickly.

Chapters 1 & 2 (Section I) lay the groundwork for an excellent understanding of Revit (and BIM in general), as well as an exhaustive run-down of all the user interface elements with plenty of screen captures to show the way.

Chapters 3 through10 (Section II) provide the roadmap for creating a successful Revit project, and continue to run through all the basic element categories found in Revit. Chapter 10, Working with Families, is the book within the book. It's always hard to know when, where, and how to discuss families, as they are so integral to Revit, but this feels like the right place for this level of discussion. It would be easy to write an entire book just about families, but this chapter get's to the heart of working with families, and continues through to many advanced features which users should find extremely useful.

Chapters 11 through14 (Section III) get the reader through creating all the annotation and your document set, and arguably contain some of the most powerful capabilities of Revit.

The book is excellent, and I may have liked to see chapter 4 (Setting Up Project Levels and Views) come before chapter 3 (Creating a Building Layout), but this is a personal preference, and the book works with reading them in either order. I would also like to see the Worksharing Appendix moved up to the beginning of Section II, as most Revit projects will, at some point, enable Worksharing, and the concept is critical to being successful with Revit. I would also like to see more project related examples, as they tend to make more sense to many of the core readers (who happen to be Architects or those working closely with them), but it does not lessen the books ability to educate

All told, this is an excellent book that will serve a variety of users well, as both an easy to use instructional manual for Revit, and as a solid reference manual.

I highly recommend Paul's book.

I have purchased a few books on Revit so far, most of them simply
indroductory and of limited scope. This book of Paul Aubin is the one
that gave me a good insight of Revit Architecture and its potentials.
I found very helpfull the way the author unfolds and explains the
various tools with precise instructions and supporting illustrations.
I highly recommend this book.

Clear and well-organized text, supported by a CD of electronic example files. Working your way through the book and examples will give a solid grounding in using Revit in "real-world" situations. I have recently purchased a number of books on using Revit 2009; this is by far the best. Contains all the information in the other books, and is better organized and written. It also covers both commercial and residential applications.
If your can buy only one book on Revit, this is the best choice.

Aubin's latest edition engages Revit users successfully, whether they are firt-time newbies, intermediate users, or experts looking to refine their best practices.

The book is helpful for those attempting to get HOW and WHY to do things, not just WHAT to do as tutorials or software courses tend to focus on. This is especially critical for somewhat more "advanced" topics, like creating and managing parametric families. Furthermore, Aubin does well to back up concepts and best practices with practical how-to examples provided on CD which accompanies the text.

There is still room for improvement in the text, and Aubin should consider expanding future editions to introduce case studies or examples of how a particular person/role in industry might use the tools differently. For example, although Worksharing overviewed in an appendix, it deserves more full attention where the complexities surrounding Worksharing issues could be made more relevant in hypothetical, narrative examples from industry. "The project architect will be concerned with X, while contrary to that the construction manager should watch out for the following..."

That said, the book is a MUST HAVE for anybody serious about learning and applying Revit Architecture 2009 in their practice. I highly recommend this book, and will be referring to it frequently as I teach my colleagues to embrace BIM tools in my practice.

Written in a masterful way with clear and concise examples, Paul Aubin's Revit guide is a complete view of Revit from the macro to the micro, from the broad understanding of concepts, to the nitty-gritty of the program. As an instructor and solution provider for hundreds of Revit professional users, I can't think of a book I have recommended or will recommend more than Paul Aubin's Mastering Revit Architecture (Series).

If you have never used a computer to draw before or you are a CAD guru of another software.... whether you are new to Revit, or an Advanced Zen Revit Guru, Mastering Revit Architecture 2009 is the must-have book for your Revit library.

Paul Aubin - Mastering series has really helped me with learning all the steps involved in using Revit successfully. I use his books to learn what I cant from other resources. The information needed to be effecient is well explained and very in-depth. If you are looking for a book that can walk you through the basics but as you grow in experience can take you beyond, this book is it. I would highly recommend this as an essential resource.

Clear and helpful. Not overly complicated. Shows you the simple ways to do things. You can easily grasp the basics and get up to speed and be able to go through training better.

Well organized. Aubin takes the time to explain the underlying concepts. A very good overview. Limited information on Worksharing and network implementation keep it from being a single volume comprehensive guide to all aspects of Revit.

This book helped me to adapt to Revit Architecture 2009 very quickly, with practical and appropriate projects. The text is a bit long-winded, however the detail is necessary and ultimately helpful. It took a lot of time to get through the entire volume but it is certainly worth it, and I recommend it as part of getting the best out of this marvelous software.