The benefits of using Revit for interior design professionals are potentially immense. Above all, thinking about the possibility of reducing documentation and coordination times between disciplines, and transferring that time to the design of spaces and details.
That is the reflection that our clients have given us when we asked them why they want to implement Revit.
With the professionalization of management systems and indicators, many of these interior design firms have noticed that a high percentage of their hours were being dedicated to the production of documentation, of little added value, and this generated a reduction of the time available in the design stages.
Additionally, today these firms compete globally, so not only is it key that they generate unique designs, but clients are becoming more and more demanding in terms of meeting deadlines. Spending time on activities that do not add value is a sentence to obsolescence.
Revit allows to manage a large volume of information, associated to digital twins of real physical components, and in a fast way.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF REVIT FOR INTERIOR DESIGN?
More design hours available
Increased possibilities for design exploration
Three-dimensional understanding of spaces
Reduced documentation times
Faster production of blueprints and executive projects
Higher quality of services delivered
Better coordination with other disciplines
HOW CAN ALL THESE BENEFITS BE OBTAINED?
Fundamentally through 5 lines:
Parametric design
Design options
Standardization
Production systematization
Virtual coordination
Parametric design enhances the speed with which alternatives can be tested. Through correct modeling and where parts are linked by parameters, design alternatives are generated quickly.
The design options are a tool within Revit that allows to have all the proposals in the same file and to combine options between them in an agile way. A recommendation in this line: once the desired design is reached, clean the previous options, since this tool increases the weight of the file significantly. Before cleaning up, it is also advisable to archive the model with all options and create a new version. In this way you can go back to the studies already performed if necessary.
Standardization favors production speed. Differentiation should be sought in the details, in the solutions, and standardize visualizations, annotative components, spreadsheets, extractions, etc. A robust Revit template, with these standardized elements, will reduce documentation hours.
Production can be systematized through Revit add-ins such as Dynamo. Revit is very powerful but loses efficiency when you have to work with precision. The way to balance that loss is through add-ins or Dynamo.
In interior design coordination between all disciplines is key. Fire installation is not considered a secondary element, but is incorporated into the proposals in an integral way. 3D coordination with all disciplines is key to avoid problems on site, but also to improve the quality of the products delivered.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN PROBLEMS PRESENTED BY REVIT FOR INTERIOR DESIGN?
Realistic visualization of materials in combination with plan graphics (floor plans, look and feel, concepts).
Number of views with different information.
Tagging of wall finishes (we solve with custom parameters to tag different materialities).
Families of design pieces such as luminaires or furniture increase the weight of the file significantly.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING REVIT FOR INTERIOR DESIGN
Generate a robust Revit template, especially in terms of the different views that will be needed. View templates will be fundamental tools to express in a standardized way all the view variants.
Do not load the Revit template with too many families. If you start from a Revit template with a lot of information, the file can quickly become unmanageable. An alternative that we have used on several occasions, is to have another file that we call "Family Container" where, for example, we have all the furniture families and when they are needed, they are searched there. It is important to remember that it is recommended that Revit files should never be larger than 300Gb. If the Revit template without project elements weighs 150Gb, you will quickly have a problem.
Understand the use of the model. If the model is not going to be used for renderings, the families should not have a high level of detail. You can use strategies such as editing the behavior and display of the family depending on the view in which it is located.
For the endings we recommend creating custom parameters that give the freedom to label different materialities.
Start experimenting with Dynamo. Revit has certain limitations for precision design and these limitations can be unlocked with Dynamo. At the same time, a lot of repetitive work can be accelerated.
If you experiment with Dynamo, the recommendation is to change your thinking logic. Work with scripts relating spaces, not entities. This will open up many possibilities (occupancy calculations, component allocation, implementation of completions, etc.).
Work with consultants who work in Revit. If this is not possible, outsource the creation of MEP models.
Perform interference analysis with Revit or if they are proficient in Navisworks, better.
Generate site coordination drawings. See image below.
At Axet we work by understanding our clients' needs and reflecting on the best strategies for each particular context.
The challenge is to transcend technology, to use it intelligently to modify processes that go beyond it and benefit the entire discipline. The goal is to achieve higher productivity and greater efficiency, thus generating better designs.
For more information on how we can help your organization in the digital transformation process, contact us at this link or write to hello@axetbim.com
