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21.4.2025 - 28.6.2025 ( Week 1- Week 10)
Gam Jze Shin / 0353154
Computer Applications / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Project 1: Building Modelling and Documentation
Index
1. Instructions
2. Project 1
3. Project 1 Submission
4. Feedback
5. Reflection
fig 1.1 Computer Applications MIB
Project 1
This project focuses on creating a detailed Revit model
of a selected architectural design using key
architectural components such as walls, roofs, floors,
stairs, curtain walls, doors, and windows. The first
stage involves learning Revit modelling techniques and
developing custom Revit Family components.
Once the modelling is complete, the next step is to
produce a comprehensive set of architectural
documentation drawings in A1 size, based on the Revit
model developed in Project 1.
Before starting my model, I searched online for a suitable building to use as a reference. My main criteria were that the building should have two levels, a relatively simple design, and sufficient documentation drawings available. This would allow me to accurately recreate the building in Revit based on the provided references.
Idea from Archdaily
Idea 01
fig 2.1 -2.2 Idea 01 from Archdaily
fig 2.3 -2.4 Idea 02 from Archdaily
fig 2.5 -2.6 Idea 03 from Archdaily
Idea from Architizer
Idea 01
fig 2.7 -2.8 Idea 01 from Architizer
Idea from Smallhouse
Idea 01
fig 2.9 -2.10 Idea 01 from Smallhouse
fig 2.11 -2.12 Idea 02 from Smallhouse
Problem faced
- Some designs do not include height dimensions or a specific scale.
- Some buildings are too large or consist of two connected structures, which would require extra work.
- Layouts with slanted walls inside the building would be challenging to model and construct.
I spent a lot of time researching different
buildings in search of one with suitable drawings.
However, I found it quite challenging to find a
design that not only met my criteria but also
aligned with my personal interest. I believe that
choosing a design I genuinely like is important, as
it helps fuel my motivation and passion throughout
the modelling process. After listing down all the
general idea of what I was looking for, I consulted
my tutor, Mr. Koh, for suggestions. He pointed out
which aspects of my initial choice were less
suitable, which helped guide me in refining my
search. Eventually, I continued exploring until I
found a building that met both my design preferences
and technical requirements.
After consulting with Mr. Koh, I gained a clearer
direction in selecting a building. I realized that the
design didn’t need to be overly unique or complex, as
the main focus of this project is on the accuracy of
the Revit modelling and the completeness of the
architectural documentation. With that in mind, I
began searching for buildings on house-selling
websites. Finally, I found a design that met all my
requirements — it was a two-level house with
sufficient documentation drawings provided, and the
overall design was visually appealing as well.
Therefore, I decided to use this building for my
project.
Learning Progress
fig 2.15 -2.16 Tutorial Video
Before starting Project 1 in Revit, I had no prior
experience with the software. To build a foundation, I
followed the tutorial videos and documentation
provided by the lecturer and completed the assigned
exercises to learn the basics of Revit.
Exercise File
Download Here
Download Here
fig 2.17 Exercise Submission - PDF
fig 2.18 Mistake from Exercise
After submitting the exercise, I reviewed it and noticed a few mistakes. For example, the grid line in the South view was overlapping with the building, which should have been avoided. This made me realize the importance of checking my work more carefully. Moving forward, I will pay closer attention to these details to avoid similar mistakes in future projects.
Revit Modelling
fig 2.19 - 2.20 Starting progress
I began Project 1 by setting up the grid lines and annotating them in Revit.
fig 2.21 - 2.22 Plan View in Ground floor
and First floor
I drew the ground floor and first floor walls based on
the reference drawings I had. For the wall thickness,
I used the generic 200mm type.
fig 2.23 Calculation
For me, one of the challenging part was calculating
the length of the walls and ensuring that all the
dimensions were accurate. The drawing documentation
provided included many small, detailed annotations but
did not show the overall dimensions. As a result, I
had to calculate the total lengths myself, which
required extra attention to detail to avoid any
errors.
fig 2.24 - 2.25 Ground floor view
I then adjusted the height of the Level 1 walls and
added a base floor for Level 1 (this floor was used as
a placeholder and does not represent the actual
building floor).
fig 2.26 - 2.27 First floor view
I added the first floor structure on top of the ground
floor. In addition, I included the floor slab for the
first floor as part of the model.
fig 2.28 -2.29 Door in plan view
Next, I placed the doors in the plan view and adjusted
their height and width to match the dimensions of the
building.
fig 2.30 - 2.31 Door settings
I also edited the door's visibility settings for
certain components in the plan view, especially for
the sliding door. I hid some elements so that, in the
plan view, the door would clearly appear as a sliding
door rather than being mistaken for a different type.
fig 2.32 Position of windows
After placing the doors and windows in the building, I
adjusted their positions in the elevation views to
ensure they were correctly aligned.
fig 2.33 Ceiling plan view
I noticed that after adjusting the position of the
window, it no longer appeared in the floor plan view,
but it was visible in the ceiling plan. I consulted
Mr. Koh, and he explained that the issue was due to
the cut plane setting — the cut line in the floor plan
was below the window, which is why it didn’t appear.
This helped me understand how the cut plane affects
visibility in plan views.
fig 2.34 -2.35 Thickness of wall
Some of the walls in the building are 100mm thick,
so I modified them by changing from the default
200mm generic wall to a 100mm thickness to match the
actual design.
fig 2.36 - 2.37 Create stair
In my model, I included an L-shaped staircase. Mr. Koh
guided me on how to create it using the Sketch Stair
method by drawing the run, setting the boundaries, and
adding risers. After that, the path also needed to be
defined. However, when I tried creating it myself, an
"Invalid Sketch" error kept appearing. Despite trying
several times, I could not fix the issue. So, I
decided to watch online tutorial videos to better
understand the process and find a solution.
fig 2.38 Video of creating stair
Video Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdNzaMNqTQk
fig 2.39 - 2.40 Final stair created
After watching the tutorial video, I tried creating the staircase again, and this time it worked. I discovered that the issue was due to the path not being properly connected, which is necessary for Revit to recognize the stair flow. Additionally, I learned that the boundary should form the outer frame of the staircase, while the risers should be placed within that boundary.
fig 2.41 -2.42 Railing
I deleted the left-side railing of the stairs, as the
selected building design only includes a railing on
the right side, with a wall on the left.
fig 2.43 - 2.45 Stair part
Additionally, I used the
Opening Shaft
tool to create the stair void, ensuring it matched the
reference images provided.
fig 2.46 - 2.47 Curtain wall
I also created a curtain wall and placed it into the
building after learning how to model it through a
tutorial video. I then continued by creating my own
custom family components.
Revit Family Components
Door Family
Download Here
I created a custom door by editing a Revit family, allowing me to include it in my Project 1 model.
Door Family
Download Here
fig 2.48 Custom door in plan view
I created a custom door by editing a Revit family, allowing me to include it in my Project 1 model.
fig 2.49 -2.50 Adjustment of door
family
Since the original size of the door didn’t match the
dimensions of my building model, I adjusted it by
setting the exact height and width to fit the building
accurately.
fig 2.51 Position of door family in plan
view
I placed my custom door in the toilet and also in
Bedroom 1 of the building model.
Window Family
fig 2.52 Custom window in plan view
First, I created a custom window by following the
tutorial video and then loaded it into my project.
The height and width of the window were correct, but
the angle for the blade didn’t work, even after I
adjusted it. This indicates that there may have been
some mistakes during the creation process.
fig 2.53 - 2.54 Redo window family
I decided to recreate the window from the beginning, starting with the nested family and then building the main window family. Through this process, I realized the importance of being very careful when renaming components and editing parameters. Even small differences—such as using uppercase instead of lowercase letters—can cause issues. If the names or symbols don’t match exactly, Revit may not recognize the connection, which can affect the final outcome.
fig 2.55 - 2.56 Final window family with
different angle
This time, when I adjusted the blade angle, it worked
correctly. As a result, I was able to add the custom
window into my building model.
Refining Model Details
At this stage, I have completed the basic elements of
the model, including the floors, walls, stairs, and
the placement of doors and windows. The next step is
to ensure that all remaining details are accurately
added to complete the model.
fig 2.57 - 2.59 Refined shape
For the back door, there was an exterior step, so I
added it to the model and refined its shape using the
Trim tool.
fig 2.60 - 2.61 Issues in ground floor
On the ground floor, the living room floor is elevated
compared to the kitchen. Since I wasn’t sure how to
add another floor on top of the existing one, I asked
ChatGPT for guidance on how to model the raised floor
level correctly.
fig 2.62 - 2.65 Steps between the floor
in ground floor
Between the kitchen and living room, there is a change
in floor height, so a small set of steps is required.
I added the steps between two walls to accurately
reflect this transition in the model.
fig 2.66 - 2.69 Refinement for stair
fig 2.83 - 2.84 After assigning materials for ground floor and first floor
Image above shows the progress of material assignment
for both Level 1 and Level 2 of the building.
After completing the modelling process, I began working on the drawing documentation. I inserted the provided sheet templates into the project and started with the plan views.
I used the Tag Room tool to label the names of different areas. However, some spaces didn’t have walls to separate them, so I used the Room Separation tool to define the boundaries. This allowed me to add the room names and display the area information accurately.
Video Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gwFi_LUVeg
For the stair part, I made further refinements by adding a wall on the right side to give the staircase a more solid appearance, making it look structurally supported rather than floating.
For the stair part, I made further refinements by adding a wall on the right side to give the staircase a more solid appearance, making it look structurally supported rather than floating.
fig 2.70 - 2.73 Refinement for wall
shape
After reviewing the real plan view images, I noticed
that the walls on the left and right sides of the
living room door had a specific shape. I refined the
model to accurately reflect this detail.
fig 2.74 Technical issue faced in
Revit
While working on my project in Revit, I encountered
some technical issues. At times, the software
displayed errors that forced me to pause and wait
before continuing. Additionally, the performance of
the application would slow down or lag when handling a
large number of elements. This became one of the
challenges I faced during the modelling process, as it
affected my workflow and productivity.
Assign Materials
fig 2.75 -2.76 Before assigning
materials
This image shows the building model before any
materials were assigned.
fig 2.77 Assign materials for Roof
I followed the tutorial video taught by Mr. Koh on
how to assign materials to the roof, which helped me
understand the process of applying materials to
different components. Using the same method, I
proceeded to assign materials to the walls, floors,
stairs, doors, and other elements in the model.
fig 2.78 -2.80 Materials suggestion
from ChatGPT
I consulted ChatGPT for suggestions on suitable
materials and guidance on which materials to avoid.
This helped me ensure that I made informed decisions
and avoided common mistakes when assigning materials
in the model.
fig 2.81 - 2.82 Comparison between
window materials
Image above shows the comparison before and after
changing the window materials.
fig 2.83 - 2.84 After assigning materials for ground floor and first floor
fig 2.85 - 2.86 After assigning
materials
Image above shows the building after all materials
have been assigned.
Architectural Drawings Documentation
fig 2.87 Adding Templates
After completing the modelling process, I began working on the drawing documentation. I inserted the provided sheet templates into the project and started with the plan views.
fig 2.88 - 2.89 Room tag
I used the Tag Room tool to label the names of different areas. However, some spaces didn’t have walls to separate them, so I used the Room Separation tool to define the boundaries. This allowed me to add the room names and display the area information accurately.
fig 2.90 Size of 1:100
When placing the plan view onto the template, it
appeared too small due to the 1:100 scale. To improve
the visibility and layout, I changed the view scale to
1:50, which provided a more suitable size.
fig 2.91 Elevations view
For the elevations, I double-checked all four
sides—North, South, East, and West—to ensure they were
complete and accurate.
fig 2.92 - 2.95 Beam added
Apart from that, I also drew the wall beams and floor
beams to be shown accurately in the section views.
fig 2.96 - 2. 97 My dash line
I added dashed lines to represent the beams in the
section view.
fig 2.98 Hide in view in callout section
For the section callout, I hid unnecessary elements to
keep the view clean and focused on the relevant
details.
fig 2.99 Room schedule
For the room schedule, I arranged the data in the
order of level, room name, and area for better clarity
and organization.
fig 2.100 - 2.101 Text resize
I adjusted the font size in the room schedule to
ensure it was clearly readable and not too small on
the template sheet.
Project 01 Submission
fig 2.102 Project 1 Submission - PDF
Project 01 Submission Folder
Check Here to view.
Week 2
While exploring potential buildings for my project,
Mr.Koh found that some options were not suitable.
Certain designs appeared too complicated and would
be difficult to model, while others lacked
sufficient drawing documentation. These limitations
would have made accurate modeling more challenging,
so I continued searching for a more appropriate
building.
Week 7
Mr. Koh guided me on how to create an L-shaped
staircase using the sketch stair method. He also
taught me how to model a wall with a recessed
center, which helped me better understand how to
shape walls based on reference drawings.
Week 8
Mr. Koh mentioned that the model doesn't need to be an exact match with the reference images or drawings, but it must be accurate in terms of proportions, measurements, and key details
Mr. Koh mentioned that the model doesn't need to be an exact match with the reference images or drawings, but it must be accurate in terms of proportions, measurements, and key details
Week 9
Mr. Koh remind me that all views—especially plan
and elevation views—should include proper
annotations. For example, the staircase at the front
of the ground floor should include an arrow
indicating the upward direction. Additionally, all
materials should be assigned appropriately to ensure
the model is both visually clear and accurate.
Reflection
Experience
Before starting this project, I had
no prior experience with Revit and
only a basic understanding of
modeling. This meant I needed to put
in extra effort to get familiar with
the software. Learning a new
application like Revit felt
refreshing, and after watching the
tutorial videos provided, I realized
it wasn’t too difficult to learn.
However, as a beginner, it took time
to understand the tools and navigate
the interface. Many tools required
hands-on exploration, and I often had
to test things out to fully grasp how
they worked. Fortunately, I had
support from AI tools, online video
tutorials and lecturer, which helped
me solve problems when I encountered
them. Although it required patience
and consistent effort, I now feel that
my experience with Revit has grown
significantly after completing Project
1.
Observation
Throughout this project, I observed
that there are many different ways to
approach modeling in Revit. While
there are standard methods, it's also
possible to explore alternative
techniques—as long as they follow
correct modeling principles. I found
that Revit offers a flexible workflow,
and we can adapt methods to suit the
specific needs of our design. There
are plenty of online resources
available, which are helpful for
learning, especially when facing
unfamiliar features. However, some
unique or complex shapes are harder to
find direct tutorials for. In those
cases, having a solid understanding of
the basic concepts becomes crucial.
Once the fundamentals are clear, it's
easier to apply them creatively to
model custom components and solve
problems independently.
Findings
I discovered that modeling in Revit
requires a high level of attention to
detail. Even small mistakes or
missteps can affect the accuracy and
overall quality of the building model.
For example, misplacing a level,
dimension, or incorrectly setting the
properties of a component can lead to
noticeable errors. I also found that
producing detailed and well-organized
drawing documentation is just as
important as the modeling itself. It
requires careful planning, proper
annotations, consistent scaling, and
clear layouts. This part of the
process taught me the importance of
precision and clarity in architectural
presentation. Overall, I realized that
both modeling and documentation are
essential skills, and mastering both
is key to producing professional and
accurate architectural work.
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