2026-02-11 - DDA Week 4 Lecture

Quick recap

The meeting focused on demonstrating how to create and modify site plans in Revit, including acquiring coordinates, rotating and aligning linked site plans, and adding definition to site contours. Sean Johns guided participants through the process of creating a topographic surface, adding points for site definition, and cutting out building footprints to avoid clashes. He also showed how to adjust line weights, create spot elevations, and use the massing tool to model voids for basements or other subsurface elements. Throughout the demonstration, Sean addressed common challenges students might face, such as managing overlapping floors and dealing with Revit's unique modeling nuances. The session aimed to equip students with practical skills for creating detailed site plans in Revit, emphasizing the importance of documentation over design in architectural work.

Next steps

• Trisel: Link the site plan file into your Revit model before proceeding with site plan work, as demonstrated.

• Rachel: Contact IT support (Neville or your brother) to resolve Revit installation/license issues on your laptop.

• All students: For Thursday's deadline, produce a site plan in Revit that includes contours, spot coordinates, property lines, building footprint, north arrow, scale, and correct line weights, as demonstrated in the session.

• All students: Add eastings and northings coordinates to all site corners and building set-out points on your site plan.

• All students: Ensure your Revit site plan is placed on a sheet with correct drawing number, title, scale, and exported with the required naming convention to the ACC folder by the deadline.

• All students: If you encounter technical issues with file access, linking, or Revit functionality, notify Sean.Johns@utech.edu.jm promptly for assistance.

• Sean.Johns@utech.edu.jm: Add a scale bar to the base information folder for students to include in their site plans.

• Sean.Johns@utech.edu.jm: Cover legends and tree placement in tomorrow's class session.

Summary

Revit Site Plan Linking Demonstration

Sean demonstrated how to link site plans in Revit using the Autodesk Construction Cloud, emphasizing the importance of practical learning and avoiding overwhelming presentations. He explained the process of acquiring coordinates and linking site plans, noting that students should start from scratch and manually position their buildings. Sean also addressed common issues like floating skirting boards and incorrect ceiling levels, providing solutions and emphasizing the importance of accurate modeling.

Revit Site Model Alignment Techniques

Sean demonstrated how to rotate and align Revit site models, explaining the process of using the Reset Shared Coordinates button and the Align tool. He showed how to create site boundaries by sketching and using the Pick Lines tool, emphasizing the importance of PINning external links to lock geometry in place. Sean also discussed the concept of bearings and surveying, but decided to use a sketch method for simplicity in the demonstration.

Revit Property Line Design Techniques

Sean demonstrated how to create and modify property lines in Revit, emphasizing the importance of clearly defined lines and manipulating them using object styles and visibility graphics. He explained how to change line weights, colors, and styles, and showed how to use scope boxes to efficiently crop views. Sean also covered how to acquire coordinates from linked projects and discussed the difference between True North and Project North perspectives.

Revit Site Plan Customization

Sean demonstrated how to create and modify Revit models, focusing on setting up a north arrow and scope boxes for site plans. He showed how to adjust line weights and hide elements in linked models to improve the visual clarity of site plans. Sean emphasized the importance of customizing Revit settings to suit individual preferences and project needs.

Revit Site Plan Line Work

Sean demonstrated how to adjust line weights in Revit for site plans, showing various methods to modify pen styles and line thicknesses. He explained the importance of proper line work for graphical quality and discussed using the line work tool to hide unwanted lines. Sean also covered creating topography in Revit, including adding points and creating a topo solid to represent the site. He emphasized the need for colored site plans rather than just black and white drawings. During a pause in the video, Sean had a conversation with Rachel about her technical issues with Revit installation and licensing, offering to help her resolve the problems.

Revit Site Modeling Techniques

Sean demonstrated how to add definition to a site model in Revit by creating and adjusting points to represent different elevations and slopes. He showed how to modify sub-elements, adjust elevations, and create berms and swales to add visual interest to the site plan. Sean emphasized the importance of maintaining site boundaries and creating realistic topography in Revit, even for flat sites.

Revit Site Modeling Demonstration

Sean demonstrated the process of creating and modifying an in-place mass in Revit to represent a building site. He explained how to use various tools like the mask tool, work plane, and component creation to achieve the desired site contours. Sean also showed how to create and align intersecting rectangles to cut out the building area from the site, and he emphasized the importance of following the building profile accurately.

Revit Void Creation Techniques

Sean demonstrated how to create and modify voids in Revit, focusing on cutting out the basement level and foundation. He explained the process of creating a void, modifying its depth, and ensuring it interacts correctly with the site geometry. Sean encountered some technical issues but ultimately showed an alternative method using the component tool for modeling the top or solid void. He emphasized the importance of understanding the different tools and their applications in Revit for creating complex geometries.

Revit Void Creation and Editing

Sean demonstrated how to create and modify voids in Revit, including using formulas for measurements and adjusting foundation depths. He showed how to create compound voids and explained the process of editing voids in place. Sean also covered how to create 3D sectional perspectives and manipulate scope boxes and view boxes in Revit. Triscell asked about linking the site model, and Sean clarified that the site model needs to be linked before the information can be seen in the file.

Revit 3D Section Demonstration

Sean demonstrated how to create and link a 3D section in Revit, showing students how to acquire coordinates after rotating and positioning the building. He addressed concerns about technical issues from the previous week's class, emphasizing that students should report problems promptly rather than waiting until the deadline. Sean also discussed his frustration with UTEC's workload expectations and mentioned he would be uploading a recording of the session to help accommodate his childcare situation.

Revit Site Plan Creation Techniques

Sean demonstrated how to create and modify roof plans and site plans in Revit, emphasizing the importance of using survey-based points for site-specific information. He showed how to add contours to a site plan and adjust the view range to properly display elevation changes. Sean also explained how to modify the appearance of a site plan by changing material colors to differentiate between different areas, such as roadways and vegetation.

Revit Site Plan Creation Basics

Sean demonstrated how to create a site plan in Revit, including adding contours, pedestrian paths, and vehicular routes. He showed how to modify the topography and add trees to the drawing. Sean emphasized the importance of including coordinates for both the site and building, as well as setting out points for construction. He also covered how to export and name files consistently. The session concluded with a reminder that site plans should include legends and trees, which would be covered in the next class.