2026-04-13 BIM - Collaborative Project Creating Families + Design Options Tutorial

Quick recap

In this class session, Professor Brian addressed technical issues with the submission form that had closed early due to high traffic, and announced it would be reopened for students to submit their individual project work. The class then transitioned to discussing a new collaborative project where students would form groups of three to work on an exhibition space layout using file linking in Revit. Professor Brian explained the different roles within each group: BIM coordinator, interior designer, and family modeler, and provided tutorials on using design options and family modeling features in Revit. Students were instructed to submit their group member information through the website and prepare for a follow-up session later that afternoon to set up cloud storage and begin the collaborative work.

Next steps

• Brian: Re-open the submission form so students can submit their assignments ASAP

• All students: Submit their current assignment files via the re-opened form as soon as possible

• Leshon: Submit assignment file by end of day if file access is restored

• All students: Form groups of 2-3 members and assign roles (BIM coordinator, interior designer, family modeler)

• One member from each group: Submit group member information (names, roles) via the website form before the evening session

• All group members: Install Google Drive (or selected cloud application) before the evening session

• All students: Attend evening session for group setup and file access

• Brian: Distribute assigned group folders (BIM coordinator, family modeler, interior designer) to each group in the evening session

• All groups: Complete collaborative project (due date to be confirmed, tentatively around 20th)

• BIM coordinator of each group: Submit final group files (BIM file, family file, interior file) for the collaborative project

• Hailey: Meet with Brian after class to discuss personal program-related issue

• Brian: Confirm and communicate final due date for collaborative project (targeting around 20th, before 29th final crit) in evening session

• All students: Ensure all group members are using the same version of Revit (preferably 2024) for the collaborative project

• All groups: Set up shared cloud storage (Google Drive or other) for collaborative work

• BIM coordinator of each group: Ensure proper sheet naming and numbering conventions are followed in the final submission

• Brian: Close the group member submission form in the evening session after all groups are formed

• Brian: Provide links to assigned group folders in the evening session

• All students: Review class recording for reference on design options and family modeling tutorials if needed

• All students: Complete collaborative project by the announced due date (to be confirmed in evening session)

Summary

Submission Form Technical Issues

Brian addressed issues with a submission form that had closed early due to technical problems, likely caused by high traffic or Google's quota system. He committed to reopening the form so participants could complete their submissions. The group discussed the end of their course journey, with Brian noting they were approaching the final week on the 29th. Hailey mentioned having a personal issue regarding her program that she wanted to discuss after class. The conversation ended with Brian attempting to share a model but experiencing technical difficulties with his computer.

3D Modeling Project Progress Review

Brian led a discussion about comparing 3D modeling projects from last semester and the current semester, noting that this semester's work was more technical with grids, levels, and concrete elements. He announced that students needed to submit their current work to move forward into group-based collaborative projects, explaining that even incomplete submissions would be accepted and could be improved in the next phase. Several students, including Leshon and Evelin, encountered technical difficulties with file uploads, but Brian assured them that alternative submission methods could be used and that group assignments would be determined based on submitted work.

Revit Exhibition Design Project Planning

Brian explained the upcoming collaborative project where students will work in groups of three using file linking in Revit to design an exhibition layout for an empty space on the upper floor of the M+ Pavilion. Each group will have specific roles: interior designer, family modeler, and BIM coordinator, with all members using a starting model provided by Brian rather than their previous work. The project requires creating two layout options inspired by a concept sketch, focusing on wall arrangements, portrait displays, and pedestal placements, with each group needing to establish a name, logo, and contact information for their sheets.

Revit Collaboration Project Roles

Brian explained the roles for a collaborative project involving interior design, family modeling, and BIM coordination. He outlined that each group of three members would work with specific Revit files provided by Brian, with all team members required to use the same version of Revit (preferably 2024). The deliverables include floor plans, interior views, and detailed drawings of the pedestal and bench, with the BIM coordinator responsible for submitting the final group files. Brian also announced he would provide tutorials on using design options and family editing features in Revit.

Design Project Roles and Responsibilities

Brian explained the roles and responsibilities for each group member in a design project. For interior designers, the task involves creating a layout for displaying art pieces and objects using provided CAD and Revit files, with a focus on designing walls and pedestals. Family modelers are tasked with creating furniture models, specifically display objects and benches, using empty Revit family files. The BIM coordinator's role involves linking the interior design file into the main model and creating sheets with drawings based on the handout, including floor plans and perspectives, while adhering to naming conventions. Brian clarified that group members can be chosen by the BIM coordinator, and he announced upcoming tutorials on design options and family modeling for all participants to ensure everyone is equipped with the necessary skills.

Revit Design Options Demonstration

Brian demonstrated the correct way to create design options in Revit, explaining that rather than using separate floor plans side by side, designers should use the Design Options feature. He showed how to create multiple options within a single model by moving elements between the base layer and option layers, and how to switch between different options using the Design Options panel. Brian also explained the proper method for displaying multiple options simultaneously by creating separate view templates for each option, with specific visibility settings configured for each template.

Revit Design and Family Creation

Brian demonstrated how to create design options in Revit by showing two different layout designs for an exhibition space using the floor plan feature. He explained the process of creating families in Revit, including the different modeling environments: family modeling, conceptual mass modeling, and in-place modeling. Brian guided the team through the steps of creating a bench family using the furniture template, emphasizing the importance of choosing the correct template for proper categorization and scheduling in the project model. He also highlighted the parametric capabilities of family models, allowing for easy modification of dimensions within the project environment.

Drawing Planes and Extrusions Demo

Brian demonstrated how to work with drawing planes and extrusions in the family editor, explaining the importance of selecting the correct plane before creating shapes. He showed how to use reference planes and lines as guidelines for modeling, emphasizing that family models should be simplified representations rather than photorealistic. Brian also highlighted the difference between working in imperial and metric units, and demonstrated how to set up construction guidelines using reference planes before beginning the modeling process.

Revit Family Editor Demonstration

Brian demonstrated how to use the family editor in Revit to create and modify a bench model, including the process of creating reference planes, extrusions, and parameters. He explained the difference between instance and type parameters, showing how parameters can be edited directly in the project environment once created in the family editor. At the end of the session, Brian instructed students to submit their group members through a form on the computing website, with plans to set up Google Drive access and assign project folders in the afternoon session. The collaborative project assignment was discussed, with Brian indicating it would be due around the 20th, giving students about a week to complete it after the afternoon setup session.