Making the process of Building Design faster and easier
Autodesk highlighted how architects are adopting its design software, 3ds Max Design for 3D visualization, and its Architecture software, Revit for BIM (building information modeling), at the recent VisMasters Conference. According to the company, around 300,000 designers, engineers and architects are using the Revit platform for building information modeling.
3ds Max Design, the most recent version of the 3D graphics application 3ds Max, is a product by Autodesk specifically designed to meet the needs of designers and architects. It runs exclusively on windows and possesses a highly flexible plug-in architecture plus strong modeling capabilities. It is widely used by architects and allows them to create everything from initial concept models to presentations that are fully animated and of cinematic quality, which allow them to creatively visualize and communicate their designs. Among its notable features are Exposure, a potent lighting analysis and simulation technology, and reveal, an iterative rendering technology which allows quick feedback and completed renderings.
Revit Architecture is Windows based architectural BIM software that allows users to utilize parametric modeling & drafting elements in their design. BIM permits intelligent, parametric and 3d object-based design. A single file database, which multiple users can share among themselves, Revit Architecture, helps keep the whole team’s work coordinated, free of clashes and errors. All views are automatically updated when a change is made anywhere, so documentation and designs are always complete and consistent. A building’s entire life cycle is contained in a BIM model, from concept and construction to its decommissioning. Revit’s relational database architecture or parametric change engine, as the company calls it, makes this possible. Specially built for the purpose of building information modeling, Revit Architecture software helps to keep all design information complete, free of errors and fully coordinated.
Working together
3ds Max Design has a new FBX-based scene-loading technology called Recognize, which allows the import of geometry, materials, cameras and lights from Revit scenes to Autodesk 3ds Max Design, in a quick and accurate manner. This makes it much easier to enhance visual BIM (Building information modeling) data. Moreover, the tools SteeringWheels and ViewCube strengthen interoperability across all Autodesk 3d products.
A potent combination
3ds Max Design plus Revit Architecture is a potent combination that enables designers to best utilize the power and capabilities of BIM over all their processes. When teamed together, 3ds Max design and Revit architecture allow users to easily aggregate additional scene elements, add special effects or animate objects and also offer advanced modeling and texturing tools for fast iterations of rendered images.
3ds Max may be used in the initial stages of a project for conceptual and pre-schematic design. Various aspects of a drawing set can then be produced in Revit Architecture, also including construction documents and design documents. 3ds Max can be later utilized to obtain real photo renderings that can be utilized to market projects effectively. The Revit model can be used for construction coordination. The daily presence of the architect firm on-site will be useful to ease the use of this model.
Much of an architect’s work depends on deliverables. The use of Revit Architecture along with 3ds Max design reduces the effort and time and effort which goes into a project’s various aspects. You can easily manage a drawing set utilizing Revit Architecture, because the software makes it easier for architects, by allowing them to focus more on a building, while worrying less about other issues. 3ds Max design gives the architects the ability to speedily and loosely model as well as render various building elements throughout the process of design. The usage of Revit Architecture along with 3ds Max on projects allows firms to test and analyze a variety of design options in a fast and easy manner. Referenced linked files and grouped components can be used widely for every modular unit in both Revit Architecture and 3ds Max design. This lets an architect update the model and make design changes in a very short time period.
The conventional 2D drafting views and shaded 3D camera views of Revit Architecture can be used alongside extremely detailed photorealistic renderings made in 3ds Max to communicate design ideas for a project more effectively. When the time comes to go from conceptual digital sketches to high resolution photorealistic images for marketing purposes, high quality material can be provided in a very short period of time, which will leave clients highly impressed.
Thus, the two software’s complement each other well. Autodesk has taken steps to improve the interoperability between these two and is sure to introduce further enhancements in this direction. So 3ds Max Design & Revit Architecture is a useful combination for an architect.