BIM Modeling : Parametrics and Modeling Programs

For the purposes of explanation, I like to dissect the words ‘parametric’ and ‘modeling’ separately. Parametric is a system of precompiled yet customizable proportions and coordinates for objects within a modeling program.  The modeling portion refers directly to the family categories, specifically in Revit, which include things like doors, windows, walls, and furniture.  While we like to think of the modeling families as concrete, permanent objects the parametric computations allow that object to be manipulated in scale, materiality, and graphic appearance, so while there is a universal idea about what the object is, there is many ways parametrically to customize that object.  The extraordinary parametric modeling in Revit recognizes not only the connection in an object but the connections of those object to other objects and will adapt those changes in every computational field, i.e. floor plans, sections, elevations, site, schedules, etc.

After having completed the Revit tutorial, I realized that I have never been so easily maneuvered through a modeling program before.  Having heard from other piers who took this class before me, they equated Sketch-up’s 3-d warehouse component bank to the task oriented family components of Revit.  While I can see the connection, Revit’s parametric modeling is much more flexible allowing me to customize the components and set my objects to industry standards rather than questionable models shared by other Sketch-up users.  I adore Sketch-up for it’s ease of use and quick ideations and will still use it as an initial staging modeling program but once the concept and kinks are worked through, I will turn to Revit for professional use.  I have used Rhino’s NURBS modeling program, which is based in a similar system as auto cad with color coded layers and hard to maneuver 3-d modeling.  Revit’s interface is much easier to use on an architectural scale with devoted families to architectural elements like floor plans and objects like walls, where as Rhino is more suitable for tasks like product design and design installations. Rhino has no initial connections either, while you can join lines and create groups, they are still inherently just lines and can be dismembered at the user’s discretion.  Furthermore, it would take multiple more steps to create a 3-dimensional wall in Rhino as it would to simply select a wall in Revit as with any other component in Revit.  Sketch-up and Rhino have been the only other modeling programs I have used in addition to Revit and they all work quite differently from each other, Sketch-up being drawing based, Rhino NURBS based, and Revit BIM based.