Revit Architecture 2009 is the latest release of Autodesk’s BIM application for architectural design that integrates elements, views, and annotations into a single, coordinated building information model.

Pros: New mental ray rendering engine and extensive library of predefined materials allows high-quality renderings to be generated within Revit Architecture; additional rendering aids include photometric lights and expanded library of RPC content; new Swept Blend massing tool allows more complex forms to be modeled; macros capability gives users direct access to the Revit API for developing useful aids and shortcuts; new navigation tools make it easier to view the model from any desired angle; ability to apply color fills to sections; many other enhancements in modeling, interface, display, document creation, and interoperability; continues to remain very intuitive and easy to use.

Cons: Interface for conceptual modeling lacks the fluidity of other 3D modeling applications; complex building elements still relatively difficult to model; the potential for better inferencing and smarts to cut down on modeling steps remains largely unexploited.

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In last month's newsletter on the AIA 2007 National Convention and Expo, I provided a brief overview of the new release of Revit Architecture (formerly known as Revit Building), which was demonstrated by Autodesk at the show. Going by the officially released seat count, the adoption of the Revit platform has doubled in the past year, which doesn't come as much of a surprise, given the growing interest in BIM among all the players and stakeholders in the AEC industry. This, in turn, allows Autodesk to continue to invest heavily in the development of all the Revit-based disciplinary BIM solutions. Let's look at the improvements that this annual development cycle has engineered for the architectural users of Revit in the 2008 release...

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In a 3D building model, individual objects can be digitally linked with the time element from a construction schedule to enable project managers to play the construction sequence for review. This mechanism is termed 4D CAD, where the fourth dimension is time...

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