Final Report

Objective
With the abundance of elements available on Google’s 3D Warehouse the designer, particularly the interior designer, is provided with opportunities to place the furniture that they specify into 3D modeled space. However, there are a much more limited number of 3D furniture models (families) currently available for Interior Designers using Revit. This project blog’s purpose is to experiment with the integration of Revit Architecture 2010 and Google Sketch UP 7; more specifically, the importing and modifying of SketchUP models into Revit. The creation, importing, modification, material assignment and tracking of these elements will be researched.

Methodology
The process I followed was:
a. Introduce both programs
b. Describe the best way to make a SketchUP model that will import properly into Revit
i. Saving SketchUP models for optimum compatibility
c. Show examples
d. Importing a SketchUP model as an Import CAD symbol
i. Assigning materials to an ImportCAD symbol
e. Other options for importing
i. Importing as a conceptual mass component
f. Scheduling

Throughout the study I introduced tutorials and other similar projects to show the many options one can take with SketchUP>Revit.

Outcome
The project resulted in an outline for the small scale integration of SketchUp and Revit. The goal was to benefit the interior designer and make their space planning and layouts more accurate. Using the blog’s techniques will curb the lack of 3D furniture models currently available. There is a focus in the study towards importing SketchUP models as an Import CAD symbol. This is likely a result of my personal experiences of which is most efficient.
I adjusted the scope of my project from exploring all the ways of integrating and importing the two programs to ways that I was most familiar with exploring. I also was sure to be clear from the beginning that there was to be a very limited scope—dealing with mostly interior fixtures/furniture.
I learned through the study of this project that the concept of integration of programs is much more complex than I originally thought. There are different issues that effect each program, version and file type that dictate its ease of integration.
In the future, I hope to refine my skills of importing these two programs and I hope to explore the other methods of integrated not explored by this study. Also, I am very interested in taking a model from SketchUP>Revit>3D Studio Max to explore its rendering capabilities.
My peer, Victor, provided inspiration for my future study. Also, I thought it was an interesting comparison looking at SketchUP>Revit and Revit>3DS, especially when looking at the level of sophistication of SketchUP vs. 3DS. The level of sophistication we achieved in our renderings is similar even though we approached the process from different angles.

After...

Here is the same image from an earlier blog post with some Photoshop.

Schedule Tutorial

This is a blog entry/tutorial that demonstrates how to create a schedule in REvit. With this you can track the quantity of each furniture piece that has been placed from sketchUP as a conceptual mass family.

CAD Notes: Creating Schedules

Other options for importing

We have already explored importing SketchUP models as importCAD symbols. Another option includes:

Importing as a conceptual mass family
>open Revit
>Create New Conceptual Mass
>Import tab
>>Import CAD (follow directions as before)
>Open the project you are working on
>In the conceptual mass window Click 'Load into Project'
>>The object will show up as a component family in the open project

Becaue the object is an importCAD as a part of the family the quantity of that object are trackable by using a schedule.

Fellow SketchUP to Revit-er

I found this blog: Revit- for real

It has posts for revit issues, in general, and this one shows a basic interplay between SketchUP and Revit both ways.

Assiging Materials

After importing and placing your object as an import CAD symbol materials must be assigned. Through trial and error, I have found that assigning materials immediately after importing adds to less confusion later. When importing as an import CAD gerneric rendering materials are applied to the object. This typically a matte gray color.

The work and tips presented earlier will allow for ease in assigning desired materials. These imported materials are put in the 'unassigned' category of the Material Class tab. It should be easier to find the different materials by looking at their display material colors. If you assigned the color as bright purple in SketchUP it should be that display color.

*you might try cahnging the display color and hitting 'apply' to make sure that the material you are looking at is the one you think.

Once you are sure that you have the desired material rename it by clicking the a][b button (a, cursor symbol, b)

Next, click the 'render appearances' tab.
Click the 'Replace' button and search for the desired material.

A helpful tutorial from RevitKid explains the way to replace materials and how to create custom materials. HERE

Repeat until all materials are assigned. It is helpful to run test renderings to decide if the materials you selected are rendering properly.

Importing 1.0

When importing a SketchUP model into Revit there are a few options. The first is to import it as an 'Import CAD'. This option makes the imported object into the category of 'imported symbols'. This option does not allow for tracking and counting. However, for rendering purposes this is a simple option.

The steps to follow include:
1. Insert Tab
2. 'Import CAD'
3. Select your file
>At the bottom of the window there are several options. Make sure to choose 'Preserve' under Colors. Select 'All' under Layers. Select the level of the project that you are working on, otherwise, it will seem like your model didn't successfully load in.
4. The object will import to the origin point. Move it to the desired location.
5. Select 'Shaded with edges' from the Model Graphics Style tab.
6. Create a 3D Perspective View with the new object imported.

In a future post the assigning of materials will be emplored.










(The lobby space posted before but in its 'Shaded with edges' model graphics style)

Saving your SketchUP file

It is important to save your SketchUP file as a SketchUP 6. Introducing 'Introducing Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010' suggests saving your model as version 6. In my experience this works best. EArlierw versions of SketchUP are less sophisticated and information is lost when importing.

What we're following...

This is the SketchUP model that this blog will use as an example of the SketchUP>Revit process. Notice that the colors of it are bright and do not represent the eventual material. Again, this allows for easier identification of the model when assigning it materials. If many SketchupUP models are imported there will be many materials in the 'unassigned' category. With these bright colors you can look at the 'display color' and then reassign the material from 'default' to on of your choice.

SIDE NOTE: This is a piece of furniture I designed for my studio project. It is a custom built in storage cabinet that sites to the right of the fireplace in my corporate office's lobby. Its eventual form is pictured in an earlier post.

Other Bloggers

I found this blog: [as] On the blog there is an interesting post about using a SketchUp model that has been imported into Revit to run a solar study. While this is not the intent of this blog it shows the many directions one can take with building information modeling integrated systems.

Plan of Action Version 1.0

Nov 30-Dec 6: Tips for creating an easily imported SketchUP model, Example model, benfits of SketchUP to Revit, Importing as an importCAD in Revit

Dec 7-11: Other importing techniques, assigning materials to imported models, rendering the object, schedules

Dec 12-18:Summary, What are the positives and negatives of these preocesses?, Benifits to the student interior designer using Revit and SketchUP