Setting up views

Any referenced datasets can be downloaded from "Module downloads" in the module overview.

Setting up views - Exercise

Task 1: Adding new plan views

This task will check for missing structural plans and step through the process of creating a new structural plan.

  1. Open the project STRUCTURAL (after Setting up References).rvt.
  2. Open the South elevation view.

  3. Zoom over to the level heads and take note that Atrium Roof header bubble is black whereas TOS – Roof is blue. This implies that there is no plan view associated with the Atrium Roof level.

  4. From the View ribbon, select Plan Views, then select Structural Plan.

  5. In the New Structural Plan dialog, select Atrium Roof and OK the dialog.

  6. The new Atrium Roof view is added to the Project Browser as a new Structural Plan.

Task 2: Update elevation views

This task will adjust the elevation views so that they are displaying the exterior of the architectural model rather than cutting through like a section. This issue has been caused by the misalignment between the architect’s model and the elevation markers placed in the structural model template (as illustrated below).

  1. The issue with the elevations can be demonstrated if you switch to the South elevation, although not necessarily totally apparent, this view is cutting through the building like a section rather than an external elevation.

  2. Switch back to the plan view and review the elevation markers. On closer inspection, each marker consists of two objects: a View object and an Elevation object.


  3. When moving the markers, take care to move both objects together by windowing around both.

  4. Move each pair to exterior of the building footprint.

  5. The plan should now look something like the image below.

  6. And the South view should look something like the image below.

Task 3: Create 3D coordination view

This task will go through the process of setting up a 3D coordination view of the model so that the structural model can be viewed together with the architectural and MEP models.

  1. Open the default {3D} view and switch to Shaded display, and you see the current architect's model, but it seems there is a lot of detail missing.

  2. From the view's Properties palette, select Edit for Visibility/Graphics Overrides.

  3. In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, switch to the Model Categories tab, ensure that Filter List is set to <show all> (by checking each of the disciplines in the droplist), then select the All button.

  4. With all the Model Categories selected, enable one of the unchecked categories (e.g. Columns in the example above) and all Model Categories will be checked.


  5. Click OK in the dialog to close it and now the 3D view is displaying a lot more.
  6. There is now more detail than needed, for example we are only interested in the building objects, so next turn off some of the non-building objects. Back in the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog (through the view's properties or simply type VG), uncheck Entourage, Parking, Planting, Site, and Topography.


  7. Click OK in the dialog to close it and now the 3D view is displaying just the building without the site.
  8. The level lines are a bit distracting in this 3D View, so select one of them, right-click, and select Hide in View, then Category.

  9. The view should now look something like this.

  10. To understand the construction of the building, we shall "slice & dice" it, using a section box. In the view's properties, enable Section Box.

  11. Use the grips on the Section Box and drag them so that the building model is cut open.

  12. To further explore the model, set objects such as ceilings, floors, roofs, and walls to transparent. To do this, open the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, select Ceilings, then select the Override option for Projection/Surface Transparency.

  13. In the Surfaces dialog, set Transparency to 70 (this is a percentage with 0% being opaque and 100% being totally transparent).

  14. Repeat this for Floors, Roofs, and Walls, then OK the dialog and the view should look something like this and it is now possible to see through the building.

  15. In a previous exercise, the MEP model had been linked into this project but then unloading. To redisplay the MEP model, select Manage Links from the Insert ribbon.

  16. In the Manage Links dialog, select MEP.rvt, then select Reload From and navigate to where the MEP.rvt file is saved locally.

  17. Zooming in, the model displays the mechanical services in context with the building.

  18. If the view is set to a Medium or Course Detail Level, set the Detail Level to Fine.

  19. Pipes that were previously displayed as a single centre line will now display in full 3D to provide greater clarity for coordination with the structural model.

  20. Try out the different Visual Styles (e.g. Realistic with Edges), hide the Section Box, and you can start exploring the model, to determine what is required for the structure.

  21. For additional clarity, right-click on the View Cube and select Perspective.

  22. Use the Orbit tool to view the model from various angles.

  23. For clarity, it would be a good idea to rename this view from {3D} to 3D Coordination in the Project Browser.

Our project is now ready to start developing the structural model in coordination with the current architectural and mechanical services designs.

Was this information helpful?