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Chapter 8

Advanced Modeling and

Massing

Every design starts with an idea. That can be shapes drawn out on trace paper, or a chipboard
model, or a conceptual form in a 3D model. This idea becomes the basis for your design
and ultimately your building. While you might sketch out several variations to give your
ideas shape, there comes a point in the design process where you need to begin testing your
assumptions. Does the floor plan fit within the building’s massing? Does it meet the client’s
functional requirements? Is the design energy efficient?
Massing is a set of unique tools within Revit Architecture software specifically created for
this kind of early design analysis. By creating the “big” design idea at a macro level, you’re able
to quickly and easily quantify and analyze the results. This allows you to confidently work from
general to specific as your design progresses, without concern about actual building elements.
In addition, the massing tools allow you to create forms and containers to control other
building system components. Complex walls, curtain walls, curtain panels, and other elements
would be incredibly difficult to make and update without some underlying form to establish
and drive their design.
Even though your overall design might not be represented by a complex massing form, it’s
likely that somewhere in a more conventional design, massing is essential to the success of your
project.
In this chapter, you’ll learn to:
◆ Create and schedule massing studies

◆ Know when to use solid and surface masses
◆ Use mathematical formulas for massing

The Massing User Interface and Functionality

A mass is simply a form with geometric substance (solids and voids) that is not related to any
specific building element category. It is intended to allow designers to create a lightweight
component that can either represent an entire building or serve as a guide for a single
component, such as a complex roof form. When you create a mass in the context of a whole
building, you can quantify the surface area, assign functional “floors” to the mass, and perform
energy analysis—all without creating a single wall, floor, window, or roof.

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