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274 | ChAPter 8 AdvAnced Modeling And MAssing

Figure 8.4
standard wall type
applied to the face
of a mass

The rest of this chapter will focus solely on the creation of masses for the purpose of whole-
building design. You can learn more about component modeling tools in Chapter 14, “Designing
with the Family Editor.”
Creating Mass Geometry
How you create masses (surface or solid) differs significantly from the UI used to create other
standard family content. When you’re creating standard project content, you have specific
geometry tools such as Extrusion and Sweep (Figure 8.5). In some ways, this is a noun-verb
approach: You select a tool for the form that you want to create and then you take action to create it.

Figure 8.5
non-massing
form-creation tools

Creating a mass still requires that you know the form that you intend to create, but you’re
not required to select a particular form type to get started. Rather, you start by simply creating
the sketch-based elements that would define your shape. Then you select them as a group and
choose the Create Form tool (Figure 8.6). This will allow you to create both solids and voids.

Figure 8.6
The create form
tool

Both solid and surface may be created from model lines or reference lines; however, the
differences are important. Keep in mind that your ability to further iterate the form that you

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