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Tag: review

  • Emc2 Architects releases Keynote Manager 7.1

    (02/16/12 UPDATE: For aditional tips and tricks on keynotes check out Revit OpEd’s latest post Keynotes – Files, Tags and Legends)

    (04/03/11 UPDATE: Version 10.0 has been released.  For the latest information visit the project homepage at http://keynotemanager.revolutiondesign.biz/)

    Emc2 Architects released Version 7.1 of their Keynote Manager software last Wednesday.  Keynotes in Revit are painful to manage, and the latest version of this Revit companion added automatic text casing and a direct link to the Windows’ Character Map from within the keynote editor dialog, as well as some nice interface modifications.  These minor additions and fixes feel like polish on what is already a powerful tool.

    Steven Faust, AIA, NCARBIn my opinion, this keynote manager, developed by Steven Faust at Emc2 Architects, is how keynoting should have been in Revit from the start.  By making the program “save as you go”, Steve has been able to allow multiple users to work on the same keynote file simultaneously.  Also, features like keyboard shortcuts, spell check, and a built in text search make managing keynotes easier than ever.  This program takes the mystery out of keynotes so that the end user doesn’t need to worry about the syntax of the text file.  The program makes it much easier for project managers, who aren’t familiar with the .txt file syntax, to make corrections to keynotes, and for BIM managers to create keynote templates that are readily available through the interface.

    The one problem the program doesn’t solve is the need to reload the keynote file in the Revit project for the changes to take effect.

    You can download the Keynote Manager from Emc2.  For the latest on the Emc2 Keynote Manager, see this thread on the AUGI forums.

    Screen shot of the main window
    Screen shot of the main window

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  • Photo Essay: Seattle Central Library

    Opened to the public on May 23, 2004, the Seattle Central Library by Rem Koolhaas quickly became a tourist attraction in Seattle, Washington.

    The 362,987 square foot building features an underground public parking lot, hundreds of computers, an auditorium, and “the book spiral” that allows visitors to traverse the entire book collection all on one continuous “floor” that spirals over 5 stories.  I found the entire structure to be amazing in both form and function.  Practical details like having floor air registers and waterless urinals are complimented by having text embossed flooring, and vertical circulation identified with a consistent bright yellow.

    During my visits on June 27th and 28th I overheard an elderly woman comment that being in the building was giving her an anxiety attack.  I would agree that the building as a whole can seem a bit overwhelming, it is very different from the traditional library.  However, I found the building to be exciting and invigorating.  The building draws you to explore it and discover.  I think libraries as a whole can be very compartmentalized, but the spaces in Seattle Central Library were very connected not just horizontally but vertically as well.  I was also surprised by the numerous intimate areas that were created on balconies, and in glazed niches.  There were many places that I could see myself sitting for hours just reading.

    Overall I found the building very impressive.

    (Photo essay after the break)

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  • First Impressions of the Artlantis Revit 2010 Add-In

    First off, if you haven’t downloaded the beta add-in you can do so by going to the Artlantis download page. I had the Revit 2009 add-in installed so I first had to uninstall this add-in. The install process for the 2010 add-in is very simple and just a standard installation. artlantis_install_1 (more…)

  • Bring Your 3d Models to Life!

    One feature of Autodesk’s Revit Architecture that I really have a lot of fun with is the ability to create fly/walkthrough animations.  Revit’s built in Walkthrough tool allows you to create highly complex animations involving multiple key frames moving the camera path in three dimensions and is an excellent tool for exploring your models with fairly high quality output.

    The downside of Revit’s capabilities is that you are limited to animating your camera position.  This may be okay for most situations, but what if you want a car driving down the road, or the door to open as you walk through the doorway?  Well, luckily you have a lot of options.  If your work flow already includes doing your rendering in 3ds Max, then you can use the powerful tools in it. Of course there are a multitude of software platforms out there, Maya, iClone, etc. and there are also some free alternatives, TrueSpace, Blender, and Anim8or.

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