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Revit: Rendering and Real Life

Published 12/21/16

Last Edited 07/12/17

At HDI, we don’t just envision and install world-class handrails for our clients. Throughout the entire partnership, we illustrate the exact way our railing systems will complement the rest of their design. A collaboration with HDI is a back-and-forth visual conversation. To create that conversation, we use the Building Information Modeling software Revit, which demonstrates how our handrails will look — and function — alongside the entire design.

Read on to see how we used this software to bring the sleek, classic style of the Circum railing system to the two-story Harris Teeter grocery store.

Revit: Rendering Solutions For Our Clients

For HDI engineers, the Revit software serves as both the preferred drafting medium and the main client communication tool. Here are those features at a glance:

Powerful Drafting

We design and layout our railing systems in Revit similarly to how we use AutoCAD or any other 2D drafting program. However, the powerful 3D information model shows far more detail than any standard drafting software.

Client Communication
As a communication tool, Revit dispels ambiguity. We show areas of uncertainty to clients, and in return, receive answers.

This powerful modeling software allows clients to truly visualize their project—complete with our world-class railing system.

Rapid, Responsive Revisions

Revit allows us to make changes to the entire design quickly by altering select values and parameters. Complicated revisions that in other software would take several minutes or even hours, now occur with a much greater efficiency.
With Revit, every detail is meant to be explored.

Harris Teeter: Three Dimensional Exhibition

Throughout our work with Harris Teeter, we communicated with the architect and client. Look at how the detail of the Revit model matches the real life installation.

Revit rendering a Central Space

This model view illustrated a central, highly-trafficked area in the Harris Teeter store. The simulation of this important space showed several crucial details, including:

The Circum posts and their placement
The Circum wall mounts
The glass infill
The relationship between the support column and the railing system.

Consider how the model matches photos from the final installation. Even with many complicated factors in this central space, the Revit line rendering eliminated uncertainty for the client. The architect and Harris Teeter truly understood the look and character of this central area — before construction began.

Revit Revisions

The close detail and realism of the Revit design allows the client to explore different options.

For example, if Harris Teeter wanted to add a durable glass infill to the two middle handrails, we could make that change rapidly. The 3D drawing provided an idea of how that addition will look.

However, if Harris Teeter instead decided to replace all glass infills with wire mesh infills, that revision could be made instantly and reflected visually.

The Revit software can be used to adjust any detail of the project.

For example, if the client or architect needed to alter the slope of the staircase, they could do so with a few simple parameter changes. Since Revit designs are responsive, a change to the slope of a staircase would also alter the placement of the Circum post mounts — without minor additional input.

Rendering

Even though Revit line drawings demonstrate detail effectively, rendering brings the viewer on a full-HD walkthrough of their design—complete with their world class railing system.

Revit 3D view

This conveys specific detail and a sense of 3D realism.

Full-HD Cinematic Rendering

The Full-HD rendering gives the designer the power of a director — the software leads the viewer throughout a complete rendering of their design. Notice how details like the glass infill, the geometric shape, the geometric fasteners, and the linear steel handrail come to life.

Real Life Installation

Look at how closely the install matches the HDI rendering. The Revit software removes the element of surprise from construction design.

Also notice how the original approval design differs from the photo of the completed installation. The railing run at the top of the stair is far less complex. This was due to unforeseen structural challenges that were clearly revealed in the HDI model and communicated by our project managers.

HDI and Revit for Your Construction Project

At HDI, we’ve always known that the story of every space, no matter its identity, is told in the individual details. Our desire for collaboration and conversation with our clients predates the 21st century software technology.

In the case of the Harris Teeter grocery store, the powerful Revit software allowed us to communicate the details such as a stylish glass infill, solid steel post mounts, strong linear handrails, and how they enhance the rest of the design