Utopian BIM there is only one model.

Reality BIM, there is an architectural model and a structural model. Depending on size or if multiple firms work jointly, you might have multiple models of the same discipline. I work for a firm that has A/S/M/E under one roof. We've tried the all in one model. Doesn't work that well (at least for us and that was early on in our Revit maturity). We'll always have separate discipline models even if we are all on one project.

I wrapped up a renovation to an existing tower. I modelled the existing structure in the architectural model and was responsible for the demolition of those structural elements. Structural (out of house) was responsible for any of the new structure and did so in their own model.

A lot of times I'll see Architectural model some sort of structure early on in the design to have "something" so their drawings look good for design presentations. Structural will come later on and start doing their thing using what we had as a guide. At some point you'll remove certain elements out of your model as Structural starts to develop the structure further and you'll rely on their model to represent the structure.

You'll have to have a discussion about what do you do about stairs, structural walls that host doors etc. Plenty of threads covering those topics.

Yep that's what I do usually.
Project I'm working on now, the prefab concrete stairs are in the structural model, wooden or steel ones are in the architectural one.
Hosted stuff is always tricky. I have no hosted families except doors and windows and I have placed doors that are in a structural wall in a piece of wall that is inside the void in the structural wall. You can see that as the piece of wood they use IRL to mount the door in the wall.

The only thing that is annoying (to my clients mostly) is the fact that you are waiting for the other party to finish their work before you can finish yours. For example I have loads of doors already sitting in my model, at the right location, but the structural guy has not made the openings in the walls yet and every time I get a remark that there is still concrete there from the architect and also from the guy doing clash control. But that is something you just have to ignore after you tell them it is not your wall that needs the opening the first time.

We create an architectural model. The structural engineers wail and gnash their teeth at the thought of copy monitor so they remodel everything (usually incorrectly). We link their model in, use filters to turn off all of their junk. Call them every project and tell them to resend it with the levels and grids on the right workset. Reload their revised model, find they still didn't get it right. Go into their model, put the stuff on the right workset. Relink it, apply filters, wonder why after so many years of using Revit this is still the thing they can't understand. I think it's like the old paperspace. Engineers are frightened and enraged by it.

*pulls out magnifying glass...*

Whoa! It looks like levels and grids DO have their own annotation category! Now, if there was only a way to turn off those categories through some sort of RVT Link Display Settings, and then create a template from these settings dedicated specifically for views. Hmmm...

I'm mostly just being facetious. Not all structural engineers are bad.

p.s. Nice dad joke. Now take your kudos and get outta here.

Isn't that what they are paid to do? Do some work and create their own model rather than use all your hard work?

We recently did a project in another application, structural engineers complained so badly that it was not in Revit, meaning they had to do some work rather than use our models, the client nearly forced the use of Revit on us.

Luckily buzz phrases like "BIM maturity" saw the structural engineers back down.

Hello all,



Thank you for your time.

First of all, does the method that you use in order to create the structural model from the architectural the copy/monitor? Or do you use another method?


Secondly, if you have a wall with concrete and 3 layers insulation, do you create four different walls? A concrete wall structural, and 3 different walls for each type of insulation or do you create the 3 layers of insulation in a wall architectural type?

Thank you in advance!

Hi Maria,
Walls that are not partitions are usually modeled as separate walls. I do not copy monitor the entire structural model, but rather only walls where I am hosting elements such as doors, storefronts and windows.

Columns, framing and slabs are linked directly.
this is a conversation you should have with the Revit leads of each discipline.

Why do you copy these walls and don't create them by your own?

Thank you !

I should have been more clear. I create them, put doors in them, then once I get the S model back, I monitor them visually. Howver the structural engineer does copy monitor them, along with levels and slabs.

What I also do is add parameters in those objects that are structural in nature but that I created in the arch model so that I can use view filters down the line to either hide them of compare them.

Shearwalls or wall where I am hosting doors and windows aren't linked from the structural model, I keep a "copy" of them in the arch model.