Reflections
Major Project Steps:
1. The first thing we had to do was experiment with the Revit software to plan out a basic floor plan for our house. Mine had two levels, so I also had to take into account where the stairs would go, and how the shape of the first level could fit all the rooms I planned to include on my second. I also had to make sure I had met all the room requirements such as having a closet by the front door and in the bedrooms, and that the hallways didn't take up more space then they needed to.
2. Once I had finished deciding on a floor plan and creating walls for all my rooms on both levels, I added floors, ceilings, doors, and windows. Specific rooms had to have different floors such as tiles in the bathroom and concrete in the garage. Furnishing came next. I had to make sure each room had the right furniture for its function and that the space was being used efficiently. Once all the furniture was added, I created paint and materials for the inside and outside walls of the house, as well as the roof.
3. Now it was time to create the toposurface. Although the land around my house is flat, in class we learned how to create various elevations as well as making ponds, driveways, and adding trees. I created a long driveway in front of my garage and also paved sitting space at the back of the house. We also did an exercise on stairs, which included how to create different types, and how to create an opening to the next floor.
4. Next, we learned how to create different types of floor plans and uploaded them to our websites. One with labeled rooms, measurements, and a presentation view that showed all our furniture and floors.
5. The final step was rendering pictures of our house through a program called the Cloud to make them look realistic. We then found a background image of a sky on the internet and used Photoshop to put the house in the background setting, and uploaded all the pictures onto our websites.
2. Once I had finished deciding on a floor plan and creating walls for all my rooms on both levels, I added floors, ceilings, doors, and windows. Specific rooms had to have different floors such as tiles in the bathroom and concrete in the garage. Furnishing came next. I had to make sure each room had the right furniture for its function and that the space was being used efficiently. Once all the furniture was added, I created paint and materials for the inside and outside walls of the house, as well as the roof.
3. Now it was time to create the toposurface. Although the land around my house is flat, in class we learned how to create various elevations as well as making ponds, driveways, and adding trees. I created a long driveway in front of my garage and also paved sitting space at the back of the house. We also did an exercise on stairs, which included how to create different types, and how to create an opening to the next floor.
4. Next, we learned how to create different types of floor plans and uploaded them to our websites. One with labeled rooms, measurements, and a presentation view that showed all our furniture and floors.
5. The final step was rendering pictures of our house through a program called the Cloud to make them look realistic. We then found a background image of a sky on the internet and used Photoshop to put the house in the background setting, and uploaded all the pictures onto our websites.
An Important Thing I Learned in This Project:
Through this project, I learned the basics of the designing program Revit, and used it to create my own house. Having to plan, design, and furnish, taught me about the amount of thought that goes into designing homes, and the importance of using space properly in a floor plan.
What I did Best in This Project:
What I think I did best on this project is sticking to my original plan, to create elegant but also homey and comfortable rooms. For my first house and experience with using Revit, I feel that I was able to create a realistic house and a good finished product.
What I Enjoyed About Designing My House:
I really enjoyed picking furniture for my house, and getting the freedom of being creative with how I wanted it to look.
What do I Wish I Had Done Differently:
Although my goal was to design a large house, next time I'd like to create a slightly smaller one, because the open concept layout created too much empty space between the living room, dining space, and kitchen. On the second floor, the bedrooms were also much too large, and should have probably been made into smaller separate rooms. Next time, I'd also like to experiment more with the toposurface and outdoor living spaces.
What I Found Frustrating:
Something I found frustrating about the project was the uploading of furniture into the program. Finding the right furniture for my house on Revit city took a long time, but sometimes when I'd find something it wouldn't allow me to download or change the colour of certain pieces. As well, I had two sections of my house that were rounded, so centering the windows and attaching the roof were more difficult than in the rest of the house.