In this lesson I’ll show you how you can create element that represents a floor of an object. As an example, I will use this partially completed office building model because it already has enough elements.

From past experience, you can conclude that individual elements such as walls, doors or windows can be inserted very easily on a building. A few clicks are usually enough for that, because the entire procedure boils down to choosing the appropriate model and positioning it. This is not possible for floors, because their creation requires a bit more information. In other words, it is necessary to first “sketch” their shape, which is why the name Sketch Based Objects is used for such elements.

To show you what it looks like in practice, I will look for an icon in the Architecture section with the inscription Floor run the Floor Architectural feature. At that moment, the program will automatically go to the so-called sketch mode, which primarily means that all existing elements will be displayed in gray. In addition, a section called Modify/Create Floor Boundary will appear at the end of the toolbar, which includes, among other functions, those that allow you to accept or cancel all changes (Finish and Cancel). These two functions are also the only way out of this mode, so don’t be surprised that other options are unavailable. In other words, everything you need at the moment is in this section, including the functions to close it.

Before moving on to something more specific, I would like to draw your attention to some of the features that are already active. This primarily refers to the possibility of drawing boundary lines  and automatic selection of existing walls (Pick Walls). This is the easiest way to define the shape of the future element, because it is enough to click on the corresponding element and a line representing the edge of the floor will appear on the screen. In this case, it is shown in purple, which means that you will easily distinguish it from other elements. To show you how accurate this feature is, I’ll zoom in on a section of the drawing and show the details that represent the layers of the wall. If you are wondering why the edge of the future element is placed on the outer surface of the core, it is enough to pay attention to the option located above the drawing itself. From its name (Extend into wall, to core) it can be easily concluded that the new element can be placed up to the wall itself, and since it is currently active, it is no wonder that the purple line coincides with the edge of the core. If you want to change its position, you can do it via this double arrow located in the middle of the line. In other words, it is enough to click on this symbol to move the edge of the future element to the opposite side of the wall. I like the previous solution better, so I’ll click the same icon again and undo this change.

Before I go any further, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to select the Previous Zoom function to display the entire object. After that, it won’t be difficult for me to define the position of the other edges with a few moves, but I will deliberately skip the front facade. Although it is not noticeable at first glance, it is composed of two independent elements, which means that the floor would also be composed of several segments. This can be avoided in a very simple way, so to that end I will first select the shorter segment and then use the Trim/Extend function to connect it to this vertical line. It is of crucial importance that the contour you drew is completely closed, otherwise the program will not be able to form a new 3D element from it. To prove it to you, I’m going to undo the last step and try to complete this operation. As soon as I click on the Finish button, a warning will appear on the screen that the contour is not closed, so I have no choice but to return to the drawing by selecting the Continue button and correct this deficiency. The same thing would happen in case some of the lines cross because you are not allowed either. Since everything is fine with me now, I can click on this icon and thus complete the creation of the new floor.

Revit always tries to create additional connections between individual elements. In this case, it means that there is a possibility that the walls of the ground floor can be extended and connected to the ceiling. Although it looks tempting at first glance, I will still refuse this offer and later you will see why I did it.

The object I just created will automatically be selected which means I can easily check if everything turned out the way I planned. If it turns out that I’ve missed something, it’s enough to click on the button labeled Edit Boundary to return to sketching mode. After that, it won’t be difficult for me to make the appropriate changes, although I can change my mind at any time and go back to the previous state by selecting the icon with the red X sign.

Now that I’ve successfully created the element that belongs to the ground floor, I can move on and go to the next level. To that end, I need to select the appropriate item (Level 2) from the Project Browser and thus automatically display the elements located on the first floor. As you can see, they occupy a much smaller area, which means that the structure will have a completely different shape. In order to define its dimensions, it is necessary to start the Floor function from the Architecture section and select the appropriate elements. Since there is empty space above the center part, I need to apply the Trim/Extend function and join these two lines. I have to take care and click on the segment that I want to keep, which is on the left.

Even though I got a closed contour this way, I still can’t complete the whole process because I’m missing the segment leading to the staircase. Since there are no walls in this area, I won’t be able to use the Pick Walls option, but have to manually draw the appropriate segments. To that end, I will first click on this icon (Line) and use some of the characteristic points to help position the new elements. As soon as the desired frame appears on the screen, I can click on the icon located in the upper left corner of the screen and terminate the current function.

If I try to complete the creation of a new element at this point, a message will appear on the screen saying that this is not possible because some of the drawn lines overlap. It happens in this zone, so I have to throw out the redundant segment. This can be achieved by using the Split function, so I will click on the corresponding icon and mark these two points. Now that I’ve solved the problem, I can double-check the entire outline and select the Finish option to complete this operation. Revit will try again to automatically align the new element with the walls directly below it and this time I will click the Yes button and allow this change. Since there is a possibility to connect the panel representing the second floor to the facade walls, the program will ask for permission to do so. Since that’s fine with me, I’ll click the Yes button and check what I’ve accomplished. Since the new element is shown in blue, it won’t be difficult for me to check its dimensions and move on with one click.

To show you what actually happened, I will supplement this project with a cross section. To that end, it is enough to start the corresponding function and determine its position with two moves. The dotted line clearly shows the elements that will be included, and since it suits me, it is enough to click on the free surface of the screen and thus complete the operation. If I click this blue arrow twice quickly, the section I just created will appear on the screen, so I can start the Zoom function and magnify some of the characteristic details. As you can see, both mezzanines are clearly shown here, so I can explain to you how they differ.

You probably remember that a few minutes ago the program offered me the possibility to match the height of the partition walls with the position of the ceiling. I accepted it, and that is precisely why there is a break at this level. In order to show you what actually happened where the facade wall and mezzanine meet, I need to change the way these elements are displayed. That’s why I will first select the function for displaying details from the palette at the bottom of the frame and activate the Medium option. At that moment, the lines that represent the inner layers will also appear on the screen, so you can clearly see that the horizontal construction goes over the supporting part and ends at the place where the insulation starts. In doing so, a small break was automatically made in the facade wall, and this function is otherwise called Join Geometry.

At a lower level, the situation is somewhat different, because there I did not want to use the function mentioned a moment ago. In this way, I avoided unnecessarily shortening this wall and creating a groove that would otherwise appear on the outside. This does not mean that these two elements must remain separate, because there is a possibility that this deficiency can be removed later. To that end, it is necessary to launch the Join function from the Modify section and manually select the appropriate elements.

Before I conclude this lesson, I would like to draw your attention to one more detail. Therefore, I will first display the complete drawing, select the facade wall and move it to the left. This will automatically be reflected on both floors, which means that these elements form a single whole and that by applying the Pick Walls function, in fact, a connection is established between the walls and the mezzanine structure.

As you could see for yourself, adding new floors is not complicated at all. It is enough to sketch their shape and Revit will automatically create a new element based on the contour you defined.