TUTORIALS

Watch this presentation to get an idea of the advantages and usage of arquitree families for Autodesk Revit:

• 3d geometries updating in all views and casting correct shadows

• variety of elements all working as a whole and reacting to detail levels

• easy “Place and Scale” method for all trees and plants

• various visibility parameters make all elements easy to customize

• easily remove, change or modify planters for plant families

• textured and render ready

• instance and type materials

• easily create autumn scenes

• Enscape integrated

• compatible with Autodesk Revit 2017 and above

• create plans, elevations, sections or 3d views all inside Revit

Please watch this video to see a general workflow for arquitree families. Watch the videos below to see more advantages of our families and better understand how to use all their features

To load any arquitree family into Revit you can simply drag and drop the desired file onto any view, or you can load it from the ribbon from the Architecture tab for example. Keep in mind that most of our components are entourages or plantings and can be loaded also from the Massing & Site tab, while furniture components can be loaded only from the Architecture tab > Component > Load family. We suggest to use the drag and drop method onto a 3d axonometric view.

Some families come also with a workplane based version (containing the word “workplanebased” in their name). The simple families will follow the topography, but can be placed also on construction elements like floors, slabs, etc. The workplane based families will ignore the topography and you can choose any plane to place them. See the video to understand which version to use depending on your project

Our planting families (including trees) come in 1 to 3 fixed size version and a scalable version which contains the word “SCALABLE” in it’s name. The scalable versions are bigger in filesize but have the advantage of being able to modify their size as instances. To modify the size of an instance you can use one of the following methods after selecting the planting family in plan view:

• select the planting family in plan view; you will notice a handle appearing near the edge of the family; pull this handle away from the component to scale it up, or towards the component to scale it down

• select the planting family in plan view;in the Instance Properties panel, under Dimensions find the parameter called “Height” or “Size”; enter the desired height in this parameter

*You can scale each component independently.

*Stones are included in the Planting Category because of technical reasons

*The plants will scale independently from their planters if they contain one

The cars are loaded and placed just like any other arquitree families. They come in two versions, one non- and one workplane based Revit family.

• The non workplane based family will work best if you will place the component on a topography.

• The families containing “workplanebased” in thei names will work best if they are to be placed on a workplane. Use this version especially when you want to place the component on a ramp for example.

*The rims and wheels can be customized independently for any instance of the car families

All the arquitree families react to the detail levels inside Autodesk Revit. This allows you not only to have a choice for your project presentation at a click of a button, but also a smooth workflow, especially when using the Coarse Detail Level, which will allow you to work with hundreds of our families without crashing your computer. This means that when you change from the Coarse Detail Level for example, to the Medium or Fine Detail Level, all the families downloaded from arquitree.com will change their appearance. The best way to use this feature is to keep your project on coarse while working on it and switching to Fine when making a realistic presentation. The Coarse Detail Level can be used also to create conceptual presentations, while the Medium Detail Level can help create an autumn or winter scene for example

Many of our families will react to all detail levels. For example broadleaf trees display:

• in Coarse Detail Level –  a simple, conceptual geometry

• in Medium Detail Level –  only the trunk and the branches without any leaves

• in Fine Detail Level –  the full, realistic geometry with  leaves

Besides, all our families come with various visibility and material parameters which will let you to customize individual instances of the same family

Changing the planters for the plant families is pretty easy. You first select the desired plant and then click on Edit Family in the ribbon. When inside the family editor you can find the nested families in the project browser. Under Entourage you can find the planter family. Right-click it and select Reload. Search for any free planter downloaded from www.arquitree.com and load it. Click on overwrite and the load it back into the project. Click on overwrite again. The planter will change its shape but will still react to all of the parameters.

* The parameter “Planter length” will affect only the length of rectangular planters

Our families have different material parameters for the geometry displayed in the Coarse Detail Level which let you display them in this detail level independently from other more realistic detail levels. This allows you to easily create conceptual presentations.

The same goes for overrides. If you override the category from the Model Categories in the Visibility/Graphics, only the Coarse Detail Level geometries will be affected. This includes all lines, patterns, transparency or halftone overrides.

The Medium and Fine Detail Levels use a different approach on the materials and overrides.

To modify these appearances you can usually modify the type material parameters found in the Type Properties. The changes of these materials will usually affect more arquitree families of the same category; for example if you modify the leaves type material for a broadleaf tree, all the other broadleaf trees containing that material will change their leaves. This allows you to easily turn a summer scene into an autumn scene for example. If you want to change the materials for a particular broadleaf tree family, you have to use the Object Styles found under the Manage tab in the ribbon. Here you have to go  to Imported Families and find the desired family. This is easy because all our family start with the “arqui…” prefix and continue with the category, i.e. “arquitree…” for trees. This is followed by the number of the family and then the geometry (“arquitree06_Leaves1”). Here you can change the material, transparency or the line color for any particular family and its subgeometry.

The overrides can be made from the Visibility/Graphics menu from Imported Categories, but the transparency can be changed also from the Model Categories.

You can use all arquitree families in two different ways in Enscape for Autodesk Revit:

1. with the same arquitree geometry displayed in Revit which will display textured in Enscape

2. define a substitute appearance  for Enscape, using a native Enscape model (i.e. if you don’t want to display silhouettes  in Enscape, but realistic people)

The first method works without any changes.

The second method works as follows: load the Enscape asset that you want to be displayed and place it in your project; select it and enter its Type Properties. Here you will find a parameter called “EnscapeAssetId”. Copy the content from this parameter hitting “Ctrl+C” on your keyboard. Exit the Type Properties.

Now select the family downloaded from www.arquitree.com that you wish to override in Enscape. Enter its Type Properties. You will find here the same parameter called “EnscapeAssetId”. Paste the content copied from the Enscape family into this parameter by hitting “Ctrl+V” on your keyboard. Hit OK.

Now Enscape will display a native, realistic asset, while Revit will display the arquitree family in all views. If you move the family in Revit, the Enscape asset will also move. This works with all our families.