DESIGN OPTIONS

 DESIGN OPTIONS

Revit Design Options: Streamlining Alternative Designs in a Single Model

In architectural design, iteration is everything. Whether you're exploring multiple roof styles, entry layouts, or interior configurations, Revit’s Design Options feature allows you to test alternatives without duplicating your model. This guide walks through how to set up, manage, and troubleshoot Design Options effectively.

What Are Design Options?

Design Options in Revit let you explore multiple design solutions within a single project file. Instead of creating separate models for each variation, you can build and compare alternatives side-by-side—saving time, improving coordination, and simplifying client presentations.

Use Cases Include:

• Comparing different façade treatments

• Exploring room layouts or circulation paths

• Testing structural or MEP configurations

Each Design Option Set focuses on a specific design challenge (e.g., entry layout), and contains multiple Options (e.g., Entry A, Entry B).

Explore alternative designs in the building model

Use design options to explore alternative designs in the building model. You can develop multiple options for different parts of the model, all within the same project.

For example, you can use design options to consider different roof styles and different front entries in the same building model.

• Design options are used in Revit to explore alternative designs in the building model.

• With design options, you can create multiple designs for your building, explore different room layouts, windows, doors, etc.

• Each Design Option Set addresses a particular issue or area.

• Design options help architects and designers try out different designs in one project, make it easier to choose the best design and adapt to client needs or project limitations, and make it simpler to manage design changes and improve design ideas.

How To?

Revit Options and Option Sets are both used for creating alternate designs in a building model. Here are the key differences:

• Design Options: Create multiple designs for your building, exploring different layouts, windows, doors, etc. Each Design Option Set addresses a specific issue or area. When the definitive design is chosen, you can merge these options into the main model and delete the alternative options.

• Option Sets: Contain multiple options for different parts of the model. You can mix and match options within option sets to explore different variations of the model.

To prepare the main model for design options

In the main model create as much of the model as possible before adding any design options. Include elements that will be common to all design options. Use design options for only those parts of the model that will vary.

Common Issues and Warnings:

• Highlighted Elements Overlap: This warning may occur when copying an element from the main model to a design option.

• Incorrect Wall Joins: Main model walls may not join as expected with walls in a secondary design option.

• Inserts in Design Options: This error occurs when trying to add a hosted component to a design option without its host

Setting Up Design Options

• Model the Common Elements First Build the base model with elements that won’t change across options—like core walls, levels, and grids.

• Create Option Sets and Options Go to Manage > Design Options and create a new Option Set. Add multiple Options under that set.

• Move Elements to Options Select elements and assign them to a Design Option. Use Ctrl+X and Paste Aligned to move elements between options.

• Activate and Edit Options Use the Design Options panel to activate an option and make edits. Only one option can be edited at a time.

Step 1 : Goto Manage then Select Design options

Create Option sets and options in this menu

Once its done start moving elements to the appropriate Options

If main model elements need to reference and update with elements in a secondary option, you must move the main model elements into that design option. Then you can edit the design option to modify those elements as desired. Elements in the main model cannot host or reference elements in secondary options. Therefore, elements in the main model do not change their shape or properties when you are looking at a view for a secondary option.

For example:

• If you sketch 4 walls in the main model and then sketch a roof in a secondary option, you cannot attach the walls to the roof.

• To add a skylight to a design option, the host roof must also be part of the design option.

• To add a door or window to a design option, the host wall must also be part of the design option.

Same like moving elements between main model to Design options, You can also use this technique to move an element from the main model to a design option.

• Open a project view that will show the elements to move.

• If the elements belong to a secondary option, they may not be visible yet.

• Prepare the view to show the active design option:

• Click View tab►Graphics panel►   (Visibility/Graphics).

• In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Design Options tab.

• For the appropriate design option set, in the Design Option column, select Automatic.

• Click OK.

• Click Manage tabDesign Options panel. From the drop-down list, select the design option in which the elements reside.

• In the drawing area, select one or more elements, and press Ctrl+X (Cut).

• See Selecting Elements in Design Options and the Main Model and Selecting Elements.

• Click Manage tabDesign Options panel. From the drop-down list, select the design option to which you want to add the elements.

• Click Modify <Element> tabClipboard panelPaste drop-down (Aligned to Same Place).

• Revit moves the selected elements to the active option.

• To finish editing the active option, click Manage tabDesign Options panel, and select Main Model from the drop-down list.

Design Options – Unsupported Elements

Rules for how levels, views, annotations, and details are handled while editing design options.

Levels: You cannot add levels to a design option. If you add a level to a building model while you are editing a design option, Revit adds the level to the main model. The level displays in halftone, indicating that it is not part of the design option.

Views: You cannot add views to a design option. However, you can dedicate views to design options.

Annotations and details: You cannot add view-specific elements (such as annotations and details) to a design option. View-specific elements belong to the views in which they are created.

If you add a view-specific element while you are editing a design option, Revit adds the element to the current view, not to the design option. The view-specific element displays in halftone, indicating that it is not part of the design option. To see the view-specific element and the design option, change the design option settings for the view.

To annotate or detail a design option, dedicate a view to the option. Then add annotations and details to the view. View-specific elements can reference elements in a design option. For example, you can dimension elements in a design option.

 Best Practices

• Model shared elements in the main model first

• Use clear naming for Option Sets and Options

• Dedicate views to specific options for documentation

• Merge chosen options into the main model once finalized

Conclusion: 

Design Options are a powerful tool for iterative design and client engagement. When used correctly, they streamline workflows, reduce file clutter, and enhance design flexibility—all within a single Revit file.

Feel free to connect with me if you need more clarification.

Video :  will upload soon