The Relationship Between Window and Wall Envelopes in Revit
During the study of wall envelopes, the author discovered that when the thickness of the outer wall layer (outside the core layer) exceeds a certain threshold, the outer envelope at the window insertion point behaves unexpectedly, as illustrated in Figure 1.
This threshold is linked to a hidden parameter within the window family, known as the partition. When editing the window family, a reference plane labeled “partition” appears in the elevation view with a default value of 47.58 (this value may vary between windows). However, this annotation lacks an assigned parameter.
By assigning a parameter named “partition” to this reference plane and loading the family back into the project, changes can be observed. Specifically, when the partition value is adjusted to 150300 within the project environment, the wall envelope behavior changes accordingly.
This observation suggests that Revit’s wall envelope extends only up to the window partition. The author speculates that the default Revit window families may have omitted the parameter assignment for the partition annotation. As a result, when the outer wall layer thickness exceeds the partition value, the envelope fails to enclose properly.
Therefore, when creating custom window families, it is possible to assign a parameter to the partition reference plane. This allows users to control the envelope position dynamically within the project environment.
Related Topics:
Drawing Issues with Revit Enveloping Composite Walls
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up