Create a building in Revit from images and drawings

Use images, diagrams and PDF drawings to rebuild a building in your Revit project. Establish its proportions and structure first, then develop the details through focused requests and visual checks. This example reconstructs the Leadenhall Building in a separate Revit project, using reference drawings, photographs and an existing IFC to guide the geometry.

​

1. Gather the references

Open your own Revit project and attach the information that explains the building:

• Plans establish footprints, grids and core positions.
• Sections and elevations establish heights, floor levels and the building profile.
• Diagrams and photographs explain structural relationships and visible details.

Identify references by filename or PDF page. Explain which drawings should control the geometry. Diagram colours and exploded views may explain relationships rather than actual finishes or positions. The project folder below keeps 1 the project, 2 the reference IFC and 3 the drawings and photographs together. Tell Ideatura which files to use and which information takes priority.

​

2. Establish the geometry

Before modelling, ask Ideatura to summarise the main dimensions, levels, grids and building form. Distinguish dimensions read from drawings from assumptions where information is missing.

Recreate the building shown in these references in my Revit project. First summarise the dimensions, levels, footprint and structural arrangement. Identify missing information and assumptions, then build in stages, preserving existing project content. Use editable Revit building elements where supported and identify any simplified substitutes.

For Leadenhall, the section explains the taper and changing floor depths. One floor plan should not simply be repeated throughout the tower.

​

3. Build and check in stages

Start with levels, grids and the overall form. Check the proportions before adding floor plates, the core and primary structure. Then develop the façade and open ground-level galleria. Review each stage in plan, section, elevation and 3D. Compare the floor footprints and structural positions with the corresponding references before continuing. The first built stage below contains tapered floor plates, cores, columns and primary framing. Member sizes and core enclosures are simplified estimates; inspect them against the source before developing the next stage.

​

4. Refine a specific detail

Point to the reference and explain what needs changing. In this example, the small triangular braces beside the cores needed to be distinguished from the larger façade diagonals.

Add the repeated triangular braces in the narrow strips beside the cores. Keep them separate from the large façade diagonals. Check one module against the reference photographs and IFC before repeating it up the building.

The close-up below highlights the added braces. One module was checked before repetition; running the automation again created no duplicates. The framing uses simplified solid sections and connections, so the visible shape still needs checking against the intended detail.

​

5. Review and save

Check dimensions, alignment, repeated elements and overall appearance. Confirm which elements are editable building components and which are simplified geometry. Save the reviewed stage and record what remains to develop. The Leadenhall conversation demonstrates progressive reconstruction; its structural members remained schematic and the overall model was still being refined.