Alternative Revit to SketchUp Options

Incorporating your Revit project with your SketchUp model can be a great way to help with client feedback, design reviews, or stakeholder presentations. Here are just a few reasons you may want to use a Revit file in SketchUp:

  • Develop shading and solar studies
  • Perform material studies
  • Create more complicated geometry
  • Add detail to a model
  • Collaboration with non-AEC stakeholders
  • Access to 3D Warehouse

Revit as a DWG Export

From an open Revit Project, select or create a 3D view. Once in a 3D view select File > Export > DWG > Modify Export Setup... > Solids, make sure ACIS is selected and finish the export.

In SketchUp, select File > Import, select the .dwg file you just exported, and click Import. The Revit families from your exported .dwg file become SketchUp components and tagged with the default CAD layer name. All elements act like normal SketchUp entities and allow you to manipulate and visualize them as you see fit.

Note:Revit will only export what is visible in your 3D view. Turning off unnecessary families can help maintain a clean and usable SketchUp model. The transition of materials to SketchUp can be vary based on your export preferences.

Revit as an IFC Export

Within an open Revit Project, select File > Export > IFC and finish the export.

Within SketchUp, select File > Import and select the IFC file you just exported. The Revit families from your exported .ifc file become components in SketchUp, are assigned as Untagged, and labeled in SketchUp's Outliner. SketchUp preserves the IFC classifications set in Revit.All elements act like normal SketchUp entities and allow you to manipulate and visualize them as you see fit.

Each Revit family instance becomes a unique SketchUp component due to Revit's schedulable parameters. For example, If there are 5 instances of the same door family in Revit tagged as "A101-A105", that will create 5 unique SketchUp components rather than five instances of the same component.

Tip: Check Extension Warehouse for extensions that can help import from Revit to SketchUp. For example, Material Replacer can help update shaded materials to a more realistic appearance, and IFC Manager can help with tags and geometry optimization.
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