In Practice Course | Coordination with a Structural Engineer
One of the biggest challenges in architectural design is preventing coordination errors that can lead to construction delays. This course focuses on the importance of early integration of engineers into your design workflow, explaining how to mitigate risks such as clashing structural elements, mismatched floor heights, and improper placements of ducts and beams.
- 2+ hours of premium content
- 10 step-by-step video lessons
- Future updates included
About this course
In this course, you'll dive deep into the tools and techniques needed to manage coordination in Revit, one of the industry's leading software solutions for building information modelling (BIM). You'll learn how to work effectively with Revit models, ensuring proper alignment between architectural, structural, and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) systems.
This specialized coordination course develops your expertise in managing multidisciplinary BIM workflows through practical Revit-based coordination techniques. You'll learn to identify, document, and resolve clashes between architectural and structural elements before they become costly construction problems, while maintaining productive professional relationships with engineering consultants.
The curriculum emphasizes systematic approaches to model checking, clash detection, and quality control that protect project timelines and budgets. You'll develop skills in providing clear feedback to engineers, managing design revisions effectively, and coordinating complex building information across disciplines while maintaining design intent.
Advanced coordination techniques include world coordinate setup, model linking workflows, and comprehensive reporting systems that ensure project quality and stakeholder satisfaction. The course covers both technical coordination skills and professional communication strategies that facilitate successful multidisciplinary collaboration.
These coordination skills are essential for contemporary architectural practice where BIM proficiency and collaboration capabilities directly impact project success. The techniques learned apply to all building types where effective coordination between architects and engineers can prevent costly errors and ensure smooth project delivery from design through construction.
What will you learn?
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This course will turn you into:
A BIM coordination specialist
Master the technical workflows required for effective multidisciplinary coordination using Revit and other BIM tools. Learn to identify, document, and resolve clashes between architectural and structural elements before they become costly construction problems.
A consultant communication expert
Develop professional skills in coordinating with structural and civil engineers throughout the design process. Learn to provide clear feedback, manage revisions effectively, and maintain productive working relationships that ensure project success.
A project risk management professional
Understand how to anticipate and prevent coordination errors that can derail projects and damage professional relationships. Learn systematic approaches to model checking, clash detection, and quality control that protect project timelines and budgets.
Syllabus
We dive into the crucial process of coordination between architects and structural engineers. Using real-world examples, you'll learn how to communicate design changes effectively, ensuring that elements like columns and windows are aligned without clashes.
Here, we explore the risks of poor coordination between architects and structural engineers. Using real-world examples, you'll see how small errors can lead to significant consequences, including costly design modifications and legal claims.
Explore how to effectively comment on an engineer's work, focusing on providing feedback using both 2D and 3D methods. You'll learn best practices for marking up plans, providing clear instructions, and using visual references to flag potential issues.
In this lesson, we delve into the essential process of setting up world coordinates for an architectural project. You'll learn how to use surveys, such as topographic data, to align your project accurately within Revit.
Learn how to import the structural engineer's model into Revit, ensuring it aligns using shared coordinates. The process includes linking the Revit model, verifying correct placement, and conducting an initial inspection using section boxes to check for clashes.
Follow a step-by-step process for providing comments on both Revit models and engineer drawings. We walk you through marking up models and 2D drawings, taking screenshots of key issues, and organising them in a report for ease of communication.
In Lesson 7, the focus is on updating the Revit model based on feedback given to the structural engineer. After submitting comments in a methodical way, the engineer sends back an updated model with revisions.
In the final chapter, the focus shifts to practical applications of working with an engineer's model after coordination is complete. We cover the importance of using the frame as the primary element to set out the building's internal layout.
In Lesson 9, we emphasise the critical role of structural engineers in architectural design, highlighting how their input affects elements like beam depths, ceiling heights, and floor thicknesses.
In the final lesson, we share key advice for managing architectural projects, particularly the importance of working closely with engineers. Early coordination with engineers, especially using Revit, is critical to avoid costly mistakes.
Meet your instructor
Adam Morgan
Architectural Director
ThreeForm Architects
Hi, I'm Adam. I am the founder and director of ThreeForm Architects, a team of architects and artists in Liverpool, UK. The office is experienced in a wide range of building types and procurement routes, successfully winning projects with contract values of up to £20 million. We work for a broad spectrum of public and private sector clients across the country.
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