Episode 135 of BIM After Dark Live is all about landscape architecture, site modeling, and how far Revit has come.
Landscape architecture and Revit have had a complicated relationship, but that’s changing. In this episode, Martin Powell, a New Zealand-born landscape architect working in Dublin, walks us through exactly how he uses Revit on live residential and large-scale site projects: topo solids, subdivisions, linked civil files, point clouds, and the messy reality of coordinating with architects and engineers.
We cover the evolution from floors to topo solids, when to use subdivisions vs. separate topo solids, how Revit 2026 finally fixed linked topo accuracy, reality capture and drone point cloud workflows, and who should own the site model on a BIM project. Stick around for the live Q&A throughout. The chat brought some great follow-up questions on retaining walls, model ownership, and working with civil engineers.
Sit back, relax, and lets geek out!
Links Mentioned:
This episode is supported in part by Guardian for Revit – guardian.bimafterdark.com
Download my residential Revit template by joining the BIM After Dark Community today: https://community.bimafterdark.com
Connect with Martin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/powelldesign/
Help vote for some of Martin’s Revit Site Ideas!
Edit Split Line Slopes – https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/edit-split-line-slopes-when-shape-editing-toposolids-amp-roofs/idi-p/14052584
Toggle Automatic Joining for Toposolids – https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/toggle-automatic-joining-for-toposolid-sub-divisions/idi-p/14052494
Allow Scheduling of Toposolids and Subdivision in One Schedule – https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/allow-scheduling-both-toposolids-amp-sub-divisions-together/idi-p/14052522
Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Landscape Architecture and Revit
1:11 Welcome and Guest Introduction — Martin Powell
3:55 Martin’s Background: From Civil 3D to Revit
8:35 Why Revit Works for Landscape Architects
10:25 Topo Solid vs. Floors: The Old Way vs. Now
17:10 Topo Solid Subdivisions: When and How to Use Them
21:00 Linked Topo Solids and Civil Engineer Workflows
37:15 Mid-Stream Break + Guardian Sponsor
39:57 Working with Architecture Files as a Landscape Architect
44:25 Retaining Walls, Model Ownership, and Cross-Discipline Coordination
53:07 Reality Capture and Point Clouds on Site
56:42 Final Tips and Wrap-Up w/Martin Powell
Here are some links to all of the hardware and software I use:
My Main Revit Computer (BIMBOX) – https://bimbox.bimafterdark.com/
How I Record My Tutorials (Camtasia Studio) – https://techsmith.z6rjha.net/zVvgW
My Microphone (Blue Yeti USB) – https://amzn.to/3992DYy
My Studio Headphones (Sennheiser HD 600) – https://amzn.to/2PxTFwj
My Camera for Videos and Images (Canon EOS 80D) – https://amzn.to/32zbpg5
The Lens I use for these videos (50mm) – https://amzn.to/3cvIE8D
My Webcam for Webinars (Logitech C922X) – https://amzn.to/2wP3AHf
My Favorite Sketchbook (“Blank” by 30×40) – https://amzn.to/32yAffZ
My Favorite Sketching Pens (Sharpie “Fine”) – https://amzn.to/3c8r8qO
Greatest Sketching Marker of All Time (Sign Pen) – https://amzn.to/3ceAukN
** Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning you don’t pay anything more but I may get a small commission for a sale… Cheers! **
Music by: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music
License code: QBVVM5RXDRMMRMSO
Artist: : Benjamin Tissot
Music by https://www.bensound.com
License code: QTOOHO37JDPSWKLF
Artist: : Benjamin Tissot
Thanks for watching ” Landscape Architects Using Revit?! Toposolids, Site Modeling, and BIM in 2026 ”
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