by John Flanagan
Introduction
Use toposolids to represent site conditions in your models.
Toposolids in Revit, introduced in version 2024, are a new way to represent site topography, replacing the older toposurface element. They can be created from various sources, including imported CAD files, CSV coordinate data, or by sketching boundaries with elevation points. Toposolids behave like floors with variable materials, supporting surface patterns and being cut by other model geometry.
Creating Toposolids on a Flat Site
Site Plan with Toposolids Added
After selecting the create from sketch option, use the pick lines tool to sketch the boundaries of the different landscape features of the building site. The six different toposolids used to represent the site landscape are labelled on the 3D site view shown below.
The parent Site Grass Toposolid was traced first using the Create from Sketch toposolid option. The Site Grass Toposolid was then selected, and the Sub-divide tool was used to define the hardscape features such as patios, roads, and paving.
Note: Sub-divisions of a toposolid can be offset from the parent toposolid. Sub-divisions share surface shape with the parent toposolid and can be assigned a different material. The surface patterns for our toposolids are clearly illustrated in the image above. In Revit 2026, Sub-divisions have replaced the former sub-regions functionality of earlier versions.
Note: Revit 2026 offers improved graphics performance, which can be beneficial when working with large and complex landscape models.
continued in Part 2