What is a Revit ʼArea Planʼ?
Short Answer
A Revit Area Plan is a dedicated view used to calculate, display, and schedule rentable, gross, or departmental areas by placing Area Boundary Lines and Area elements. The most common professional method is to create it with Area and Volume Computations enabled, then use Area Plan from the Architecture workflow. It does not automatically follow room boundaries unless you define them.
What You Need to Know Before
Warning: Area Plans depend on correctly placed Area Boundary Lines and the selected Area Scheme. A very common failure is using the wrong scheme, such as Gross Building instead of Rentable, which produces valid-looking but incorrect area schedules.
How-to
Command: Area Plan
Shortcut: None by default
Quick Steps:
- Go to the View tab on the Ribbon, then Plan Views panel, and click Area Plan.
- In the dialog, choose the correct Area Scheme and select the required level.
- Place Area Boundary Lines where needed, then use the Area tool to place area elements inside the enclosed regions.
Variables & Settings
Key Setting: Area and Volume Computations in Manage > project settings
Expert Setting: If area computations are disabled or misconfigured, area values and schedules may not report as expected. Also verify the selected Area Scheme because each scheme controls what type of area calculation the plan supports.
Why it Fails
- Cause 1 (Geometry): Boundary lines do not form a fully closed loop, so Revit cannot create a valid area element.
- Cause 2 (layers/Locks): Linked model elements or walls are assumed to define area limits, but the Area Plan still requires proper area boundaries based on the scheme and setup.
- Cause 3 (Command/Logic): The wrong Area Scheme was selected, so the plan calculates a different type of area than the project standard requires.
Quick Fix & Best Practice
- Quick Fix: Edit the Area Plan, use Area Boundary Line to close all gaps, and confirm the correct Area Scheme before placing or recalculating areas.
- Manager’s Verdict: Use Area Plans for code, leasing, and program analysis when you need controlled measurement rules. Avoid using Rooms as a substitute when the project requires gross, rentable, or custom area standards.
FAQ
Can a Revit Area Plan be used for rentable area?
Yes, if you create it under the correct Area Scheme.
Is an Area Plan the same as a Room Plan?
No, Area Plans and Rooms are separate systems for different measurement purposes.
Can Area Plans be scheduled in Revit?
Yes, Area elements can be reported in Area Schedules.
.