michael kilkelly, Author at ArchSmarter Page

Getting Started with Revit Automation

October 12, 2015 by michael kilkelly 14 Comments

As much as I enjoy using Revit, sometimes it can be a real chore. Let’s face it, there are certain things we need to do on a daily basis that are super tedious. Creating sheets, changing parameters, loading linked files – all these tasks eat up a lot of time, and as we all know, time is a […]

The Art of Toolmaking

October 6, 2015 by michael kilkelly 3 Comments

My dad was a machinist so, naturally, he liked working with tools. We had a garage full of stuff he collected from the machine shop and every so often, when I needed to fix my bike, he’d rummage around and find just the right socket or the perfect sized wrench. If he couldn’t find the right tool, my […]

7 Steps to BIM Better

September 23, 2015 by michael kilkelly Leave a Comment

Want to BIM better? I recently published an article for ARCHITECT magazine’s online edition outlining seven ways you can maximize your use of BIM. The steps feature longtime themes here on ArchSmarter, including proper planning, standardization, and automation. Check out the article and start BIMing better! Click here to read the article.

The Ultimate Sketchbook Guide

September 17, 2015 by michael kilkelly 6 Comments

I previously wrote about my love of sketchbooks here on ArchSmarter. That post drew a lot of comments from like minded designers with recommendations for their favorite sketchbooks. I went on to purchase most of these sketchbooks for the sake of <ahem> research. Yes, I have a sketchbook problem. Rather than let all this research go to waste, I put […]

6 Essential Time Management Tips for the Busy Architect

September 2, 2015 by michael kilkelly 20 Comments

Has this ever happened to you? You get to work and review your to-do list. You’ve got a deadline in a few days and you’re ready to get some stuff done. But before you dive in, you take a quick look at your email. In your inbox you find an email from a client asking for a quick […]

Where’s Your BIM Roadmap Taking You?

July 22, 2015 by michael kilkelly 2 Comments

It’s summer here in New England so naturally, I’m thinking about road trips. Maybe it’s because I live in the US but I love a good road trip. There’s nothing more promising than a sunny day, a full tank of gas (or full charge, for you electric car drivers) and a map book in the passenger seat. In […]

7 Ways to be a More Effective Architect

July 1, 2015 by michael kilkelly 23 Comments

“What’s that smudge in the middle of your drawing? Is that part of your concept?” the juror asked me. “Um. . . ” I replied as I squinted at the drawing. “I think that’s from my nose. I haven’t slept in like. . . two days. I konked out will I was coloring,” I answered […]

10 More Revit Apps You Should Be Using in 2015

June 23, 2015 by michael kilkelly 5 Comments

At the beginning of the year, I posted a list of 10 Revit Apps you should be using in 2015. Now that we’re midway through the year, I thought I’d revisit this topic with a list of 10 more apps you should be using (or thinking about using) this year. There are lot of great apps […]

What is a Brick in the Age of Big Data?

June 15, 2015 by michael kilkelly 4 Comments

“What do you want, Brick.” “I like an arch.” “An arch? That’s it? Think bigger, Brick. Don’t you want to be a node on a network? Don’t you want to take part in the IOT?” “The what???” “You’re kidding, right Brick? The Internet of Things. Listen, you’re not just a brick anymore. You’re a multi-modal, […]

4 Easy Ways to Link Revit to Excel

June 8, 2015 by michael kilkelly 47 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I was reorganizing all the rooms in my Revit model. The room numbers and departments were shifting around and I needed to update all the rooms to reflect the new organization. I’d been putting this off for a few days. It’s not an exciting task but it had to get […]