TTF: From Code to Focus

July 17, 2025

This weekly email is my curated selection of interesting and useful topics related to BIM, design, and technology. I aim to provide you with some good information and a few laughs along the way. What did I find interesting this week? Read down to find out!

Welcome back to another Thursday Top 5! I hope you're all staying cool this summer. I'm breaking a sweat here at ArchSmarter HQ as I finish up my Launchpad Ignite challenge. The challenge starts on July 28 (more on that below). Speaking of challenges, have you ever thought about automating those tedious Revit tasks that eat up hours of your week? This week's lineup might give you the push you need to tackle it. From learning C# and the Revit API in just 5 days to exploring cutting-edge BIM data extraction, we've got some great content for you. Plus, we'll look into what matters when it comes to project size (spoiler: it doesn't), and discover how to sharpen your focus in our increasingly distracted world. Let's get started!

#1: Code Your First Revit Tool in 5 Days

Starting July 28, join my free Launchpad Ignite challenge to learn C# and the Revit API in just 10-15 minutes a day. No complex setup needed—everything runs right inside Revit with Launchpad Lite. By Day 5, you'll have built a working automation tool. Ready to prove you CAN code?

Click here to register for the free 5-day challenge at ArchSmarter

#2: AI Interior Design That Works

Need some design inspiration? This interesting video from Archi Hacks shows how to use an AI tool (Imaginterior) to redesign rooms with surprisingly good results. Learn prompting strategies for floors, walls, furniture, and accessories - and get specific product recommendations too! While it's not BIM-specific, the strategies used could inspire our thinking about AI-assisted design elsewhere.

Click here to watch the AI interior design tutorial on YouTube

#3: Liberate Your BIM Data

This new cloud platform extracts data from Revit and IFC files 10x faster than traditional methods. Generate views to PDFs, geometry as glTF, and metadata as JSON - all without opening your desktop software. Plus, you can push your data directly to other cloud platforms like Speckle. Super interesting! 

Click here to learn more about KINDAutomatic

#4: Size Doesn't Matter

Why are small projects often harder than big ones? Bob and Andrew from Life of an Architect explain why that 400-square-foot addition might need as much documentation as a larger project. They also explain why fees don't scale linearly and how decision fatigue can derail a "simple" bathroom remodel—essential listening for anyone who's underestimated a small project (like me).

Click here to listen to the episode at Life of an Architect

#5: How to Sharpen Your Focus

Scott Young reviews eight books on attention and focus - from neuroscience to philosophy. Key insight: New technology has reduced the "distance" between information sources, making us more likely to abandon tasks. This article provides a solid reading list for anyone fighting the distraction epidemic.

Click here to read the full article at Scott H. Young

That's all from me. I hope you're having a great week. 

Michael