The Families page in Pirros works like the Details page but is dedicated to Revit families (.rfa files). Use it to find, preview, and download loadable families for your projects.
Prerequisite: Your admin must have uploaded families into Pirros before they appear on this page. Families can be uploaded as individual RFA files or extracted from RVT models.
Browsing Families
Navigate to the Families page from the top navigation bar. You'll see a card grid showing each family with:
Family name and category
Thumbnail preview showing the family's 3D or 2D representation
Tags applied by your admin for categorization
Type count indicating how many family types are available
Click any family card to open its full page with more detail.
Searching for Families
Use the search bar at the top of the Families page to search by:
Family name
Category (e.g., "Doors," "Windows," "Casework")
Tags applied by your admin
Text within family parameters
Filtering Families
Use the filter panel on the left to narrow results by:
Tags — categories and labels your admin has applied
Family category — the Revit category (Doors, Walls, Furniture, etc.)
Source — whether the family came from a Typical library or a specific project
Viewing a Family's Full Page
Click a family card to see:
All available types within that family, with individual previews
Tags and metadata applied to the family
Version history showing when the family was uploaded or updated
Associations linking this family to related details or other families
Download options to pull specific types into your Revit project
Typical vs Project Families
Like details, families are categorized as Typical Families (vetted standards) or Project Families (extracted from uploaded project models). Your admin controls which families are promoted to the Typical library.
What Happens Next
After finding the family you need, select the types you want and stage them for download. Open Revit, click Download in the Pirros plugin, and the families will load into your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do some family thumbnails look blank or incorrect?
A: System families (like walls, floors, and curtain walls) often generate poor default 3D thumbnails in Revit. This is a Revit limitation, not a Pirros issue. The actual family file is correct — the thumbnail is cosmetic only.
Q: Can I upload my own families?
A: Only admins can upload families to Pirros. If you have a family that should be in the library, send it to your admin or flag an existing family with a note.
Q: How do I download a family with only specific types?
A: On the family's full page, select the individual types you want, then click Stage for Download. Only those types will be included when you download in Revit.